#Grazia10: Sam McKnight On How Cara & Kendall Have Become The New Supers

#Grazia10: Sam McKnight On Cara & Kendall As The New Supers

sam-kate

by Alya Mooro |
Published on

It may be fashion month, but here at Grazia HQ we are also busy celebrating the fact the we are 10 years old. To honour the occassion we are hosting a celebratory exhibition at the Getty Images Gallery in central London (it's open to the public so do pop in), and with it, beginning a series of TenTalks (check out all the info on the forthcoming talks here) with the industry's biggest movers and shakers.

As the talks opened last night, international session stylist and Grazia fave Sam Mcknight picked ten images from the last decade of his personal archive, revealing the true stories behind the hair - from the inspiration and creation, to insight on the stars that feature within them.

Watch a video of the talk below...

Allow us to introduce our 8 best bits...

1. On Lady Gaga's meat hair piece:

Remember when Lady Gaga wore that meat dress to the 2010 VMA's? Well, of course Sam was there to tend to her tresses - "It was all her own idea - the dress was astonishingly well made and precise in its detail," he told us. "Her stylist got choice cuts of meat and of course there was a hair piece - but yes it most definitely was real meat*!"*

Lady Gaga at the MTV VMA's 2010 [Getty]
Lady Gaga at the MTV VMA's 2010 [Getty]

2. On the power of a pixie crop:

Chatting about the time he styled child star turned twerker Miley Cyrus' short, blonde 'do for a Karl Lagerfeld shoot for V Magazine, Sam - (who has incidently lobbed off the hair of Agyness Deyn and Linda Evangelista to name but a few), highlighted the power of a good crop. Short hair is "the ultimate rebel hair" he said. "It says I'm here and this is who I am."

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3. On Kate Moss:

Sam has known Kate since she turned up for a Stephen Klein go-see as a teen, styling her for hundreds of shoots and becoming firm friends in the time since. He even styled Kate's wedding day hair! "No one knows the model craft like Kate," he explained, "she understands light and how it works on her face - she can make the most amazing images in minutes, when it would take another girl hours."

#Grazia10 Talk

4. On missing luggage:

Arriving in St Barts for a Vogue shoot with Kate Moss, Sam recalls how his baggage - complete with his hair kit had been sent elsewhere. Nipping to the chemist proved a disappointment, so he filled a ironing spray from the hotel with sea water, sprayed it onto Kate's hair and let it dry naturally before backcombing it to create a 12 page shoot. Amazing!

5. On Kim Kardashian and Cara Delevingne:

Having worked with Kim Kardashian and photographer Nick Knight to create the image above, Sam expressed his admiration at the star's rise to fame. "She's so clever to have created her brand in such a modern way - building huge popularity and success through social media." It's a quality he also attributes to Cara Delevingne and Kim's little sister Kendall, who have monopolised the fashion week catwalks (and our Instagram feeds) for the last few years. "These women have all conducted theirs careers in a unique new way - It's very hard for girls to get noticed now. Back in the supermodel days they were the stars, then actresses came and stole their thunder and they've been in the background... until now," he explained. "Now normal girls like Kendall and Cara can take centre stage."

Kim Kardashian for V Magazine

6. On taking risks:

Sam repeatedly expressed his admiration for the image creators that he has worked for - models, actors and photographers alike, applauding their willing to take risks. "The fact that these people continuously break out from the confines of their comfort zones, goes a long way to explaining why they are so successful. It's important to be brave and avoid sticking with what you are used to."

7. On the difference between styling fashion shows and ad campaigns

After creating the world's biggest ad campaigns and catwalk shows over the last few decades, Sam knows too well the differences between studio shoots and bustling backstage areas. "Fashion shows are an entirely different beast," he told us. "Where with an ad campaign you may have all day to work on one or two girls, there could be up to a hundred models and two hours to prepare for a catwalk show," he explains. "It's a much more mathematical process."

Sam McKnight's hairstyling for the 2012 Chanel catwalk in Versailles [Getty]

8. On Naomi Campbell

"I've known Naomi since she was about 15 - she's very special to me," he said. "It's an honour to watch these young girls grow up into amazing women and then to see how they tend to the new rising faces now that they are industry veterans."

Gallery

Inside #Grazia10 Launch

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

Touch Cara Delevingne's eyebrows

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

Our wall of 'totes amaze' It Bags

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

YOU can be a #Grazia10 coverstar, too!

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

A wall of Grazia covers

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

Grazia's Jane Bruton and Bauer Media's Abby Carvosso

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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GALLERY >> Inside the preview of the #Grazia10 exhibition

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Please drop in to the free exhibition or book a place at a TenTalk. The exhibition runs from 23rd February - 14th March and is open to the public Monday ­ Friday (10am-5.30pm), Saturday (12-5.30pm). Please note the gallery is closed when the #Grazia10talks are on.

**See the list of Tentalks and ticket links below.

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What Is Love Anyway?

Feminism: Now, Then & Tomorrow

How To Eat Right For Now

A Lot Can Happen In 10 Years: In Conversation With Sam McKnight

Meet The Newsmakers

Predict Your Career Future

The Changing Faces Of Celebrity

Technology - Friend Or Foe?

Please note that tickets are limited. More tickets may be available to purchase at a later date. Please check Grazia’s Twitter and Facebook updates for more info.

**Can't make these? Don't fret! **If you do miss out on tickets to any of the events, you can enjoy #Grazia10 highlights every day right here at Graziadaily.co.uk.

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