This year’s New York Fashion Week has been awash with fresh and flirty florals, statement hosiery, and quirky, unexpected hair accessories. But we’re not just talking about hair up there.
On the Kaimin runway — a South Korean designer who has dressed the likes of Lady Gaga and Bjork — a bevy of winged eyeliner-adorned models presented the label’s 2018 Spring / Summer collection, “Oriental Garden.”
And, while the new collection was rather flashy (think fierce, studded leather blazers, iridescent raincoats cinched at the waist, and structured tulle bodysuits), we couldn’t take our eyes off what was going on, erm, right at eye level.
Two words: Vagina. Wigs.
Also known as a merkin, as Urban Dictionary informs us. It turns out the spiked hair extensions, which look exactly like mini mohawks pointing out perfectly from the crotch, were worn by prostitutes beginning in the 1600s after shaving their pubic hair for various health and maintenance reasons.
And now ladies, in 2018, have made their debut during one the world’s biggest fashion events. Only this time, they come in a range of colors, lengths and styles.
According to Kaimin’s press release, the punk-inspired mohawk-merkins were created “to assist irregular silhouettes” and “to bridge the gap of hard versus soft.”
Dale Delaporte, creative director of Prema Hair, a Sydney- and New York-based luxury salon, was on hand during Kaimin’s NYFW show and explained the inspiration behind the vagina wigs.
“Because the Kaimin collection has a huge central theme of pride in your body and your sexuality – although they are not mutually exclusive – we had a lot of freedom here,” Delaporte tells Whimn.com.au.
“We really wanted to push the futuristic punk aesthetic of this seasons’ collection and having matching hair and merkins was perfect.
“We worked hard on figuring out the best way to get them made and to have them looking as natural as possible and the results speak for themselves!”
They certainly do.