Jessica Stam (IMG): This is my first show of the season, and I’m the first model out—look number one. It's this amazing dress—look: it's a brain print! I watched the Tommy Hilfiger show, but this is my first show that I’m walking in and opening, and I’m walking in Marchesa tomorrow. It was by design that I’m doing only these shows…there’s always a design to it. [Laughs] I love the Rodarte sisters and I love what they do. You know, we have history together—I’ve been doing their shows since 2007; we actually figured that out together yesterday.

My hair has been black for several months now. I have to dye it every two-and-a-half weeks. I go to Christopher at Garren; I’ve seen them since I was 16 years old. I’ve gone to a few different people, but I always end up going back to him. I went dark for Katie Grand, for the Prada Schiaparelli show at the Met. Katie could tell me to pour bleach on myself and I would do it. [Laughs] I’ve actually bleached my eyebrows like a hundred times, to the point where they don’t even grow anymore. I’ve shaved my head. Once, when I was seventeen, Guido gave me this insane hair cut, where the sides of my head were shaved, I had bangs starting at the back of my head—it was bleach-blond—and it was razor thin in the back. It was a really unique haircut, and I was still in high school then. It was Guido’s version of a mullet. I ended up getting two covers of Italian Vogue with it, so it was totally worth it. Although when I was at school, I put on a hat. [Laughs] It was totally worth it, though. I mean, I’ve done some crazy hairstyles, but this was one that was worth it.

James Kaliardos (Nars): We’re doing a modern, medieval, warrior face. We’re using so much skincare—we’re using cream, and then a new Optimal Brightening Concentrate Serum that we’re putting on the upper cheekbone. We’re not putting any makeup over it, so you’re really going to see it because it has a little bit of reflection. We’re also using the Radiant creamy concealers [released Spring 2013], which are great. We’re just trying to use that without any foundation. If a girl needs a little foundation, we’re putting it on, but we’re mainly using the concealer—in the center of the face and around the nose, and under the eye, and blending really well. And then we’re taking Triple-X Lip Gloss and glossing the entire lid and eyebrow, to keep the look smooth and free of any hard lines.

Odile Gilbert (Kérastase): Even though it’s modern, it’s very medieval. It’s short, shaved, small, and clean. And with the earring, from Rodarte, on all the girls. So we’re doing very, very straight hair—very flat, very sleek. Everything tight to the head from the back. On the side we’re pulling this part to have a short piece on the side; the idea is to have the effect of a light shave on the side. We’re using Double Fibre Architecte to help seal the split ends and it’s activated by heat so we’re using that with the flat iron. It’s inspired by modernity; it’s very graphic, it’s very clean. It’s really like if you have a short piece on one side and it’s shaved on the other side. The shaving is super modern and you don’t have to commit to the shave. It’s super elegant, not dirty. For me, I’m not thinking about ‘trends.’ I’m designing hair for the feeling of each house, and each house has its story. I’m not thinking trend, I’m thinking big. I learned that in New York. [Laughs] One trend is not enough for me, you need to think big.

—as told to ITG

Jessica Stam photographed by Emily Weiss at Center 548 in New York on September 11th, 2012.