Evie Peterson, Sam Villa Ambassador, Redken/Tearsheet Artist @eviedzine, has styled hair on the runways from New York to LA to Vancouver and Paris, with London and Tokyo up next. She's cultivated many hair hacks and techniques to style hair very quickly while delivering immediate visual impact to tell a story. "If I can do this, you can too! It just takes practice, practice and more practice to build the confidence and technique," explains Peterson who shares three of her most vital techniques for backstage hairdressing.

1. Condensed Hair Set: "Condensed hair sets are a game changer for when you need to speed up time in the hustle and bustle of fashion week," she says.

A condensed set is used to create a Victoria's Secret-type of romantic look, quickly. The entire head is completed with only 8 curls - two deep sections on top, one on each side and four in the back. Use a Sam Villa Signature Series Professional Curling Iron 1" inserted close to the scalp and feed hair into the iron as it rolls on base. Remove iron, clip curl in place and allow to cool completely. Brush out with a Sam Villa Artist Series Finishing Brush to smooth. Voila – super full sexy hair!

2. Anchor Braids: "Your styles must be secure enough to withstand a model walking the runway. A simple trick is using anchor braids as a foundation for pinning, especially when trying to make longer hair look short, building up styles or using forms," says Peterson.

Take a 1" to 2" wide section from side to side across the nape of the head, braid into an (S) pattern and secure to head with bobby pins. Now, hair can be rolled up around a form or onto itself and hairpins can be inserted into the braid for a secure anchor. It requires minimal pins to lock in place, is very comfortable for the model and has major staying power.

3. Ponytails: "Placement is crucial for telling a story. A high ponytail conveys youth and a whimsical feel, a mid-back ponytail is sporty, and a low ponytail is sophisticated and confident," adds Peterson who relies on three primary ponytail fastening tools/techniques at every show: #1 A butchers knot with a strip of corded elastic; #2 Tearsheet Crystal Tech Elastic knotted into a circle with two bobby pins on each side; #3 Tearsheet Bungie – allows hair to stay in perfect alignment and be secured in place with no lumps or bumps.

How to Secure a Bungie

Brush hair smoothly into the palm of hand.
Close hand and make a fist.
Hold fist full of hair securely against the head and don't move at all.
Hook the front end of the bungie into the base of the ponytail with free hand wrapping the cord until it is tight and then secure the back end of the bungie into the base of the ponytail. The tail will stay exactly in place without loosening or sagging.

Learn more backstage tips and tricks from Peterson during "High Fashion Hair" on March 9th on Facebook. A full calendar of Sam Villa education can be found here.

Facebook: @SamVillaPros

Instagram: @SamVillaHair

YouTube: @SamVillaHair

Twitter: @SamVillaPro

Pinterest: @SamVillaHair.

Runway Survival Tips