Five easy steps to recreate a Nineties chignon like Kate Moss

Telegraph

15-02-2025

When Kate Moss and Christy Turlington attended the recent Calvin Klein Collection AW25 show at New York Fashion Week, it marked a 1990s revival in more ways than one. Not only was it a supermodel reunion for the original Calvin Klein muses – who have appeared in many of the brand's campaigns and catwalks over the years – it was a great night for a particular hairstyle: the Nineties chignon.
Derived from the French phrase chignon du cou, meaning 'nape of the neck', this sleek, low-slung bun was a favourite in the golden era of 1990s minimalism. Favoured by understated style icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy as well as the Supers, it was often paired with a neutral slip dress and an air of chic insouciance. A few decades on, Moss and Turlington proved that the look is just as good now – perhaps even better.
In a moment defined by particularly extravagant hairdos – see the Fox Newsreader fat blow-dry and Melania Trump's perfectly prepped mane – it's refreshing to see a sleek, unfussy hairstyle earning its seat on the Fashion Week front row. Calvin Klein's mid-life supermodels provided the ideal antidote to sky-high upkeep, delivering a style that will make anyone look polished and put-together yet understated – all without requiring hours of effort.
So, how to recreate the on-trend look at home? It's relatively easy to achieve in a few simple steps, although there are certain things to bear in mind to ensure yours is more French finesse than frazzled English woman. Isabel Warren, a stylist from Hershesons, a string of London salons that specialises in those elusive 'done yet undone' styles that often feel impossible to recreate at home, provides some simple tips and tricks.
Five steps for a chic nineties chignon
Step one: The prep
If your hair is clean, Warren advises adding a little dry shampoo or texturising spray (try Living Proof's Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo or Hair By Sam McKnight's Cool Girl texture mist) to add some 'grit' and light hold. She also recommends a light slick of a multi-tasking moisturising product, like Hershesons' cult Almost Everything Cream, to tame flyaways.
If your hair is curly or coiled, Warren suggests embracing your natural shape and incorporating it into the bun rather than smoothing things out. If you do want to straighten out kinks, the best way is to blow-dry your roots downwards using a round brush, rather than straighteners, for a smooth yet subtly volumised effect. 'For me, it's all about creating tension between the hair and the brush when you're blow-drying,' Warren explains. 'Get right into the root and pop your finger on top of the brush to feel that tension.'
She advises concentrating on the areas around the ears, where you'll likely have the most baby hairs and stubborn kinks, but also reminds us that a full-head blow-dry isn't necessary for this look. 'When it's a quick and easy updo you can just do the front sections that will be most visible – you don't need to do the whole head as long as there's a good base around the roots,' she says.
Step two: How to gather your hair
Brush your hair through with a soft bristle brush, then gather it into a loose ponytail. To fully emulate Moss and Turlington, brush it back over the top of your head so there's no visible parting. 'This look is all about preference though,' says Warren, 'so you can also keep your parting on show if you're more comfortable with that.' As the ponytail will decide the placement of the bun, anchor it below the middle of the head, towards the nape of the neck, to keep things relaxed.
Step three: The twist
Hold onto the ponytail quite firmly then twist it – not too tightly but not so loosely that it falls out – until it begins to curl around on itself. Try to end up with a small amount of hair left in your fingertips at the bottom of the bun, so that this 'tail' can be tucked in during the next step.
Step four: How to fix it in place
Warren recommends classic hairpins (rather than narrower bobby pins) to secure the bun in place, although you can also get specific chignon pins, which tend to be larger and sometimes have an undulating shape. 'How many hairpins depends on the length of your hair,' she says. 'But I would put around four or five pins in to secure it, around the bun, starting with the top or bottom then adding to the sides.' If it feels loose, you can always add more – and remember to carry some with you in case top-ups are needed.
Step five: Finishing touches
Now is the time to go in with a little hairspray to secure everything in place – Warren recommends turning to a trusty can of Elnett. A useful tool for this step, she says, is a small, soft-head toothbrush, which can be used to smooth down flyaways. At this point, you can also decide whether to gently pull down any face-framing pieces of hair, which can soften the look and make it more flattering from the front – ideal if you don't happen to have supermodel bone structure.