In the nearly three years he's worked with Drew Barrymore, hairstylist Giannandrea has taken tresses to new heights (think `60s-inspired bouffants) and made bedhead look chic (see photo at left, from last week's London premiere of Going the Distance). "She is like a chameleon, constantly evolving," says the Italian coiffeur of his muse.
ELLE's August 2010 Cover
For the ELLE shoot with creative director Joe Zee and photographer Carter Smith, Giannandrea says Barrymore arrived to the set with her natural waves un-brushed and undone. "I was like, wow," he recalls. "I wanted to retain the texture as much as possible because it was so beautiful."
To prep Barrymore's strands and make them "less raw," Giannandrea began by misting them with water. Next, he parted her damp tresses down the center and twisted them into two buns, one on each side of the head (think Princess Leia from Star Wars). After letting hair sit for a bit, he then undid the coils and diffused curls with a blow-dryer. "It's a simple yet effective technique for getting chunky waves," he says.
Must-Have Product: Hair Paste
Using a dollop of Magic Move Paste, Giannandrea ran his fingers through Barrymore's waves for a sexy finish. "I love Magic Move—I've been using it on clients since '96," says Giannandrea. "It gives texture to the hair but leaves it clean, not greasy."
"I just used the paste from the crown to the mid-section of her hair," he notes. "I left the ends dry and straightened them with a flatiron because I didn't want Drew's hair to be wavy all the way through—this would look too `pretty' and not as edgy."
Golden Globe Awards: January 2009
Barrymore's supersized bob received a flurry of responses—some not so positive—but Giannandrea wasn't daunted by the naysayers. "[The hairstyle] stirred up controversy, but I think it's important to push the envelope and have fun," he told us at the time. "You have to stay alive during these difficult economic times and take a chance."
Looking back at the statement-making `do, Giannandrea only has fond memories. "That was a moment, I tell you!" he exclaims with a laugh. "Drew and I looked at each other before she stepped onto the red carpet and that's when I realized it was actually happening—that we were doing this unconventional hair for a traditional event. I was so happy because she took that look and owned it. She felt sexy wearing it, and it became part of her."
Inspiration: Monica Vitti
"The 1960s were a moment in Italian film-making where there were lots of very cool, beautiful women like Vitti," says Giannandrea, who lists the bouffant-loving actress as an inspiration for Barrymore's Golden Globes `do. "I love Vitti's sexy, dry texture—when doing Drew's hair I tried to take that texture and apply it in a more modern way. I like to retain a certain amount of classicism and create something that's elegant, contemporary, and chic."
SAG Awards: January 2010
Giannandrea revisited 1960s glamour earlier this year when he coaxed Barrymore's tresses into a pumped-up French twist for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. "It was a combination of Monica Vitti and Brigitte Bardot," he says of the style's inspiration. "What made the hair modern were Drew's short face-framing layers in the front—she had these long bangs because I'd just cut her hair in a bob."
Getting the right look for Barrymore's updo was no easy feat: As with any hairstyle, Giannandrea says that deciding which time period to draw from is just the beginning. "There are a multitude of styles within each era," he explains. "You have to downsize until you find three or four looks that might be cool."
Before consulting with Barrymore about a potential 'do, Giannandrea does extensive research on the Internet, culling hundreds of images as inspiration: "From the initial batch, I'll select about 150 based on style, texture, and feel. Then I sit down with Drew and we look at them together."
Inspiration: Brigitte Bardot
With Bardot's cascading locks nowhere in sight, you might be wondering how exactly the French actress influenced Barrymore's pinned-up SAG Awards `do. "It's not the Brigitte Bardot that you normally think of, when it comes to Drew," Giannandrea says coyly. Instead of Bardot's mane from the mid `60s to early `70s earlier incarnations of the star, circa late `50s to early `60s, were referenced.
Must-Have Product: Strong-Hold Hairspray
To keep Barrymore's va-va-voom `dos from falling flat, Giannandrea mists them with L'Oréal Professionnel Infinium hairspray, available in three no-budge formulas.
