Did someone give Kim Noorda The Pip?

chloé prefall 0910/style.com

First Cameron Diaz, now Kim Noorda? In these Chloé Pre Fall 09/10 shots of the Dutch supermod, Noorda’s two-tone do certainly does bear a resemblance to the by now infamous coiffure of Australian Pip Edwards. Otherwise known as “The Pip” (which Girl With A Satchel pointed out yesterday may have also just been picked up locally by Australian designer Marnie Skillings). Frockwriter recently asked whether Cameron Diaz’s red carpet coiffure at the Golden Globes could have possibly been inspired by Edwards’ do – which is the result of a freehand technique called balayage and which merited a full-page promotion in the December edition of Australian Vogue, as bankrolled by the look’s alleged créateur, Sydney hair stylist Brad Ngata. So striking is Edwards’ look, it had previously inspired commentary by The Sydney Morning Herald, Mary-Kate Olsen and primped.com.au – a commenter on the latter site brilliantly pointing out that the look is resemblant of a “Top Deck chocolate”.



pip edwards/primped.com.au

Frockwriter’s suggestion that Diaz’s do may have been directly inspired by The Pip inspired quite some vigorous debate on the blog, with KAREN magazine commander-in-chief Marian Simms pointing out in one comment that Lancôme’s new creative director, New Zealand-born Aaron de May, was sporting a similar do in the middle of last year:



lancôme via 212dressingroom


Brad Ngata returned fire by telling frockwriter that he has been giving Edwards The Pip for the last two years.

In a highly amusing post that sadly appears to have since been deleted – but which lives on via its cached intro on Google Blogs – Oz blogger “Hot Caviar” penned the following post in her Debris Blanc Laboratorium blog:

“I am a massive admirer of Patty Huntington's blog, but I have to say, there is no way that Cameron's effortless two tone blonde do looks anything like the top deck tragedy that is Pip Edwards. I definitely don't agree there. ...”

And it seems there is no stopping The Pip.

Frockwriter’s Cameron Diaz post was picked up, literally, by the highly original Fashion Mag Daily, as well as at least one other celebrity blog.


chocablog.com

Top Deck is a brand of chocolate made by Cadbury Australia – and which in fact may be unique to the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Which may help explain how Aaron de May fits into the story – or not.

Given the fact that Cadbury's Top Deck boasts a white chocolate crown over a dark chocolate base, while The Pip boasts dark roots on the crown of the head, fading into blonde ends, technically-speaking a more accurate description of The Pip would be a "Reverse Top Deck".

But look, at the rate The Pip seems to be spreading, it’s only a matter of time before someone has a crack at the genuine article.

Frockwriter believes that Delta Goodrem could be the ideal celebrity candidate.

Cadbury’s Top Deck is said to be Goodrem’s favourite chocolate.

Did someone give Cameron Diaz The Pip?

chris pizzello/AP via daylife


Antipodian stylewatchers may have done a double-take after spotting Cameron Diaz’s latest coiffure at last night’s Golden Globes awards in Los Angeles. Although a little hard to call from a distance, on closer inspection the style is starkly reminiscent of the trademark tresses of our own aspiring style icon Pip Edwards. The Sydney-based hipster, fashion designer and partner (reportedly estranged) of ksubi’s Dan Single has become so well-known for her two-tone do – which a commenter on Oz beauty site primped.com.au uncharitably sniffed made her look like a Top Deck chocolate - women have not only been beating a path to the door of its alleged creator, Australian hair maestro Brad Ngata, "The Pip" merited a full page Brad Ngata "Vogue Promotion" in the December issue of Australian Vogue.


pip edwards/primped.com.au

The freehand French technique of balayage, via which stylists hand-paint colour onto hair, has become extremely popular, with celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker (and it follows, consumers) sporting variations.

But Ngata claims to have pushed the look to unprecedented skunk-like extremes - and his pioneering efforts have not apparently escaped the scrutiny of the Olsen twins. Who would, like, know.

As Edwards told Vogue (as recounted by the SMH):

"A group of us were at the Beatrice Inn in New York in July when I ran into Mary-Kate [Olsen] … She said: 'Oh my God. How amazing is your hair?' We spent a good half-hour talking about our hair … I've always admired Mary-Kate's style, so I was so flattered when the conversation ended with her saying: 'This time you beat me."'

“Yeah that’s The Pip” noted Ngata of Diaz's do, when frockwriter bailed him up this afternoon for an ID.

“We kind of developed it with her [Edwards] over time, to come up with the colours. What we did differently was we accentuated/tinted the regrowth and we kept lightening her mid-lengths to ends".

He added, “Balayage has been around for a long time. We’ve pushed it a little bit more with Pip, whereas Sarah Jessica Parker had a more commercial look. With Pip, we made it a little more precise. We used foils and we introduced the regrowth as well. It just makes it a little more accurate with foiling - how the colour fades from a deep dark colour down to the blonde on one mesh of hair is quite important. It's more strategic with foil”.

The Pip will set you back approximately A$220 a pop and Ngata reports that he is doing two-three Pips a week at his two Sydney salons.

“It’s a major trend” noted Ngata. “You only have to go to [Sydney nightspot] The Ivy on a Friday or Saturday night and you’ll see six or seven Pips running around. I couldn’t work out how she could possibly be getting around so quickly at one point”.