interview
Sophie Alexandra of Bavaria
She was inspired by Kate for her bridal hairstyle
Sophie Alexandra of Bavaria.
© Dana Press
On May 20, 2023, Sophie-Alexandra Evekink and Ludwig, Prince of Bavaria got married. For her hairstyle, the bride uses a half-open stretch hairstyle – but that would be unthinkable without Kate, as her hairdresser tells GALA.
At their wedding on May 20, 2023, Sophie-Alexandra Evekink, 33, and Ludwig, Prince of Bavaria, 40, left nothing to chance. Of course, this also applies to the hairstyle and the outfit of the bride! The first pictures already show how wonderfully she coordinated the hairstyle and dress. Now the man behind the scenes, master hairdresser Thomas Kemper from Munich, gives GALA an insight into the creation of the two bridal hairstyles and reveals: One of them would be unthinkable without the role model of Catherine, Princess of Wales, 41, at her royal wedding.
Sophie-Alexandra relies on baroque curls for the wedding
The key to the right bridal hairstyle look? Don’t stray too far from yourself. After all, it’s about emphasizing natural beauty. Sophie-Alexandra von Bayern recognized this and, together with her hairstylist Thomas Kemper, who has often worked with ladies from the aristocracy, created a half-open look with a prominent baroque curl. It was laid loosely over the shoulder and was created with a curling iron and round brush. The partly updo hairstyle gave the bride a particularly romantic and dreamy look.
Sophie-Alexandra von Bayern wears a “baroque curl” that falls loosely over her shoulder.
© Dana Press
It’s no coincidence that the hairstyle is a bit reminiscent of the style that Catherine, Princess of Wales, wore at her wedding to Prince William, 40! “In fact, she brought in such a small break. Kate also had her hair part up and part down at the wedding, one part falling sideways over her shoulder. I’ve never seen that in royalty before. Long hair styles were basically always high up,” says the expert. Sophie-Alexandra shows that brides still like this look today and that it can be easily implemented.
Sophie-Alexandra von Bayern: Your bridal hairstyle should be a mix of classic and modern
The playful, fairytale hairstyle à la Catherine was the perfect complement to Sophie-Alexandra’s wedding dress and, above all, the powerful veil, which was attached to a diadem-like hair ornament on the top of the head and was able to stay in the hair at all thanks to the pinned-up part. Her hair stylist explains: “It was all about keeping her hair modern despite the classic approach. More and more brides tend to wear their hair open. But that doesn’t work well with a veil and headdress.” A middle way had to be found, also because of the warm air on the wedding day.
That’s why the bride put on a second hairstyle in the evening
Wide, loose baroque curls, based on the famous hairstyle of the 18th century, only a little hair pinned on top of the head: Actually, this hairstyle is a no-go for the professional hairdresser. At least in part. “I never like to have completely open hair. Of course, I’ve done it for brides and let the customer persuade them, because the customer’s wish counts. But I’ve actually always regretted it. An evening with wild dancing and hugs never lasts out of.”
In profile you can also see the behind soft curls of the bridal hairstyle.
© Dana Press
One of the reasons why Thomas Kemper and his noble customer not only created a so-called “half updo” for the church wedding, but also had the hair of Sophie-Alexandra von Bayern restyled for the soiree after the reception in Nymphenburg Palace. For the second part of the celebrations, the 33-year-old wore a braided updo, which was embellished with diamond-encrusted stars and her tiara, and also secured in place with plenty of hairspray – a must for the pro. “With this species, you can guarantee that it will last until the early hours of the morning.”