Each year, Luis Alvarez, Aquage co-founder and creative director, spends the holiday season in Amsterdam as he explores the beauty, wonder and history of the charming capital city.

Just a block from his flat, Alvarez visited Westerkerk a church built in the early 1600s, where the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt was buried. Inspired by the experience, he roamed the Negen Straatjes (nine little streets) in the heart of Amsterdam’s canal district. It was in an eclectic Dutch boutique there that he found the miniature figurines that became the unifying element used to communicate the concept for the March 2014 cover story.

“This is a story about getting in closer to our work so we can really scrutinize and evaluate the individual elements that create a successful, pleasing form,” Alvarez says. “I’ve always been an advocate of taking the time to step back and evaluate how all the elements of a style or an image work together to deliver an impactful, cohesive whole.” He says the miniature figurines, were used humorously to emphasize this point and weave a cohesive visual thread through the story.

“Our goal was to inspire MODERN readers, fellow hairdressers, and make-up and nail artists to take a closer look, to sweat the details and concentrate on building every style by executing the details with care, originality, quality and authenticity,” Alvarez says. “But equally as important is maintaining a sense of humor! So this story, with its tiny figures, has a bit of a whimsical wink. Humor is one of the most attractive qualities we beauty professionals deliver day-in and day-out in our salons. Keep beauty fun!” 

—Alison Shipley Alhamed