The Met Ball, a fundraising gala and fashion’s most fabulous fête held each year to support The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York, saw two beautiful hairstyling finishes by celebrity stylist Peter Gray on his clients for the evening, designer Stella McCartney and actress Kate Hudson. The theme for this year's event was “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons” and their aesthetic influences the fashion and the styling of the celebrities on the red carpet. 

After wrapping things for the evening, Gray answered some of MODERN's burning questions about these two sleek looks:

MS: Have you worked with either Kate or Stella previously?
PG: Yes, Several Met Ball events with Stella and editorials with Kate.

MS: The two looks have such a nice contrast--one hair up, one hair down, one black, one white gown--and wondering if this was intentional and that they were planning to be photographed together?
PG: Stella took Kate and Naomi Watts, Stella and Naomi both wore black with the idea that Kate would be wearing white in the middle of them was intentional. That Stella's outfit suited her hair down was a happy coincidence that worked with Naomi's texture (hair by Earl Sims) and put Kate in the middle with a white gown and frosty white hair!

MS: What does the back of Stella's hair look like?
PG: Stella's hair had two tiny corn row braids sewn into the temple area and her nape area to hold two small wire combs that I had fastened a vintage Cartier brooch onto, the rest of her hair swept smoothly around the back of her neck and fell forward over her opposite shoulder in a soft loose wave that was achieved using a 1 1/4 inch curling iron and vertical sections.

MS: Do you suggest a pre-event routine for your clients (dry shampoo the day before, for instance)?
PG: That a client is comfortable is paramount! I am happy to work on either clean or lived - in hair. Dry shampoo works really well on both clean and lived in hair to loosen up and add volume and texture to a set.

MS: How much time did you have to consult prior to the event and was it in person or on the phone?
PG: Just exchanged one image via e mail.

MS: Then, how much time were you allowed to create the style?
PG: 2 1/2 - 3 hrs for hair and make up (by Gucci Westman) and fittings for both ladies.

MS: What products were most useful?
PG: I was introduced to Abba Pure Performance Haircare products and I used their range to create both looks. My favorite being the Volumizing Root Spray and the Always Fresh Dry Shampoo. Cricket's Silkomb Pro-50 and Amped Up Teasing Brush helped with both looks too with texture and the topknot.

MS: A sleek topknot like Kate's works best on what kind of face shape/hair type?
PG: I believe that style and suitability are about confidence!
A top knot can be used to expose and exaggerate jaw lines, cheek bones and temple areas.
Hair type/density can be controlled using extensions. I added to Kate's pony tail length using easihair pro tape in extensions wrapped around the base of Kate's own ponytail.

MS: When you send them off will you see them again at any point for a touchup?
PG: Once the ladies leave the hotel room where we prep that's it! They are bundled into the car downstairs and step right out onto the red carpet and a barrage of yelling photographers.