2021 BAFTA Film Awards: the ‘red carpet’ style rundown

There might not have been a proper red carpet at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards, but the hosts, award presenters, and special guest panel still turned out some iconic looks. Here’s a style breakdown for a selection of Paul’s BAFTA looks, the story behind them, and how they were created.

Get the look: Paul’s BAFTA style secrets

Ever wondered how Paul achieves such effortlessly flawless red carpet looks? He’s about to reveal all! Paul breaks down two of his favourite looks; one from the BAFTA red carpet and one from Greg Williams’s BAFTA mask-inspired photoshoot. 

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Paul says: “We discussed this look beforehand, and it was based on a 1920’s wave. The makeup was kept very simple, and I think it really worked.”  

Creating the look

“Gugu’s hair is naturally curly, so I had to smooth and straighten it first. We pulled the back into a very neat nape chignon and tonged the front to get the waves, which we worked into the back.”

Products

“Shu Uemura Netsu Design and Shu Uemura Awa Volume Mousse. I used Shu Uemura Essence Absolue to give gloss and then overlaid it with hairspray to stop it going completely rigid and powdery. It plasticises the hair but doesn’t make it tacky. It’s one of my screen secrets!”

Bukky Bakray

Paul says: “I worked with photographer Greg Williams on this shoot. The collection represents lots of different takes on the legendary BAFTA mask. In fact, this was one of the first pictures that he took, and it was shot on the Wednesday before the BAFTA ceremony.” 

Creating the look

“Bukky’s hair is really fine afro hair, so we tonged it into a tight curl. This look was planned in advance. She sent me pictures of what she liked, but we had a backup plan as well, just in case it didn’t work out. I think that’s what you have to do with anything like that — I hadn’t worked with her hair, and I didn’t know what the texture was like. You have to hope that you can make it work.”

Products used

“Shu Uemura Essence Absolue and Shu Uemura Netsu Design.”

Behind-the-scenes style: opening night, guest panel and awards presenters

Red carpet glamour and photoshoot styling aren’t the only acts of artistry Paul performed. He also prepped Clara Amfo’s hair for the EE BAFTA Film Awards Opening Night, styled Rhianna Dhillon and Joanna Scanlon for the guest panel, and looked after awards presenters like David Oyelowo and Asim Chaudhry.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his styling process…

Clara Amfo

Paul styled Clara’s hair into a plait that holds the hair back while giving height and allowing the hair to drop forward. He focussed on getting the hairline tight by using Clara’s own styling wax on her edges. 

Rhianna Dhillon

Paul cut Rhianna’s hair before the event and had a consultation about the look she wanted to achieve — effortless glamour. He used Tsuki Shape in the root and Awa Volume Mousse to hold the curl. Simple but effective!

Joanna Scanlan

The goal was an easy ‘done but undone’ updo. Paul blow-dried Joanna’s hair using Tsuki Shape, then used Morning After Dust by L’Oreal Professional to give texture. He wove the hair up using a criss-cross pattern, leaving bits out, so it didn’t look too ‘neat’.

Paul’s 5 red carpet essentials

Preparing for the BAFTA Film Awards is a huge endeavour. Paul arrives with a full kit, stocked with products and tools for every eventuality, but there are 5 essential products he uses in almost every BAFTA red carpet look he creates.

A-list treatment isn’t just reserved for big-screen talent. Book an appointment with us and enjoy the same care and attention. 

Treat yourself to Paul’s red carpet essentials and put some star power into your home styling routine. You’ll find them all in our online shop or at our salons in Battersea Power Station and Knightsbridge. We look forward to seeing you soon!