Linda Fargo’s Go-to Red Lipsticks and Decadelong Hairstylist
Linda Fargo, senior vice president of fashion at Bergdorf Goodman, is known for her striking (and maximalist) approach to style.
But when it comes to beauty — consistency and minimalism reign supreme.
More from WWD
“In a world that’s constantly changing, sometimes you need to find some things that you settle into, hold on to,” said Fargo, reflecting on her signature look of sleek silver bob and a classic red lip and nail.
She came to her look in her 40s, after experimenting with a French twist in her 20s and a top-knot chignon in her 30s. It was in her 40s that she chopped it off. “I finally got the nerve,” said Fargo, whose go-to hairstylist is Edward Tricomi. “I won’t let anyone touch my hair except him. If you watch him cut, he’s like Edward Scissorhands.”
The hue is all natural; she doesn’t color it. In fact, she experimented with color just once. “In my 20s, I took a chance. I wanted to go back to my original color,” she said. But it turned out too dark.
“I just couldn’t grow it out fast enough,” she said. “I still have the fantasy that my hair is going to go back to my chestnut brown again. Every once in a while, I find these really long dark hairs. But it would be like Samson. I think I’ll lose my power if I go brown again.”
She noticed her first gray hair quite young, around age 10. Today, gray — or silver — doesn’t adequately define the shade. “Pearl” is more like it, as described by the late designer Alber Elbaz.
“I happen to love pearls,” Fargo said. “I usually wear a Baroque pearl almost every day. He gave me this moniker of pearl hair, which I’ll take it. And I love that it was given to me by him.”
When it comes to makeup, Fargo keeps things simple: A classic red, no lip liner.
“It’s a color that has been the sign, the look of women who have stood the test of time,” she said.
Fargo has “a drawer full” of red lipsticks and an encyclopedic memory of her favorites. “My first very important red was called ‘Rouge de Fête’ from Christian Dior,” she said. “Believe it or not, Paloma Picasso at one point did a red, which I loved.” “Pirate” by Chanel is also a perennial favorite, but these days, she gravitates towards mask-friendly, smudge-proof lip stains: “Elson” by Pat McGrath or “Starwoman” by Nars. When it comes to nails, it’s OPI’s “Big Apple Red” or nothing.
But there’s another side to Fargo, her look while on holiday. Her hair is wavy, relaxed, and her lips are a natural, soft color, often the “Squeeky Clean” balm by Westman Atelier in “Garconne”.
“You know, as I’m aging and coupled with the pandemic, I’m letting go of certain things,” she said. “I don’t want to fret and fuss about what I’m putting on so much. There’s a lot of important things that we need to put our attention on.”
She paused, adding, “It’s a very roundabout way of trying to say, a little bit less is more. More quality in the products, probably fewer of them. A type of simplifying.”
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.