Style Inspiration: Lucid Futurism by Lauren McCowan

14 hours ago
2 min read

Lucid Futurism was born from a desire to restore feeling in an era of digital desensitisation. We are living in a time where everything is louder yet somehow less expressive, polished yet emotionally flat. I felt compelled to create work that cuts through that noise - work that reawakens sensation, imagination, and hope.

This collection reflects my belief that hair can be both precision craft and emotional language. It represents joyful rebellion against digital sameness and a return to sincerity, colour, and expressive form. I wanted to build a world that felt hopeful, modern, and emotionally charged without leaning into chaos or cliché - where structure meets dream logic and technique carries meaning.

My process began with studying the emotional climate of the year ahead and the growing cultural shift toward New Sincerity - a longing for honesty, uplift, and expressive individuality. From there, Lucid Futurism took shape as a vision of future optimism grounded in technical mastery. Each look was refined through silhouette and architectural study before colour was introduced, ensuring the hair could stand as sculpture. The final palette fused deep, grounded neutrals with unexpected bursts of pastel and vivid tone, creating a space that feels both real and imagined.

Surrealism has always been an important influence in my work because of its intention to liberate the subconscious mind. The movement sought to free artists from rationalism and social constraint, which mirrors the emotional climate of the present day. I wanted every image to embody that freedom and to feel like a dream state the viewer could step into. Each look was personalised to the model so they became the artwork rather than simply wearing it.

Most importantly, I wanted this collection to remind people of the power of art to lift us, connect us, and help us remain hopeful in complex times. Lucid Futurism is hair that dares, dreams, and feels - created not to be scrolled past, but to move people forward.