The Dark History of the 'Guillotine Cut,' the Short Hairstyle all the Cool Kids Want
The latest eyebrow-raising haircut trend of the moment might also be the most dramatic. Meet the "guillotine cut," or the "coiffure a la victime" ("hairstyle of the victim," for those of us who don't parle Français), a messy, cropped style that harkens back to post-revolutionary France.
Garrett Markenson, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist and the founder of hair-care brand Reverie, was inspired by the "macabre subculture and esoteric spirit of the [French] revolution," and began experimenting with the historic look on his clients.
Longer than a pixie but much shorter than a bob, the guillotine cut features choppy layers around the ears and nape of the neck. It works best on thick, wavy and/or curly hair, which tends to show off its piece-y texture and maintain its voluminous, slightly mussed shape best.
While Markenson has been doing the cut throughout his 23-year career, it wasn't until a recent trip to Austin, Texas that the stylist learned its historic significance from gallerist Philip Niemeyer. "I had not heard it in such detail before," Markenson tells Fashionista. "The story put words to my work."
The guillotine cut first gained popularity among subculture-ascribing women in the second half of the 1790s, taking hold after the Reign of Terror, during which 17,000 recorded executions — mostly by guillotine — took place. Beheading required that victims' hair be cut short, allowing easy access to the neck. Upon its end, counterculture-ascribing survivors of the Reign of Terror reclaimed the functional style.
What resonates with Markenson most about it, he says, is that it's about "people expressing themselves freely and going against the grain of what was acceptable at the time." Markenson also notes there's something unique about the "energy of a short haircut," which he believes has transformative power on the wearer.
The rise of the guillotine cut (the first time around) marked an important milestone: A short hairstyle had officially achieved trend status for French women. Prior to that, short hair had been a functional choice for lower-class women, as selling one's hair to the wig trade was a common way to earn money, but it wasn't considered a fashion choice.
The hairstyle was also a staple at "bals des victimes," or "victims' balls:" elaborate parties which only those who had lost loved ones to the terror were invited to attend. "To enter, rather than a graceful bow to the hosts, guests allegedly saluted à la victime by jerking their heads sharply downwards to imitate the moment of decapitation," Markenson explained in a recent Instagram caption.
When dancing to the memory of their lost kin, women wore thin white garments reminiscent of the clothing seen on guillotine victims. They also tied red ribbons and necklaces around their necks, marking the location of the fatal cut.
Among his clients — many of whom are models and influencers — Markenson has seen a recent uptick in those requesting short, shaggy haircuts, and the guillotine cut has been particularly popular for summer, he notes.
"I've been obsessed with short hair, neck lines," he wrote on Instagram. "This history resonates hard with me." In fact, he's been so enamored with it that he partnered with Busted Brand (a latex brand also known for creating Beyonce's full latex look on the "Cowboy Carter" album cover), to design a red latex choker (pictured above) reminiscent of those worn at "bals des victimes." While it's not available for sale, the necklace helps bring the guillotine cut's dark history — in all its grim-yet-inspiring feminist importance — to life.
