COVER COLLECTION

Award-winning visionary Antoinette Beenders redefines hair artistry with Astral 2.0, a futuristic fusion of AI, architecture and couture-inspired craft rooted in environmental consciousness.

COVER COLLECTION CREDITS: HAIR AND CONCEPT: ANTOINETTE BEENDERS MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST ED MAXIMUS MAKEUP: WALTER OBAL

Few artists have shaped the global hairdressing landscape as profoundly as Antoinette Beenders. As the Senior Vice President Creative of AVEDA USA and Global Professional Artistry, Beenders is celebrated for her holistic approach to beauty and her gift for blending high fashion with the natural world. Her most recent accolade the ‘Legendary Icon Award 2025’ from the North American Hairdressing Awards cements a career marked by innovation, experimentation and artistic fearlessness.

Known for pushing the boundaries of editorial hair design, Beenders draws on decades of experience working with the world’s top couturiers, photographers and multidisciplinary creatives. Her latest offering, Astral 2.0, is not just a collection but an ethereal journey into a new realm of hair imagination. Inspired by the mystique of out-of-body experiences, Astral 2.0 explores the intersection of science fiction and sculptural design.

The collection marks a creative evolution from her previous work, particularly the ridge technique she developed for a couture runway presentation. In Astral 2.0, this technique matures into a multidimensional narrative that pays homage to rounded architecture embracing its curves, softness and spatial dynamism. Hair is no longer a frame for the face. Under Beenders’ vision, hair becomes architecture itself fluid, powerful and alive.

What makes Astral 2.0 all the more groundbreaking is its collaborative nature and use of artificial intelligence. Partnering with multidisciplinary artist Ed Maximus, Beenders employed AI-generated visuals across every aspect of the campaign, excluding the model’s actual face and hair. This fusion of high-tech imagery with human craftsmanship gives the collection a surreal, futuristic edge while still remaining grounded in Beenders’ eco-conscious values.

Earlier this year, she added yet another feather to her cap by winning the International Hairdressing Category at a global competition alongside her partner Jorge of X-Presion, Spain further solidifying her position at the forefront of the hair world.

With Astral 2.0, Antoinette Beenders continues to redefine what’s possible in hair artistry. The collection is more than a visual feast; it is a statement that hair, fashion and technology can co-exist in harmony. And once again, she leaves the industry breathless.

PBHJ