On the subject of hair masters… you’d be hard-pressed to cite an artist as established as Odile Gilbert. One of the hair world’s most revered figures, Gilbert has been called upon season after season to endow the runway with her own breed of sartorial magic.

From meticulously crafted feats of wonder through to pared back spells of subtle splendour, Gilbert is the hair visionary behind some of the most memorable moments in fashion, with a rolodex of designers, photographers and industry taste-makers among her list of professional peers.

Beckoned to the bright lights of New York City in 1982, Gilbert fast established herself as one to watch; honing her editorial hair chops alongside an awe-inspiring roster of photographers (think: Steven Klein, Peter Lindbergh and Helmut Newton, to name a few) and designers alike.

What soon followed would be more than the talented native of Brittany could have ever comprehended. Countless directorial gigs across a lineup of international runways, a film stint with Sophia Coppola and more than a couple of industry lauded campaign shoots and editorials.

In 2006, Gilbert received the honourable insignia of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, in honour of her contribution to the worlds of hair and fashion. To date, Gilbert perseveres as one of the industry’s key creative forces, a stance she continues to fortify with each of her inspired endeavours.

Here we trace 10 of the French hair artisan’s most iconic hair looks: from out-of-this-world collabs with Jean Paul Gaultier to Rodarte romanticism and beyond.