Earlier this year, my colleague wrote that Timothée Chalamet’s haircut—a grade 3 crop at the time—was the reason his Oscar campaign failed. Well, after a year of experimentation following his foray into buzzcut territory as Paul Atreides in Dune, the actor has returned to a medium-length cut that we’re likening to his Call Me by Your Name ’do. It was at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, where his girlfriend Kylie Jenner walked in the Fantasy bra, that he debuted the longer hair.
The bountiful curls are well-nourished (his girlfriend, I repeat, is Kylie Jenner) and really hark back to his hair-god heyday. But naturally, there’s been some growth: it’s a more grown-up take on his former cut. The center part and longer, loose curls give the hair a relaxed, natural feel while still looking considered,” explains Maxwell Oakley, founder of the London-based barbershop brand Supply 91.
You want to keep the external length relatively long while introducing mid-length layers throughout the hair. These shouldn’t be too long or too short; you’re looking for that middle ground where the layers create movement and texture without taking away from the overall length.” Chalamet’s fringe is cut slightly shorter than the rest of the hair, which helps give it a little more lift and life. Oakley adds: “It also allows the hair to fall naturally away from the face when center-parted, keeping it out of the eyes without losing that relaxed, slightly undone feel.” But what’s so good about this hair is its functionality and sense of ease.
It requires little maintenance away from the barber’s chair. For anyone with curly hair, growing it out can be a great way to embrace your natural texture. As the hair gets longer, the added weight can help loosen tighter curls into a softer wave, creating a more relaxed shape that’s often easier to manage.
Rather than fighting against your natural texture, the idea is to work with it and let the hair fall more naturally.” And if you don’t have Chalamet’s curls? Well, Oakley thinks you can still get the look. From there, a loose perm can help introduce that natural-looking wave and movement.
The aim isn’t to create tight curls, but to give the hair enough texture to fall into place naturally.” Chalamet knows this type of cut is reigning supreme in 2026. His is just a better version. Timothée’s look feels like a natural progression of that movement: a little more grown out and refined, with a softer, wavier finish.
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