New 7.1 hairstyle looks nothing like the winning hairstyle from the 2023 contest

[SpookyRahl]

"Inspired by"???? Inspired by what? Looking greasy or wet? Because it certainly isn't meant to convey the same look as the winning hairstyle they modeled it after. This is really disheartening actually. We NEED new hairstyles that are actually curly. And frankly, a lot of the hairstyles we already have should be better since the update and they're really not. This is a really frustrating thing they decided to do. The winning artist even laid out for them a nice chart to show how it should work.... they really did some heavy lifting for designing so I'm really failing to see how XIV got here from that.

I think it would be fine if they decided to fix this hairstyle to looks less odd and add an even curlier version that matches the contest design winner more accurately asap. People have a lot of different hair textures so having more variety is good in general obviously. But man.... that "inspired by" is such an insult to the original.

[SpecterSaru]

Listen. I know that the game has to appeal to as large as an audience as possible. But I feel non-white people are asking for the bare minimum of some actual representation. There's no excuse anymore. If no one on the modeling team knows how to model textured hair hire somebody. The people are out there. The inspiration is out there and y'all know what I mean without me saying it.

"Inspired by" is an insult not just to the artist, but to people who have this texture in their actual lives. It's all fun and games to make an "afro" that people can wear as a joke and those poor excuse for locks that definitely aren't afro-textured hair. But when we finally start asking for some proper representation the devs spit in our face. I was so ready to switch to this hairstyle and am met with total disappointment.

[Miacoda]

This is so incredibly disappointing and disrespectful. It doesn’t have the same vibe or look at all, it looks like someone with curly hair just walked out of the shower.

[bellpanda]

The hair as it's being adapted in game looks like a wet mop. There's no curly texture to it at all. Even if it is "inspired by," I'm struggling to actually see any of the inspiration since the texture is completely different. This is incredibly disappointing.

[Clanes]

Joining in to +1 this
This was one of the hairstyles I was super excited to see implemented into the game.

I'd like to see a second pass on this since it just doesn't really look similar to the base design from the art.

[AvaloniaFallen]

I didn't even recognize the hairstyle when I saw it; it looks like a greasy mop and doesn't even remotely resemble the original design. And frankly, it's outright disrespectful to ignore the artist's intentions and the community that's been asking for textured hairstyles for years and turn a curly hairstyle into something that'll make your WoL look like a sad fuckboy.

[Lamooregalore]

It's really disappointing, to say the very least. I was excited to see this in game, since hair textures are not really varied. This was a hairstyle that looked so beautiful, and I remember seeing all of the contest applicants' designs, and this hairstyle was one I pointed out specifically to my friends.
But them going from the bouncy and tighter curls in the design to the limp waves is Such a downgrade.

[Oshamoff]

The hair as it's currently modeled looks like if Emet-Selch had bedhair, it's lowkey insulting to the artist who had a clear idea in mind. I get that they won, but if you can't put the vision in the game, I think it'd be more respectful to NOT put it in rather than make a half-assed attempt like that.

[captainrodimus]

Joining to +1 this. The resemblance to the winner is middling at best, and did away with all the points that made the hairstyle interesting — i.e. the textured curls. This game dearly needs more varied hairstyles beyond “straight” and “mildly wavy.” Hoping that Sqenix will do better and give it a second pass for the sake of everyone who was looking forward to this hairstyle, ESPECIALLY those who play PoC and were looking forward to giving their character a hairstyle that reflected that.

[Maaimyuu]

Joining in to express my absolute disappointment at the continuous lack of real curly hair in this game, and the lack of disrespect for the artist's vision. Do better.