So, You Want To Be A Celebrity Hairstylist? Read These 4 Tips!
Celeb Stylist Nathaniel Dezan’s Best Advice For Hairstylists
Dreamin’ of working the Met Gala, Fashion Week, on-set at photo shoots and with celeb clients, but don’t know where to start? We’ll give you a hint: There’s no one-way street to this type of work, but there are useful tips, tools and great advice for paving your own path to success.
BTC spoke with Nathaniel Dezan (@nathanieldezan), who has done it all, with a celebrity roster of names like Doja Cat, French Montana, “Euphoria’s” Barbie Ferreira, Dylan Sprouse and countless others. His work graces Vogue, he’s behind the trend-pushing looks on your fave Gen Z stars and crafted the iconic Keiynan Lonsdale pink hair at the 2019 Met Gala. You want it, he’s got it!
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Like every celebrity and editorial stylist, Nathaniel started somewhere—for him, a small town in Canada—and worked hard to get to this moment. That’s why we’re sharing his best advice for stylists looking to break into the industry below!
#1: Learn the fundamentals of hairdressing.
To be mentored by one of the greats, like Guido Palau or Anthony Turner, is an opportunity any hairstylist would dream of—and that’s what Nathaniel experienced, leaving his small town in Canada to work side-by-side with Guido at three years of Fashion Week seasons in London, Milan and Paris.
The fundamental skills, techniques and work ethic Nathaniel learned backstage at shows, combined with the work he had already done to hone his craft—studying hair textures, haircuts and face shapes—quickly propelled his career forward.
“I’m known to work pretty fast,” said Nathaniel. “Backstage, you have to work very fast to produce these iconic looks.” Now, when Nathaniel is working on-set, he has naturally taken that same NYFW speed and skill-set to work through multiple looks.
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Read these must-know tips for editorial styling:
- Don’t rush into the finished result. Instead, take the time to learn the fundamentals to properly prep the foundation—this is KEY to a successful editorial styling career. For example: If the client has fine hair, start by adding fullness and prepping with the right products so it withstands the day.
- But, don’t over-prep the hair. If you’re going to try multiple different looks, you have to know the direction you want to go in, and customize the foundation to support that. On shoots, anything can change last-minute, so Nathaniel preps smarter, not harder.
- The little details that create the art are extremely important. For example: If the hairline complements the face, if it’s more square or oval, if it’s blown out and shaped.
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#2: Seek opportunities for yourself.
“Assist any and everyone that inspires you [and] don’t be afraid to reach out to them,” said Nathaniel. “The worst they will say is no, and in this industry, you will hear no a lot. Build your portfolio [and] get as much content and experience as you can. Learn different techniques [and] different hair textures. Be willing to start from the bottom and slowly work your way up.”
Use Instagram as a tool. Don’t be afraid to reach out to hairdressers you look up to—DM them, contact their agent and let them know that you would love the opportunity to assist them. Timing is also key. If they say no once, they may say yes again later on.
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#3: Remember why you started doing hair.
Whether you’re working on models, celebrities, social media stars or in the salon, stay true to what you brought you there. For Nathaniel, it’s building confidence for his clients. “I first started in this [industry], because I wanted to make people feel beautiful about themselves. The more people experiment, it builds that confidence and makes them feel beautiful.”
Working with Gen Z stars like Rowan Blanchard, Barbie Ferreira, Bretman Rock and Blake Gray—Nathaniel is finding that a lot of inspiration and energy from the younger generation, and it’s impacting his work.
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“Everyone is seeking their own identity, so in doing so, they are experimenting a lot to build their own character and discover who they are,” said Nathaniel. “That’s what I admire about Gen Z. This is an era of peopling speaking up and they’re not afraid to be who they are. It builds personality and you see that in the hair.”
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How Nathaniel Draws Inspiration
Influenced by anime, futuristic, punky looks and “boy band hair,” Nathaniel loves blending the lines. “I really love bringing that weird element into it, making people almost look alien-ish or anime, or futuristic type vibes,” said Nathaniel.
But, he’s also influenced by “older women, because they grew up styling their own hair and presenting themselves,” said Nathaniel. “When I’m in public and I see really cool hair like that, it draws inspiration, and sometimes I’ll take that and make a modern twist to it.”
#4: Don’t be afraid of change.
At some point in Nathaniel’s career, he started to see himself being published in the fashion magazines that inspired him early on like Vogue, i-D and L’Officiel. His biggest advice? “This industry is always changing and we have to follow and learn constantly,” said Nathaniel.
Nathaniel stays focused on building meaningful connections with his clients, who now happen to be the world’s biggest celebrities and fashion models. Even when times are tough, be persistent and follow through with your goals. Work hard and learn a lot.
