JEN ATKIN
Protégé of: Andy Lecompte, Sunsilk celebrity hair stylist
Hair history: "I got a really horrible bob nine years ago and just started cutting my own hair with a Gillette razor in my garage."
What she's learned from Lecompte: "The man is like a hair encyclopedia. He taught me how to really set hair, and a lot of stylists don't do that anymore—they think it's outdated. He's great at mixing old-school beauty techniques with trends. The Madonna winged bangs—he definitely brought those back."
Desert-island product: Davines Love Conditioner—"I could eat that stuff, it's so good."
ANDY LECOMPTE & JEN ATKIN
"Jen has worked with me for two years, and it's been really great to see her go on and become and artist on her own," says Lecompte. "My philosophy is that hair is always changing, and you can always continue to learn and grow. I encourage my assistants to work with other stylists, not just me, so they can learn different things and develop a style of their own."
Chris McMillan the Salon, 8944 Burton Way, Los Angeles, CA, 310. 285.0088
TEDDY CHARLES
Protégé of: Orlando Pita, runway stylist extraordinaire
Hair history: "When I was 13 or 14, I used to do my mother's hair. I had no idea it could be a job—then I started working at a salon in Versailles, France, when I was 15."
When Charles met Pita: "I met Orlando in Paris at a Galliano show. Afterward, I wrote him a letter telling him how much I liked working with him and asked if I could be his assistant. Two days later, I flew to New York with my wife and two little girls and assisted him for three years."
Desert-island product: "360 Plump from Orlando Pita—it does everything."
ORLANDO PITA & TEDDY CHARLES
"Orlando taught me to love what you do," says Charles. "It's the most important. He is humble, and he's the most beautiful person I've met in the business. Everyone knows that he's an amazing stylist, but I wish everyone could know his personality."
Orlo, 34 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY, 212.242.3266
DEVIN TOTH
Protégé of: Ted Gibson, celebrity stylist
Hair history: "My mother is a stylist, so I worked with her at a salon in Frederick, MD, called—ironically—New York, New York. I was like the golden child, so I had lots of support, and when I wanted to move to New York, I got 30 interviews in two days."
On photo shoots: "I worked with Ted on the Vanity Fair issue with Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, and Amy Poehler. It was shot in three locations in one day. Ted joked around all the time because he's really light-hearted—it was incredible."
Desert-island product: "Ted's Goodnight Replenish Hair Repair Serum—healthy hair is the canvas for everything else. It can be messy and unstyled, but as long as hair's healthy, it can still look good."
TED GIBSON & DEVIN TOTH
"Devon has always been a protégé that has shown up on every occasion with bright eyes and an eagerness to learn," says Gibson. "I always tell him that it's not an easy business and it's very competitive. You are only as good as your last hairdo or the last celebrity that you worked on. So, with that being said...you have to love what you do. If you do what you love, the money will come."
Ted Gibson Salon, 184 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 212.633.6333
MICHAEL CENTER-SPARKS
Protégé of: Chris McMillan, celebrity stylist
Hair history: "I played football in college—I went to Berkley, then transferred to Missouri State because I wanted to do fashion design and merchandising. I wanted to go pro, and I actually signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and got cut. I always said if I'm not going to be an NFL football player, I want to be a hairdresser in LA."
On working with McMillan: "Chris is really cool—he's the guy who really cares. When I finished cosmetology school, I wanted to work for the best. I went to the his salon every three weeks to visit until an assistant left."
Desert-island product: Shu Uemura Paste
CHRIS MCMILLAN & MICHAEL CENTER-SPARKS
"Chris has taught me a lot about how to treat your clients," says Center-Sparks. "He's one of the busiest people in the industry, but he makes time for his clients. All of his clients say that his cuts last for months and months, and that's important to them."
Chris McMillan the Salon, 8944 Burton Way, Los Angeles, CA, 310. 285.0088
CARRIE MCCARD
Protégé of: Rita Hazan, celebrity colorist
Hair history: "I was an art major in college, a painter. Right out of college, I worked in the corporate world in sales, and I wasn't loving what I was doing. I wanted to do something more creative, and hair color is a lot like painting every day."
What she's learned from Rita: "Highlights should be an accent to pretty color. You should wear your hair; it shouldn't wear you. She's an expert at creating a color for someone that they are comfortable with—if you pick a color that is too bold for someone's personality, they won't be happy with it. You find a hair color that fits the person."
Desert-island product: "Anything from the Nigel line—it's very conditioning. If your hair is healthy, the color will read better."
RITA HAZAN & CARRIE MCCARD
"When Carrie started working with me, I immediately saw her natural talent," says Hazan. "She has the ability to see color in a very detailed way. She also has a great sense of style and she shows it through her work—gorgeous tones. I like that my colorists listen and pay attention to their clients and know what they want even when they don't know."
Rita Hazan Salon, 720 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY, 212.586.4343
MARISSA MARINO
Protégé of: Ken Paves, celebrity stylist and extension wizard
Hair history: "In high school, I started styling everyone's hair for prom and school dances. I would barely have time to get ready myself. I never really thought about it as a career until someone suggested it to me. My dad made me go to college first, and then I attended cosmetology school in LA. I began assisting Ken a few months out of school, and he started taking me out of the salon to work with him."
Favorite Ken moment: "No one knows how hard we work. Sometimes we will be prepping and curling extension pieces for hours—and I mean 15 hours straight—in a hotel room before a job. The other night in Milan, we were watching "Freedom Writers" while we worked, and we were both crying hysterically. That's when Ken was like—this is too sad, we have to stop!"
Desert-island product: "Unite Seven Seconds. It's a detangler that you spray and let it sit for seven seconds, and it literally gets all your tangles out."
KEN PAVES & MARISSA MARINO
"My protégé is an amazing, inspiring young stylist," says Paves. "She is my right hand. I don't color hair, so she colors many of my clients and all my hair pieces. She follows direction with precision, but then always teaches me something new by adding her own flair."
Ken Paves Salon, 409 North Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA, 310. 205.0087
FABRICE GILI
Protégé of: Frédéric Fekkai, celebrity stylist
Hair history: "I began in the same salon in Paris where Frédéric started—Bruno Dessange. Serge Normant was there too; I was very lucky to be part of that prestigious team. A couple years later, Frédéric called me and asked me to join his team in New York."
On working with Fekkai: "Frédéric is more of a style maker than a hairdresser. He customizes to make sure it translates to the inner beauty and lifestyle of the client."
On celebrity clientele: "When I had been at Fekkai for about three months, Frédéric asked me to take care of a client, and I had no idea who it was. She said she had a little gig on TV, and I teased her and asked if she thought it was a one-time thing. I thought I was dealing with an actress who was still trying to make it. It was Kristin Davis."
Desert-island product: "The Fekkai All Day Hair Plump. It's one of the first products you can use on pretty much everybody. It makes the hair really shiny with good texture."
FRÉDÉRIC FEKKAI & FABRICE GILI
"I always train my stylists to create a customized and sophisticated look for each client," says Fekkai. "It should be a style that they own. I educate my stylists to focus on the complete picture-taking into account individual personality, personal style, and lifestyle. That's total beauty."
Frédéric Fekkai Soho, 394 West Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 212.888.2600
SABRINA MICHALS
Protégé of: Jimmy Paul, Bumble and bumble key runway stylist
Hair history: "Both of my parents are hairdressers, like Jimmy's story, and I swore I would never do hair. I was backpacking through Europe, and a friend of mine was modeling in Milan. She asked me to do her hair for a photo test, and I just kept going. I went to the Sassoon school in LA and started working at Bumble."
On working with Paul: "He's very meticulous and organized, which helps you get through chaotic fashion shows. Some stylists don't handle stress well or don't care. He makes everything flow better."
Desert-lisland product: "Bumble and bumble Brilliantine and SumoTech mixed together! It molds the hair without looking stiff."
JIMMY PAUL & SABRINA MICHALS
"Sabrina has had a wide education—she's a veteran in many ways," says Paul. "She was accomplished long before we met, and she brings dedication and a sophisticated eye to all of her work. My philosophy in training stylists is that they have to have a willingness to learn and a desire to improve—even if they've worked longer than you. I look for nice people who are humble and really want to work on their craft."
The House of Bumble, 415 West 13th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY, 212.521.6500
