Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:14 PM IST
Celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh gets talking
Last Updated : 03 Feb 2012
Harry Josh and his celebrity client (Image courtesy Harry Josh's FB profile).
Bed head, beach hair and the gorgeous blowout still rule this year, but if you go by the popularity of the punk crop seen in ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’s Rooney Mara, you’d agree that androgyny is also in. Well, there are a handful of people responsible for creating these looks, and US-based Harry Josh is one them.Over two decades, he has worked his way up to make it as the first Indian hair stylist in Hollywood. Josh has worked with A-listers like Cameron Diaz, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Al Pacino, Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as supermodels Helena Christensen, Christy Turlington and his close friend and the person he claims put him in the spotlight, Gisele Bundchen.Where it all beganWhile children of first generation Indians abroad usually make it big in professional careers like medicine, banking or management, few make an impact in fashion or Hollywood. As Josh puts it, his passion overtook the need to conform to cultural expectations.“I was about 16 when my obsession with fashion magazines began to grow. I would go to the supermarket with my mom and stand in the magazine aisle and flip through the pages of each magazine. Spending lots of time looking through the magazines allowed my passion and fascination for the industry to grow,” he shares.Born to Indian parents in Vancouver, Canada, Josh had to work against odds to pursue his dream career as a hair stylist. “Being a celebrity hairdresser isn’t something that is offered in school. I tried convincing my parents that there was a way to achieve my dreams of being a hair stylist if I worked hard enough, but my persuasion skills may not have worked,” he recalls.His parents enrolled him in business school but he ended up skipping school every day to hang out at his favourite hair salons. “Fascinated by the creations that these trendy hair dressers would do, I would stand at the window in awe of them. Later, I befriended the owner of a salon who offered me an internship, where I would work for free,” explains Josh.He soon realised that the only way to realise his dream was to move to New York.The big moveOn moving to New York City in 1992, Josh only met rejection, but he was determined to succeed. “No job was too small as long as I had a place to stay and food to eat on the table each day,” he remembers.It took him a decade to be noticed, and that was when he was featured in British Vogue as the next big hair dresser to watch out for. He was soon working with brands like Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs, and editorial cover shoots for top fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Teen Vogue, Allure, GQ, Cosmopolitan and others. He was also called in for international advertising campaigns, including Ralph Lauren, Zara, Anne Klein and others. Right now, he is the international creative consultant for celebrity brand, John Freida.Back to the 60sJosh views every head of hair as a new adventure. “Hairstyling is an art that allows me to express my creativity, collaborate with my subject and because of this, it’s never mundane,” he insists, adding that taking inspiration from the 60s, and turning it into something modern and wearable is a passion. “Everyone looked beautiful then, volume was kind and proper hairstyles lasted for days,” he says, adding that he loves street styles. “There are pockets of New York where young artists and cool kids live and design on a dime. Places like the Lower East Side in New York City allow people to be creative with the limited funds they have,” he says. Known as the “king of sexy bed head”, he created fresh looks for models and actresses who love understated, tousled hair.Referring to how hair relates to personality, Josh says, “Carefree tousled hair makes people look youthful, cool, and understated. Women with prim and proper hair styles tend to look uptight and unapproachable; my motto is that less, is more! Medium to thick wavy hair can do anything and is very easy to work with.”The Bundchen factorRecalling his first celebrity experience back in 2003, Josh says, “Hilary Swank was the first celebrity whose hair I styled. I was as cool as a cucumber and treated her like everyone else who has sat in my chair but I was very grateful to able to show someone at that level my talents.”Swank was followed by others, like Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy), Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids), Jennifer Garner and Gisele Bundchen, all Josh’s personal favourites. Admitting that Bundchen has the best hair in Hollywood, he makes it clear, “First and foremost, Gisele and I are friends. I have known her for 15 years and she was the one who catapulted me into the limelight. Little did I know that her hair (colour) would create a worldwide phenomenon known as the ombre look.”As for bringing his cultural background to work, Josh shrugs that it is irrelevant. “The only thing that matters is whether the hairstyle suits the person, the outfit and the event they attend,” he says. Perseverance, a sense of gratitude and his personal style have helped him become successful, he observes. “I am very approachable and humble, despite the people I work with and the industry I am in,” he affirms.Trend metre“Bangs have become popular now,” says Josh, adding that it is a great way to retain length without causing a too dramatic impact. “It allows your hair to be worn in a way that keeps it youthful and mysterious,” he says. Josh points out that long hair will always be “king due to its versatility, sensuality, and ease.” Speaking about hair disasters, Josh lists over processing hair (with home hair colouring) as one of them, making hair brittle and frizzy. Josh wants people to be inspired by what they see on film, television and the music business. ''But haircolour and cuts are all about personality. Be realistic about your hair texture and what you think your hair is capable of doing,” he emphasises.As for the challenges we Indians face with humidity, Josh offers some tips. “De-frizzing products are essential. I love the Frizz Ease line from John Freida and I use it on every person who is shooting or attending events outside in humid environments,” he recommends.To make the most of your hair, he suggests a blow dry. “Nothing beats a great blow dry that allows your hair to have movement, shine, and volume. Cut longer hair every three months and every two months if it’s shorter,” he advises.Instruments of beautyI like John Frieda products because of their versatility and range. No
matter what your hair ailment, there is a solution with this brand. I
always need a volumiser, a can of mousse, a light brushable hair spray, a
one inch curling iron, a tiny round brush and a turbo blow drier with a
strong engine.I unwind withI love to meditate and exercise; nothing helps clear my head better. I’m
a very enlightened person who likes to listen to self-help tapes. They
help me navigate through a world of superficiality and stardom, and keep
my feet on the ground.The Indian connect“I have been to India over a dozen times and love it. I am simply obsessed with Mumbai but have not been there for over a decade. It’s actually a dream to take my work to the masses in India. I feel the education I could provide the everyday woman would make an invaluable impact on their self-esteem and well-being. Beauty is not only transformational on the outside, but also on the inside. I would love to work with Aishwarya Rai (Bachchan). I am represented by CAA who have connections with Sony Entertainment television and we are brainstorming ideas of bringing my talents onto the screen; my fingers are crossed, who knows what will happen. I am open to individual assignments in India. It would be a dream, but whoever wants it would have to have seriously deep pockets. (laughs)”A word of advice for newcomers in the field?“Master your craft but most importantly, master the person you are. Being kind and grateful will take you much farther than your skill ever will.”Admitting that he hopes to be in this business for as long as he can imagine, Josh says that when you love what you do, it is addictive. “That said, if it were all to end tomorrow, I would be so grateful to achieve what I have achieved and will look back fondly at my memories. I would be happy to do anything, perhaps even become a life coach,” he concludes.
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