Christian Marc
Born and raised in the City of Lights – Paris, France. Growing up surrounded by art and beauty, Christian felt the intense drive to create with his own hands. At the age of 14, he started studying and practicing in hopes of one day working as a hairstylist. In the past year his work has appeared in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, ELLE, Lucky, Rolling Stone, Grazia, Rouge and YRB. In the past year, Christian has styled Rosario Dawson, Chloe Sevigny, Helena Bonham Carter, Adam Lambert, Victoria Justice, Sophia Bush, Odette Yustman and Corinne Bailey Rae to name a few. Christian is also well known from the TV show “America’s Next Top Model”, featured there as a celebrity hairstylist.
The Fashiongton Post: When did you first become interested in hairstyling and in fashion?
Christian Marc: I think it was when I was 13 and 14 years old , I was cutting and buzzing all my friends at that time.
F.P.: What inspires you?
C.M.: My inspiration comes from movies, mostly the old ones, art, books, photography, architecture, music and going to a lot of art exhibitions.
F.P.: Who is your idol or guru in fashion industry?
C.M.: I got few! I would say Julien d’Ys , Odile Gilgert , Vidal Sassoon, Alexandre de Paris, they are the hair masters pioneers, they’re the ones pushing the creativity to its best!
F.P.: Do you prefer to wear clothes from a concrete designer / brand or different? Who are you favorites among known fashion designers?
C.M.: It all depends of my mood, sometimes I wear only designers’ brands but most of the time I wear a mix of vintage clothes with one or two pieces of brand. Some of the best designers, as to me, are Jean-Paul Gaultier, Martin Margiella, Yoji Yamamoto, YSL, Chanel, Rick Owens… they are all amazing designers having inspirational beautiful shapes and texture.
F.P.: Describe your typical day as a fashion related hair stylist.
C.M.: If I don’t work that day, I go for searching vintage fabrics or hair pieces, it’s my ultimate pass time, always looking something to create some new idea or going to see a movie.
F.P.: Is going to school for hairstyling important to get into this business in a serious way? Are you a self taught hair stylist or no?
C.M.: I went to school to get my license but it didn’t help me to get into the fashion business , it’s something you can’t learn at school, creativity skill and making shape that’s what can be find out only on a set.
F.P.: What surprises you most in working as hair stylist?
C.M.: It never ends! it’s a constant learning process.
F.P.: What individual brands and products you are “addicted” on a daily basis?
C.M.: Elnett hairspray every hairstylist has in his kit, my Mason Pearson hairbrush can’t live without, dry shampoo, surf spray from Bumble, mat wax from Renee Furterer.
F.P.: What will be the most basic but effective hair care tips from you to our readers?
C.M.: If you want to have healthy hair try to wash with two alternative shampoos, one you use this week and another one the week after, your hair will feel the difference.
F.P.: What is the biggest hair care dont’s?
C.M.: Never brush your hair when is wet, always comb it.
F.P.: How and when did you get on board of the show “America’s Next Top Model”?
C.M.: One of the producers heard than I knew Tyra Banks and Jay Alexander (Miss Jay) from Paris, but especially Jay because when I knew him he was a roomate of a friend of mine, photographer Jonathan Davies, who he work for Pamela Hanson and that’s the way sometimes business works like who you were connected with, than that show brought me so much jobs base on when I was meeting producers, photographers, stylists and so on during the taping and the after fact when the show goes on air worldwide, it bring business, so it’s been a bless! Thanks to Tyra and Miss Jay!
F.P.: Who is your favorite fashion magazine editor and what fashion magazines do you buy on regular basis?
C.M.: Carine Roitfeld by far is one of the most innovative and creative fashion editors for Paris Vogue, I also always buy Italian Vogue, V mag and W mag.
F.P.: What do you like the most about the fashion industry?
C.M.: What I like about it – is that you can do whatever you want regarding creating fashion, it’s your own interpretation, no etiquette no boundaries.
F.P.: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
C.M.: Creating a school for hairstylists who want to explore their creative mind.
F.P.: Who will be the person that you always dreamt to work with but did not have a chance yet?
C.M.: Julien d’Ys, he’s everything I connect with hair, he’s a genius.
F.P.: Do you have any piece of advice, fashion or life related, for young fashionistas?
C.M.: Well, here’s what I always say to my assistants: “If you do believe you have it in yourself just do it! Let your creativity shine and don’t hold it! Don’t let anyone command you, command yourself!”