How to get a job as a celebrity hairdresser

Welcome to Glamour's weekly column, How I Got My Job, featuring one woman with an amazing job, and the real route to get it. Looking for career inspo? For this week's installment, hair stylist to Kate Moss, Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett, Nicola Clarke shares her CV...

Who? Nicola Clarke, 45.

What? Creative colour director at John Frieda Salon, Mayfair, and celebrity hair stylist.

The CV:

I couldn’t wait to leave school and get out to work. I loved my friends and had a huge interest in science, drama and history, but I wanted to do something creative. I definitely didn’t want to work in an office!

At 13, I got a Saturday job at a local hairdresser as a junior – I doubt that’s even legal now – and it paved my passion to be a hairdresser. The salon had to be in London, though: I wanted to be in the fashion capital, and was prepared to work hard. A year later, I went on a few visits to London hoping to secure a city-based job for when I left school. My mum came with me and together we worked our way through a list of salons. I’d go in and ask for an apprenticeship, whilst mum waited outside and crossed them off the list.

Then I met Robert Wright: hairdresser and manager at the Berkeley Hotel’s salon in Mayfair, and I liked him straight away. He asked why I was on my own, and I told him that mum was lurking outside but I was too embarrassed to bring her in. He then invited her to sit with us, interviewed me that day and said I had a job waiting for me when after school.

Working at Robert’s salon was a real eye opener. I met amazing clients from rich and fabulous old ladies to movie stars staying at the hotel. It soon became clear that Robert really cared about the staff, too. He made me get a pension, encouraged me to get a mortgage and taught me countless life skills. I considered him my adopted uncle (and I still do 30 years later!) As a trainee, I learnt all the basics including ‘shampoo and sets’ and massive blow-drys (both classic looks in the 80s). I also did a Schwarzkophof colour course, and a Vidal Sassoon cutting one.

Once I qualified, I felt ready for a change so I researched other salons (tip: always do your homework for the type of salon/hairdresser you want to work with, and be prepared to show why). I was fortunate to land a job at Andrew Jose. Andrew was the former head of education at Vidal Sassoon and its here where I fell in love with colouring. I got such a buzz from the transformations but like any new skill, it was a learning curve. The first time I tried peroxide bleach on a client – who also happened to be Robert's wife – I dyed her hair purple by accident! I soon found my stride, though. I’d loved chemistry at school so mixing chemicals and colours, waiting for things to develop, then seeing the finished result was creatively satisfying.

Andrew's salon was legendary – they did their own photoshoots and sent their hair stylists out to work on fashion weeks and high-profile shoots. That's how I met Sam McKnight – one of the most accomplished hair stylists in the industry. I’d been sent to work at my first London Fashion Week catwalk show, and Sam was working on Naomi Campbell's hair. I noticed a tiny commotion as Sam’s hair pins had been misplaced, so I saw an opportunity to jump in and we hit it off straight away. I learnt loads in such a short space of time that I hassled his agent every week for an assisting job, until I got one.

I worked with Sam as often as possible and continued to soak up as much as I could: sleek hair-ups for shows and avant-garde doʼs for shoots. Once Sam knew I could colour, he got me colouring hair for the models in his shows. Everything was inspiring, fast-paced and completely varied – I was doing hair in hallways, toilets, even car parks!

I also started to build my own celebrity clientele. In 1997, whilst working on Matthew Williamsonʼs first London catwalk show with Sam, I met Kate Moss. Sam was convinced sheʼd been given a bad dye job, so he sent Kate and me back to her house to sort it out. I've been colouring her hair now for over 20 years. That same year, Gwyneth Paltrow was working in London on the film Shakespeare In Love. She’d read a Vogue article which I’d given hair tips for, and asked me to come to the set and match some hairpieces to her natural colour for the part. This set the ball rolling for more film colour work and in 1998, I got a call from Leonardo Di Caprio's make up artist inviting me to go to Thailand to work on The Beach. It was an incredible experience – I was literally giving Leo and other cast members a ‘sun-kissed’ look right there on one of the world’s most stunning beach.

I moved on from Andrew Jose to Umberto’s salon in Knightsbridge and I was recommended by a New York colourist I'd met at a Chanel show to meet Madonna for a special event. I had no idea it was because she wanted me to colour her hair for her wedding until I got there! She introduced herself as “Madonna” and I was tempted to say "I know". It was such a surreal moment and I felt huge pressure but she is one of the most professional, intelligent and respectful artists I have ever worked with. Sadly, whilst on another Gwyneth film A View From The Top, I was told the tragic news that my boss and dear friend Umberto had passed away.

With Umberto no longer at the salon, it felt time for another change. Coincidently, on my return from LA from Gwyneth’s film, I got a call from John Freida's PA to meet him. He asked me to join the Frieda family – and I’ve never left! I started off as a senior colourist, was promoted to head of colour and I’m currently the brand’s artistic director of colour. John respects my freelance career and I’ve continued to work on various fashion shoots, shows and films including Babel with Cate Blanchett & Brad Pitt and The Prince of Persia with Jake Gyllenhaal (who asked me to be his personal hairdresser).

I love my job, but the only challenge now is juggling films and shoots with my salon appointments. I like to keep everyone happy, and worry about having to rearrange a client and letting them down because I’ve been called away. The best part of my job though? Red carpet events. Through these, I’ve got to work with Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth Olsen and Sigourney Weaver to name a few. It can be crazy – like getting a bride ready over and over again – but I get such a thrill helping to come up with a creative look for such a special occasion.

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