Have you ever wondered how the hair of your favorite superstars, movie stars or celebrities in general, manages to look immaculately groomed or perfectly tousled chic throughout their day?
Chances are they are clients of Iain Jones, and he has worked his magic on them. Iain’s artistic talents have made him highly sought after by celebrity clients in Hollywood and the rest of the world.
For example, it’s not unusual for clients to travel from wherever they are in the world to wherever he is located at that time to get their hair done.
Iain says – “I enjoy the challenge of visualizing and materializing a creation, which in my client’s own estimation, complements the image they want to project. Accomplishing that as a hair designer is my raison d'être.
Most people know it’s a must to have a great hairdresser – and never more so than if you happen to be a Hollywood star.
WHO IS IAIN JONES (JONZE)?
Iain Jones tends the hair of Hollywood royalty as well as other celebrities and opinion leaders from around the world
Iain Jonze – who designed the hairstyles for Quentin Tarantino’s hit, cult classic films, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, to name a few, has probably cut the hair of more stars than any other hairdresser in the world – was trained as a hairdresser in the trendy King’s Road of London.
For as long as Iain can remember, he has known and practiced the idea that his ability to communicate effectively and create artistically would be the cornerstone of his success.
UNDERSTAND
Iain says – “I understand the type of client that I attract. That client appreciates aesthetics and a very high quality of service. In the main, that person wants to experience the sensation of an enhanced self, and I recognize it’s my responsibility to do all I can to make that experience occur for them.”
CONFIDENCE AND GOODWILL
“My first objective is to earn the client’s confidence and goodwill. The opportunity to win their confidence begins the moment the client enters the creative space and is greeted.”
CONSULTATION
“Never omit the consultation, even if you think you already know what the client wants.
“A communication technique I have developed, which has proven itself to be invaluable to me in the consultation process, especially with a new client, utilizes two key questions:
Q1: “Find out from the client if they have ever had their hair cut in a way that they did not like; if so get into the specifics of what they didn’t like and why.
“For example, you may have in mind to cut bangs in their hair. But they have had trouble with bangs in their past. It doesn’t mean you have to abandon the idea. Explore it thoroughly to determine if you can cut them in a way that will work for your client. If after you have discussed it, you believe you can cut them in a way that is really going to work and enhance their image, then with the client’s agreement go ahead and cut them. Done successfully you will have gained a lot of confidence and potential goodwill with that individual.
Q2: “Find out if they have ever had their hair cut in a way they really liked. If the answer is yes, get the specifics and use what you find out to help you envision the look you are going to create for them.
“Make sure he or she is thoroughly consulted with until an agreement is arrived at as to what the finished look will be.
“If the client presents you with a photo image – cover up the face of the person in the photo and find out from the client what it is about the actual haircut that they like. Use your judgment and experience to work out what, if anything, in the presented image would work with your client’s face-shape, natural hair volume and texture.
“During the consultation, your communication skills are likely to be tested to the max. You may have to advise your client that the cut or color in the presented image will not work for them. Or that you are uncomfortable attempting the look for them, due to you not understanding how to go about the particular cutting or coloring technique required to get the requested look. Whatever the case may be – be diplomatic and above all honest. Suggest what you think will work, whether it is a variation of the photo image or something altogether different. Work within your own set of skills and your own confidence level.
“During the consultation be sure to check the client’s hairline for growth patterns and run your hands through their hair, feeling the scalp for any irregular indentations. Take what is found into account when you are cutting, coloring or styling their hair.
“Be sure to educate your client along the way in regard to what product(s) are being used on their hair and advise them as to the products they will need to take home and how to use them to maintain the look they desire, between visits to you.”
SHAMPOO
“The client should be relaxed by the professional hand skills of the shampooist. Whether those hands are yours or those of another.”
COMMUNICATION
“Sometimes people like to be listened to and feel they are being understood.
“Other times they want to listen to the person working on their hair or just relax and soak up the music and atmosphere of the environment they are in.
“An essential communication skill to develop is the ability to stay tuned in to your client. Listen when they are talking, talk about what interests them and know when to let them just be.
“No amount of artistic talent or technical skill alone will ensure your success. To get into the rarified circles of the movers and shakers of the world and stay there with longevity, you have to have high communication skills and social graces.
“All technical services on your client’s hair need to be executed at the highest level of professionalism and creativity to produce the envisioned end result. A result, which through their eyes is attractive, easy to manage and smart or sexy depending on their mood or the occasion at hand. A look, which makes them appear fabulous and feel ecstatic.
“Another tip I can offer you is to find out from the client what they think is the most attractive aspect of their face eyes, ears, mouth, nose, cheekbones. If they can’t tell you, then look and determine for yourself what aspect of their face is most attractive and highlight that with the design of your haircut.
“The creative session is closed out, ensuring the client’s confidence in you and their goodwill for you is intact.
“Those are some of the fundamental things, which when well-accomplished, add up to a very satisfied client, and will help you to generate the word of mouth advertising which will bring people to you in droves and take you wherever you want to go.
“As an example – clients I attracted and worked on in London also spent time in other countries – one of which was America. Before I physically arrived in Los Angeles, I was already plugged into the scene I wanted to be in.
“As a result of the word of mouth about me, on my second day in LA, I was meeting with John Travolta. The power of word of mouth, whether good or bad, is unstoppable. Master your art and make that power work for you.
IMAGE
“An individual can be wearing a watch valued at $500,000 or other jewelry worth millions, clothing worth tens of thousands of dollars, their make-up done by a world class make-up artist and still not feel confident or right about themselves. And that could be because they didn’t get their hair right. But, put that person in a cool pair of jeans and a t-shirt and get their hair right and they feel on top of the world. Even wearing nothing feels better when your hair is just right.”
IDENTITY
“Working on someone’s hair is a very intimate activity,” says Iain. “I am charged with creating an aspect of their identity that captures what they want to project about themselves to others, whether in their real life or through a character they are inhabiting as a performer, actor or actress.
“In regard to a real life identity the visualization process sometimes requires asking some very personal questions about their lifestyle, their economic situation and looking at their wardrobe – certain looks can be high maintenance.
“A change of hair color could necessitate new clothes to complement what has been done.
“In regard to performers, such as rock stars and music goddesses, the visualization discussions can be fascinating. More often than not, the client would love to project to their audience an imagined character with personality traits well beyond any inhibitions they may have in their personal lives.
“Working with an actor or actress, I have to ensure I really understand the vision of the director and the interpretation of the character by the actor or actress. What I create must truly serve all the creative minds involved in the project, serve their needs and wants.
“Successful image-making is challenging, exhilarating and a lot of fun."
STAR POWER
Iain looks after the hair of many stars such as Hollywood legends Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman to name just a few. It’s not unusual for John Travolta to call Iain around to wherever he is, at 2am, if he needs a haircut.
BRIGHT LIGHTS
Iain was drawn to the bright lights from an early age. He was only 15 and still in school, when he became fascinated by the music scene, and spent weekends traveling to different cities throughout the UK to congregate with like-minded souls. Manchester in the north of England was a music hotbed as of course was London. But as Iain says – “Great music like any genius often emanates from the most unlikely people and places.
“There is no set formula that will produce a great work of art. Inspirational art that enhances and enthralls life throughout the world, and how it comes about, is truly a magical mystery, even to those fortunate enough to experience producing it. I believe that such art is so important to the world – imagine a world without it – its creators should have rose petals strewn in front of them as they walk.”
When he left school, Iain moved from his family home in Wales to London. With the help of his music friends Iain was able to enter into the fashion circles of Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington and Notting Hill Gate and very soon was part of the London cutting edge antique-clothing scene.
Iain says – “A few of us got together and came up with the idea of gathering up vintage dresses for their cool materials and prints, but we needed them in bulk. I had heard there were warehouses in certain parts of the country where antique dresses and other fabrics had been stored and were gathering dust. We got lucky! It wasn’t just a fictitious rumor and we found their exact whereabouts.
“A friend of mine’s girlfriend was training at the London School of Fashion. It wasn’t difficult to get her and her fellow fashionistas excited about cutting up the dresses and other fabrics and re-sewing them into contemporary – with an edge – designs. Bam – they became immediately popular with celebrities and the fashion conscious. I knew we would run out of materials before our customers would run out of desire.”
FABULOUS HAIR
Iain – “I have been blessed with a fabulous head of hair. But I could never get it cut in a way that was pleasing to me. Growing up, I had given consideration to becoming a barber or hairdresser just to put right my teenage hair embarrassment. I thought by knowing how to cut hair, I would be able to cut my own and solve my problem.
“In London I lived on the King’s Road, in Chelsea.
“Sissors – one of the first ever unisex and celebrity hairdressing salons – was just down the road. I passed by the salon every day. The windows were open, the music was playing, the atmosphere was charged – it was quite the scene, very buzzy and chic. I went in and finally got my hair cut in a way that was exactly what I wanted. The owner came over to chat; after a while he proceeded to convince me I should consider working there. I wasn’t quite finished with the antique clothing game, but I knew I had achieved what I set out to do within it and I wanted a new challenge. Within a couple of months, I was working as a trainee at Sissors. Subsequently, I opened a chain of salons and a training school of my own.”
Iain always knew that living and working in Hollywood would be an aspect of his future. When he moved to Los Angeles, Iain decided to work as a private hairdresser and quickly became part of the Hollywood scene.
He says – “To get invited into the homes of top celebrities as a private hairdresser means not only being at the top of your game as a hair designer, it also requires earning their confidence and trust that what you will inevitably become privy to in their personal lives, that could be embarrassing to them if revealed, will not be divulged by you.
“Once it is publicly known who your clients are, especially by the tabloids, offers of considerable amounts of money and other temptations start coming your way. Some people try to get you to contribute to the endless rumor and gossip about celebrities or to get you to pass things along, such as scripts, business ideas or to arrange meetings. It can be very valuable, even life-changing, for someone to be able to connect up to star-power through you.
“I built my celebrity clientele by word of mouth. When a star recommends you to another celebrity the confidence and trust factor is pretty much taken care of. If you service your clients with talent and professionalism, give them more than they expect and respect their privacy, you will become very valuable to them, their family, friends and associates.”
GOLDIE HAWN
“A mutual friend, whose hair I had cut, introduced us. Goldie admired the way I’d cut, colored and styled the lady’s hair and asked me if I would tend hers.
“Some people think you can’t wear your hair long when you’re 50+. But Goldie is the perfect example of a woman who is able to wear her hair long at any age, if she takes care of herself. Goldie has developed her own celebrity identity and keeps herself in excellent shape.
“When working with a star of Goldie’s stature, it is vital to keep in mind the identity she already has. Any major shift from that established look cannot be whimsically done. People want to see ‘Goldie.’”
What about the color?
Iain – “Several shades of perfectly complimentary blondes woven together with a whole lot of California sun to create a natural look.”
“A typical vacation for Goldie and her family and invited friends would be bicycling for a week through a rural area in France.”
KURT RUSSELL
“I was just over at Kurt’s house and we were about to start his haircut when his phone rang. It was his agent. Kurt tells him, ‘Just about to get my hair cut, but say the words and I’m on Sunset Blvd doing 180 on my way to you.’
“That’s Kurt, he loves speed, fast cars, power boat racing, flying airplanes, city living, ranching, horses, hunting and the outdoors. Kurt is about action and fun.
“But he also understands how to be a father and the value and importance of being a responsible partner and creating a stable, warm family environment.
“Quentin Tarantino and Kurt will be getting together soon to discuss a role for Kurt in a script written by Quentin and to be directed by Quentin.”
KATE HUDSON
“One night I was driving home, and as I was passing the Beverly Hills Hotel a car pulled up beside me. The other driver, a stunningly beautiful young lady, was smiling at me and motioning me to pull over. For a moment I didn’t recognize my client and friend. She was driving a new car, which I wasn’t familiar with, and accompanied by a group of friends. Kate, being her typical free spirited self, rolled her window down and said, ‘We are going to have drinks, Iain, would you like to join us?’
“Kate is a Hollywood princess who loves having her hair done. Volume and volume and curls and waves and motion. Tousled or sleekly finished, naturally polished or sexy. The challenge is making her hair work for the interview, photo shoot, movie, red carpet or fun at hand.”
MERYL STREEP
“When I arrived at Meryl’s house for the first time to work on her hair, she had just given birth to her fourth child. My first impression, as she greeted me with her baby in her arms, was that of a glowingly, beautiful woman in the most important role of her life, ‘mother.’
“It was very easy for me to connect with Meryl, and exciting because she wanted a new and dramatic change. Meryl is capable of assuming practically any character identity that could be delineated by the most imaginative writers in Hollywood.
“But on this occasion, I was asked to create a look, not for a character she was going to portray, but for the woman who breathes life into believable characters – brilliantly enough to have been nominated for more Oscars than any other actor or actress in the history of Hollywood – and who will continue to entertain the world for years to come.
“Meryl is very receptive to creative ideas concerning her hair. Color, extensions, wigs or even shaved, if the part calls for it. That first time I worked on Meryl’s hair at her home, it all came together beautifully.
“Towards the end of the creative session, Roy, her longtime makeup artist and friend arrived with his consummate skills to complete the look.
“Meryl is a very embracive person and loyal to those whom she wants around her. She is someone who gets great satisfaction from doing all she can to give generously to others, as an actress to those she is working with and as a caring, sensitive human being to the world in general.
“In her day-to-day life Meryl mainly resides in Connecticut with her artist/sculptor husband and family. As a professional she is wherever in the world she needs to be to continue her distinguished career.”
QUENTIN TARANTINO
“I was cutting Quent’s hair just before his first film Reservoir Dogs went into pre-production. I asked him what his hopes for the film were. Without any hesitation, he said, ‘It will be a cult classic,’
and it is.
“When I was creating the look for Michael Madsen’s hair for his role in Reservoir Dogs, I got him to watch some Humphrey Bogart films with me. I wanted to replicate on Michael a contemporary version of Bogart’s barbered hairstyle.
Iain created a modern Bogart barbered cut for Michael Madsen.
“Michael was mid-rehearsals with Quentin for the film and I asked him ‘What’s it like working with Quent?’ He said, ‘He’s either a lunatic or a genius. It’s too soon to know.’ Well now we know, Quentin is a genius.
“After I saw the first cut of Reservoir Dogs, I was hanging out with John Travolta, a longtime client of mine, and I was enthusiastically encouraging him to connect with Quentin.
“I knew by then Quentin was exceptionally talented and going to rock the world through his films. As it happens, a few months later Quent asked me if I could set up a meeting for him with John. They first met at Quentin’s then apartment in West Hollywood. John knocked on the door and when he heard Quentin about to open it, he asked him not to open it – then through the closed door proceeded to precisely describe the interior layout of the rooms. Which freaked Quent out. It turns out, John had lived in that apartment years earlier.
“Some months later, Quentin asked me to give John his Pulp Fiction script for John to consider playing the lead character, Vincent Vega. As they say, some Hollywood history was made. John resuscitated his A-list status as a box office attraction, Quentin went on to become the legendary filmmaker he is and Pulp Fiction became a worldwide success and another Tarantino cult classic film.”
BRUCE WILLIS
“Bruce is an actor who knows how important it is to be surrounded by a film crew who are happy to be there. Working on a film is hard work and long hours. Bruce understands making a movie is a team effort. So he does all he can to help keep everyone’s morale as high as possible. Pulp Fiction was actually a group of A-list stars and a topnotch crew working for very little pay. The script had created a lot of buzz in the Hollywood community and actors wanted to work with Tarantino, as a result of seeing his prior film Reservoir Dogs. But the actual budget for Pulp Fiction was low.
“One of the things that Bruce did was to put on the table a thousand dollars in cash of his own money, at the end of each week he was working, and each week a crew member’s name was drawn from a hat and the winner took the cash. No one was there just for the money. But it’s little things like that which a veteran star like Bruce would know the value of doing, to help keep the team spirit high and the crew producing the best work they were capable of.
“On a film, the first trailer the stars and cast go through each day is hair and make-up. The mood created in that trailer by those technicians can be a boon to a director or a curse.
“Bruce is an action superstar. He has a heightened awareness of his physicality and like any other true professional, pays very close attention to details. Whether his hair is cropped, shaved or he is wearing a hairpiece, the way to ensure he passes through your hands and on to the director happy is for you to get those details right.
“Bruce has a fantastic sense of humor. He tells funny, funny jokes. When he and John Travolta get together, the two of them are exceedingly hilarious.
“On the set of Pulp Fiction, I was in Bruce’s personal trailer one day when John was there. The two of them started swapping stories. By the time they were finished, the trailer was packed with people and everyone was laughing – the floor was actually joining in by creaking.
“Bruce and John, starring in a film comedy together, please, someone make it happen...”
UMA THURMAN
“It was seeing Uma dancing one night at the party after the premiere of Natural Born Killers – watching her, and the way her hair swung when she moved – that contributed to my inspiration for the way her hair should look for her character in Pulp Fiction. I just needed to get Quentin on board with my vision.
“Three identical wigs of natural hair were hand made for her character. They were made to perfectly fit her head. If somehow one got damaged we had two backups. When you are shooting a movie, you don’t want the production to be held up because of a damaged wig.
“The wigs were made long and each one had to be fitted and cut on Uma’s head. Each wig was very expensive and there was no room for error. They had to be cut to look identical to each other.
“Uma is a beautiful woman and the camera loves her. So I knew Quentin would be shooting a lot of close-ups of her face. A wig even when made of natural hair doesn’t cut like natural hair. It is extremely unforgiving and magnifies any lack of precision.
“Cutting them just right was time consuming and pressure-filled. Uma is the consummate professional and she loved the look the finished wig was going to give her character. She was very patient and we became good friends as a result of the many hours we spent together getting the wigs perfected.
“Before actual filming began, there were several weeks of rehearsal for the actors to work with the director. When Uma had some down time, we used some of that time to get her used to wearing a wig. I would get her to put one on and she and I would go out socially in Beverly Hills, to places where people from the entertainment industry congregate for coffee, lunch and dinner. Uma is tall with naturally gorgeous, long blonde hair and has a kind of pre-Raphaelite beauty and a charismatic personality. When she enters a room many eyes are attracted to her presence. We were both interested to see what effect, if any, would be created when she entered a room wearing the wig. The effect was that people did a double-take. Her beauty and charisma suggested she was a star. But who was she? As her signature blonde hair was not in sight it couldn’t possibly be Uma. We had fun.
Hair today, gone tomorrow. Uma Thurman had three identical wigs hand-made and precisely cut by Iain Jonze for her character in Pulp Fiction.
“Outside of work, Uma does not seek attention and cherishes her privacy. I remember one morning going to the Bel-Air Hotel to pick her up to go to the set. When we were exiting, hotel management informed her the paparazzi had arrived and were outside the hotel in force blocking the entrance to the car park where the studio car was waiting for her.
“It was early in the morning. Uma was in comfortable clothes and wore no make-up. We were pressed for time to get to the set. I wrapped Uma’s blonde hair up in a shawl she had with her and covered the lower part of her face.
“Rather than get into the studio car that was waiting for her in plain sight, we walked to the taxi rank and took a cab. We had successfully walked past the mass of photographers without any of them realizing who she was.
“Most major celebrities highly value their privacy. It’s one thing to have scheduled press conferences and another to have your personal life continuously invaded by cameras, etc. It gets old very fast. So when one manages to outsmart them, as we did on this occasion, it brought a smile to Uma’s face and mine too.”
John Travolta has the ability to make whoever he’s talking to feel comfortable, by being genuinely interested in them and really listening to what they have to say.
JOHN TRAVOLTA
“It was only my second day in Los Angeles and I was already having a late lunch in Hollywood with John Travolta. I had been recommended to him as a hair designer by someone whose hair I had done and obviously won the confidence, trust and goodwill of.
“I got up early that day. I was definitely keyed up about meeting with John. I remembered a year earlier in England telling my then girlfriend about my plan to move to Hollywood to cut my way to fame and fortune. We laughed about it. But here it was happening.
“John likes to change it up. The first time I consulted with him about his hair, he was wearing it on the long side. I suggested a shorter barbered look, he agreed and that’s what I did. A day or so later he flew his jet to London to hang out with Princess Diana and friends.
“When I was designing the hair for Pulp Fiction, I convinced Quentin that John’s hair needed to be way longer than it currently was to play the lead character, Vincent Vega. Then I put extensions in John’s hair to give it the length it needed. It turned out to be a perfect look for his character.
“Because of the pivotal role I played in hooking John and Quentin up, John invited me to work with him as a film producer. I remember the first meeting I set up for John and myself to meet with an executive producer from a major studio. John wanted the meeting to take place in one of his favorite hotels, The Four Seasons in LA.
“Nothing but doing it can prepare one for a meeting like that. The studio executive we were meeting with had just arranged a deal with Kevin Costner to finance his film production company, TIG Productions, to the tune of many millions of dollars. I got her interested in a film project that John wanted to do, with the idea in mind that she would convince her studio to finance a film production company with John. It was the first meeting I had set up as a producer for John, and I really wanted it to turn out well. Before the meeting was over the executive assured us that her studio would finance the project we had presented to her.
“The exceptionally-talented British film director Anthony Minghella, is a client of mine. He can have his pick of the A-list actors in the world to work with. But the last time I was with him the only star he was talking about was John Travolta.
“John lives a very privileged life and likes to indulge in and enjoy the finer things that are available to him. That can be a lot of fun for those around him.
“Harry Belafonte is a client of mine. One day Harry was in LA and urgently needed to get to New York. John lent him his pilot and jet for the trip. John has a lot and he shares a lot.
“One evening, John and I were walking together. A man loomed up as if out of nowhere. He planted himself right in front of John. I was alarmed as I wasn’t sure whether he was a fan or someone hostile. John appeared to be totally relaxed. The man was in awe and kind of stammering, which wasn’t making me any less alarmed. John started talking to him and it turned out the guy was a star-struck fan. I realized that John had been a superstar for a long time and had become quite an expert at dealing with this type of fan phenomena. I was very impressed with John’s communication skills in that incident. He was able to put the fan at ease very quickly by engaging him in conversation. The guy got his autograph and we all went happily on our way. I felt relieved the incident was over. For John it had been nothing unusual.”
SAMUEL JACKSON
“Sam just had a party to celebrate his birthday in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Now, I am lucky enough to be invited to no end of Hollywood parties and events. But being invited to Sam’s party was special. Sam is not just a celebrity and a permanent Tarantino all-star, he’s an artist too. He has a lot of very cool, creative people who like to be around him. Hollywood is a melting pot of different artistic talents. Those who have those talents tend to come and go from all parts of America and other countries in the world. Then occasionally, a lot of those talented people are in town at the same time and manage to get together. Sam’s party was such an occasion. For me it was one of those nights that should never have to end.”
“I first met Sam after Quentin cast him in Pulp Fiction. Sam is not someone you have a short conversation with, then assume you know him. He is as multi-layered as any character he interprets.
“Take Jules Winnfield, for instance, the character he portrayed in Pulp Fiction and for which he was nominated for an Oscar. That character came on screen and as an audience member you felt arrested. Your attention was not going to wander until he was done with you.
“As part of getting to know Sam well enough to design a look with him for his Jules Winnfield character, I would watch films with him. When Sam watches a film as research for a character he’s developing, he watches the film numerous times. He selects a main character to pay particular attention to and watches the entire film from that character’s viewpoint. He then selects another character and watches the film from that viewpoint. Until he is satisfied he has watched it from all the viewpoints he feels is necessary.
“Watching Sam do this was very revelatory to me as I Iikened it to a composer, a conductor and an orchestra. In film there is the writer, the director and the actors. In my analogy the actors would be the instruments playing the notes and the director the conductor interpreting the composition. Sam studies each instrument and each note played by that instrument.
“I have spent considerable time around the most talented and successful actors and artists in the world. As I said earlier, there is no pat formula that will work with everyone to be able to readily access their creative imagination. What I have observed is that each artist develops their own methods of getting into that creative zone. One of Sam’s methods during the time I spent with him is as I’ve described.
“Sam’s character Jules Winnfield ended up with the perfect hair design.
“I have developed my own methods to access my creative imagination and having the privilege of working with other imaginations is something I never take for granted.”