By Lisa Bakewell
This article appears in 2020 | Volume 1, Issue 4 of AHP Indie Stylist magazine
Meet Lucie Doughty, multimedia creative director for Paul Mitchell. As the NAHA 2020 Editorial/Session Stylist of the Year, Doughty’s resume reads like a Who’s Who in the world of hair, fashion, and celebrity. Here, Doughty candidly shares the evolution of her career, what inspires her work (including the cover shot), her views on post-COVID industry changes, and tips for stylists looking to grow their business.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A HAIRSTYLIST?
I used to help out a little bit in my mum’s salon. I was so fascinated with the community, and I loved how people left feeling happy. It seemed like a really great place to be. The other side is, I was never really great in school when it came to math and English. I always gravitated more toward art—making things, painting, and drawing—so a crafts-based career was more in my future.
WHAT INSPIRES YOUR CREATIVITY?.JPG)
For me, creativity is being open and observing what’s going on. I love seeing what other creators are doing! At one point, I was super obsessed with Gustav Klimt. I loved his textures and colors and the beauty of the women. I was fascinated with that whole time period. When I went to Vienna, I visited his galleries and saw all of his work. I was very much into it. I still love his work, but I don’t know if I have a favorite artist now. Instead, I enjoy collaborating. I’ve been collaborating with Javiera Estrada, an artist I met through doing hair. She does mixed-media art, so collaborating with her—and getting into her thought process—has been really inspiring. I also love being outdoors to sit and let my mind wander.
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE COVER IMAGE?
At the time, I was really obsessed with an alien vibe— in a transformed human way. So, in that whole shoot, we had different ideas like using raised cheeks on one of the models so they would really come out and stand strong—a little otherworldly. Then, we put elf ears on another model. We tried to make her look almost like she wasn’t real. Not really plastic but without a lot of skin texture— very much drawn-in and inanimate, really.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FOR SHOOTING A COLLECTION.
I do a lot of research. I have folders where I save inspirations, and I just start gathering things up. Then, when it’s time to do a project—or I’m looking to start a project—I’ll go back through my folders to see if there’s a theme. I also look to fashion. I want to see what’s going on in trends. And I look at forecasting. Then, when I figure out what I want my team or direction to be, I really start to nail down the exact look and pieces I want. I consider what the hair, makeup, wardrobe, and lighting will look like, so each piece is uniquely put together for the shoot. I keep dialing it down to, “OK, this is where I want to land with it.” Then, I can communicate that to the team.
HOW DOES A HAIRSTYLIST GET INTO THE WORLD OF EDITORIAL HAIR?
When I started out, it was very much about doing the work, having your book, and having an agent. There’s still some of that, but a lot of success today relies on how many followers you have. Social media plays a big part in getting people to see your work. I still think it’s valuable to find a mentor to point you in the right direction, but I think the first step is to start shooting your own work. Get friends and models, and just start shooting. Today, you can get your work out there very easily. When I was starting out, it was, “I have to get the prints from the photographer, and then we have to get them printed.” Then we had to put them in a book and load them up to our website. It was a lot more time-consuming
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AHP Indie Stylist magazine
AHP Indie Stylist magazine is a bimonthly publication, created to speak directly to you, the independent hair stylist and barber. In this issue:
• Cutting Curtain Bangs:The layered curtain fringe is simple, customizable, and super popular
• Surviving Holiday Rush: Survive the holiday rush and consider what really matters
• Saving for Retirement: If your're worried about not having enough money to retire, here are a dew ways to ease your fears