Q&A With A PRO: Karine Valbrun, Fashion Hair Stylist

Born in Lille to business parents, I grew up in my mother’s hair salon because we lived above and saw all the of L'Oréal's internship with my parents ( my father being a representative for them, my mother, a colorist). My grandmother was a seamstress.... The artistic gift is in our family.

Then I went to arts and crafts school to pass my exams. I could attend all the techniques thanks to the changes of salon between Jean Louis David, Dessange and stop a bit at Mod’s hair.

I didn't choose to do this, but being already grown I couldn't become a dancer.

BANKALL Magazine : What made you want to do this job? Any Mentor ?

KARINE VALBRUN: Also modeling on the weekends when my employers also let me work, I quickly became involved in the 360-degree fashion world.

It was a photographer, Joseph Chiaramonte, who gave me my chance after having done my first advertising campaign. I was very young and then I received a proposal from his brother, Jean-Dominique Chiaramonte, who had a hair and make-up agency (Persona) with whom I collaborated.

We weren't on the market very much in the 80's and there was a real demand, even if it was seasonal work, it's worth remembering.So that's how I also started in Paris for Haute Couture with my first YSL fashion show at the Stade de France as an assistant for the agency Callisté with Gilles (deceased), Orlando Pita (Madonna's hairdresser) my mentor like Ward (Vogue) and Stéphane Lancien (L'Oréal) then Odile Gilbert (Chanel). We are all still bound by a great friendship today and still work together. I am very happy to collaborate. We are all studio hairdressers. (Without a hair salon except Orlando in NYC)

What qualities are requiered for you job ?

K. V :curiosity, manual dexterity, education, organization, adaptability in all circumstances with a smile, collaboration, patience and speed...A sense of responsibility.

It is also essential, if possible, to speak several languages to travel and to talk with the models.

Where do you get your inspiration for the hairstyles?

K.V.: It's a team effort, we always say "team work" or "super team". The inspiration comes from a story, a journey, a piece of fabric, a color, the wind, the rain, the sun or from a romance, from history (Greek, Renaissance or Baroque, wars, pin-up....)The stylist, the photographer, the make-up artist, the hairdresser and the client have to work together to highlight the model, the clothing or the beauty to make people dream and to pass a message ( advertisement) to the viewers of the magazine and its story, or an advertising spot, a poster campaign or for social networks.I can also have the last word if I am convinced and convincing .

Many of my readers are wondering how to make your hair look good without using heat?

K.V. : It's not the heat itself, the problem is to run a brush through wet hair that breaks it... if you don't use conditioner on a length over 10 cm the very same hair is therefore NEVER protected.... Because the sebum protects the hair if it is healthy up to 10 cm only and with the water that generates a weight, it is at its maximum elasticity and therefore combing or brushing at that time, they break! Always use a conditioner after wiping your hair and use a dermoprotective spray on the lengths and then untangle and dry. If the brush is passed 100 times with heat on the same strand to smooth, I advise to dry normally the free hair or with a flat brush in all directions and finish with hair straightener.Better to have 2 passages of hair straightener per strand than 10 times the round brush.

Beautiful hair, is that possible?

K.V.: Yes, with the application of a mask of Shea, coconut or jojoba, Taya with Brazilian nuts, titanium, clay and bamboo.Once a week let pose at least a 30 minutes. Before or after shampoo guarantees the beauty of the hair and its ease of styling plus its shiny, luminous effect! For all ...

How to make hair silky after colouring ?

K.V.: For all colored hair make a mask 4 days after application and not 3 days before applying the color and then once a week.For bleaching, idem, 1 mask per week, use dermo-protective sprays before drying and on the lengths, of 15 to 20 cm, oils on the tips to prevent breakage. Because a hair with less pigment breaks more than a darker colored hair. e.g. Chestnut Hairs

What are the permanent care products that do not damage the hair?

K.V.: Buy a shampoo for your skin type (oily or dry) and not for your hair,.from what is sold on the supermarket shelves, to have a good shampoo, better spend more . From 15 to 25€ to ensure its quality, fundamental! You will save in quantity because a good shampoo does not make a ton of foam and you only need to wash it once!Similarly for a conditioner, if it is of quality with a real percentage of what it contains, the use will be minimal and therefore it will not make fine hair heavy and will be very effective in the long term, see 250 ml for 3 months.1 mask per week, let pose 5 min to 1 hour to avoid brittle, frizzy, electric and lifeless hair!1 dermo protective spray before drying for all hair types (tired, frizzy, fine, colored, bleached, permed, electric and brittle, lifeless and for mature women 50 years and older).Be careful with products less than 12€ containing more chemical silicon, I like to work the hair with natural products with natural silicon derivatives. From 20€ the shampoo, the after-shampoo and the mask from 30€. René Furterer is a very good brand in France.

(I can't advertise being myself an ambassador for an American brand Taya, exclusive to QVC's TV shopping in the world. Not sold in France. )

Who did you work with? Any crush ?

K.V.: I can affirm that I've worked with all the designer's brands....so I can't say all the names, it would take too long.Living in Italy, here are some names. Mr. Giorgio Armani who always knows exactly what he wants, Mr. Valentino, very gallant, who gave me a chair so that I could sit down to eat in his salons in Place Vendôme, a refined man, Gucci with Tom Ford always present who gives confidence, of an exceptional taste, Versace, Dolce&Gabbana very creative...Those who are my little family Missoni, Woolrich... we have a great respect for our work.In France, Jean-Paul Gaultier with an energy without measure, Chanel with Mr Lagerfeld, who we miss so much and who always had wonderful sentences to say, Mr Cristian Lacroix very joyful and calm.I would need a book to narrate them ..

Recently you attended the PFW, can you tell us what a typical day looks like?

K.V.: What I like the most in my job is that no two days are the same...it all depends on where you are and at what time....for a show where the call time is at 5.00 am as for Chanel, we have to be at the Grand Palais at 4.45 am to pass the security controls and then ID card and backstage pass.Preparation of the material on the tables with space to work better, put all the colours of the extensions on a table next to the head of the booth who would be the hairdresser designated by the stylist to get 25 to 80 models out on the run way... around 5. 30 arrive the first models ,which with one, the chief hairdresser explains, demonstrating point by point the hairstyle chosen for the runway to all his assistants who will have to execute to perfection what has been requested adapting to the hair types and proportions of the skull and its own volumes and face.

When a model is finished, the assistants have to confront the chief hairdresser Damien Boissinot who finishes with his magic touch or has everything redone... until they are all perfect for his vision.Then a break of 30 min or more with catwalk rehearsal for all the models who do a close parade with only the shoes on their feet.Then final rush, finish preparing them and check who is missing from the list of models' names.30 min before the show, help them to get dressed for the first run without getting their hair messed up or put accessories, ribbon, hat on their head... 10 min before the show on the line up ... all will be checked, one by one and passing in front of the chief hairdresser, chief make-up artist and chief stylist or Couturier, the show at 10.00 starts...

How do you choose hairstyles for the shows?

K.V.: Hairdressing try-outs are done 1 or 2 days before the show.Half a day is necessary to get everyone to agree with the photos but on the day of the show it can still change...As I said it's a team work.The main line of inspiration (see question 3) of the dressmaker is our starting point, then we adapt our idea according to whether the hair should be more important than the makeup or vice versa!Very showy makeup, not a lot of hair so small head or very stylish hair and therefore less makeup, let's say it's part of a rule of convenience.The client has the last word in general but we often work in agreement since the team is chosen for having already worked together loving the same projects and having common tastes.Each studio hairdresser has his own style and recognizes himself even if he knows how to do everything... it's a manual job like cooking, we make and appreciate some dishes and others less so.

Do you have some tips to share with us that you use on models?

K.V.: A tip to get volume and always have clean hair and bangs... use a dry shampoo spray sold in pharmacies like Klorane or Naturia by René Furterer for all hair types. Spray 10 cm from the hair, making a few separations, leave on for 1 min and massage the scalp, then shake the hair or pass the brush. Surprising result to avoid stressing the hair with too frequent washing or to be ready not to be late for the aperitif or business appointment between 2 shopping or the children to carry to school ...

for long hair add 2 drops of serum or essential oils on the tips and you're done. In fact, it is an ordinary remedy from the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century! Women didn't wash their hair but brushed it with powders.

An anecdote for the end ?

K.V.: A nice anecdote... Travelling in Jamaica ?￰ with my team composed of the photographer, models, make-up artist and stylist.I had to sew extensions on a model so that she could hold them on her head for 2 days even while playing in the water .... so in the house where we were invited to sleep and do the shooting at Mr Hemingway's, in my room there was a four-poster bed, and, to prepare the wicks of extensions per meter already cut I had to hang them all around my bed!

I had to stitch extensions on a model so that she could hold them on her head for 2 days even while playing in the water .... so in the house where we were invited to sleep and do the shooting at Mr Hemingway's, in my room there was a four-poster bed, and, to prepare the wicks of extensions per meter already cut I had to hang them all around my bed! When the woman on duty came in in the evening to prepare my bed, we heard cries of anguish, when we arrived on the scene, she had run away saying that I practised voodoo!I may be a hair witch, but I'm not a hair witch... Having done a lot of supermodels like Naomie Campbell and so many others, we didn't do selfie. We don't disclose anything private, living intimate moments with everyone, it stays between us, even for anecdotes.

The only thing I said to Bianca Balti when she did her first shoot for Dolce&Gabbana... was that she would become famous in a short time... she didn't believe me... after a while, she finally told me I was right. I love her.I hope this has opened you up a little to our privileged world.

If you guys wanna see more of Karine 's work, here are some other pictures,but also her book https://twa-agency.com/karinevalbrun

You can follow her on instagnam : @karinevalbrun

BANKALL MAGAZINE:

Thank you Karine for taking the time to answer my questions you are a fabulous person and thats why I wanted my readers to discover you . Kisses !