The Spotlight - Oscar James

Oscar James
   
As a black hairstylist from Harlem trying to make it in this beauty industry, I didn't always see inspiration on the "front lines"... my glam role models were the hairstylists working besides me in the salon or in my neighborhood and they were probably thee BEST inspiration a hairstylist can get, but my dreams were bigger than the salon and I knew that I had sooo much to offer the beauty industry and so I've always done the research to seek out other black glam artist to see how and what  they were doing to make it happen in this industry, so the folliclesandFashion spotlight is my way to say Thank You to all the artists who inspired and continue to give me inspiration, because I am constantly on a journey for more.

Todays spotlight Oscar James has been on my radar since the 90's because I would often wonder about the Glam artists behind the models and celebrities I would see on TV and in magazines and Oscar James' name would often come up, along with Sam Fine, Ellen LaVar, Chucky Amos and others that will get their spotlight on folliclesandFASHION.


Oscar James has been honing his skills since his high school days where he attended high school and beauty school simultaneously, after moving to New York and working in some of the finest salons Oscar started making connections that would take his Hairstyling career on a journey.

Vanessa Williams

Tyra Banks

Iman

Oscar has done Models and Celebrities and has been featured in Vogue, ELLE, Essence and Cosmo to name a few 

The Journey for Oscar James wasn't always high, there was a point in his career where he followed the  advice of others and opened a salon in his hometown of South Carolina which didn't turn out to be the greatest idea, and so Oscar closed down and came back to New York at the age of 40 to "start over again" and I have to say it takes a lot of courage to begin again...

If you ever wondered who helped Nicki Minaj transform her image from cartoon to couture you have found your answer! Oscar James is the creative behind the transformation, and I must say it was a good one :-) as an artist you want to bring out the best in the person you're working with and Oscar was able to merge creativity with reality  

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Oscar James' journey is one of many examples that you're never too old to start over again 

We = Me at folliclesandFashion Luv Oscar James and sprinkle confetti over his path of continued success in all his business and personal endeavors ;-) 

 keep up with Oscar and follow his journey on instagram 

www.instagram.com/oscarjameshair

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                              Just Because.......

Black Hairstory

Stylist Spotlight

Ellin LaVar

Ellin LaVar has been on my radar since I became interested in hair as a profession in 1990, now Im a huge fan of the late and great Whitney Houston, and when I did a little research and learned that Ellin was responsible for keeping Whitneys coiffe, COIFFED.... I fell in love with the talent. I later found out that Ellin was also the force behind the pin straight, razor sharp hair of Legendary (Blackgirl) and supermode Naomi Campbell, When she was nine years old, Ellin started braiding her sister's hair, and soon all the girls in her Mount Vernon, New York, neighborhood were lining up at Ellin's door. By age 14 she had her own chair at a local salon, and at 16 Ellin met Susan L. Taylor the then, Essence magazine's fashion and beauty editor. Ellin created Susan Taylor's trademark hairstyle and has been braiding the editors hair for the last 20 years. While still in her teens, LaVar helped develop a new method for hair weaving that revolutionized the art. She created "Invisible Braids," a technique that, for the first time, made weaves look completely natural. In 1979 Essence magazine featured the new look, bringing Ellin LaVar instant international recognition and 

Hair is Ellin's passion. For all of her life, it seems, she has loved designing new hairstyles and creating natural looking hairpieces and wigs, which she has often made herself. Dozens of magazines and newspapers have profiled Ellins work and when not flying around the world to work on films and with clients, LaVar works in her welcoming and intimate salon, LaVar Hair Designs, on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Ellin also spends much of her time promoting her hair care line, Ellin LaVar TEXTURES, which is carried in all CVS/pharmacy drugstores across the country, making her the first black female to have a nationally distributed hair care line by a major drugstore chain. Thank You Ellin LaVar for being an ULTIMATE "Blackgirl" contributing your talent and creativity to the Folliclesandfashion industry.

Nailed it

Ready for the new season like.......Im Blossoming 

Nailed it

Nailed it

Spring is in the air, and the toes will be on full display in a few weeks, do it in CND style

Edward Enninful

follicles &

FASHION spotlight.....

                          EDWARD ENNINFUL

I have been obsessed with fashion for as long as my memory serves me, I read fashion magazines from cover to cover, (yes I love the feel of a paper in my hands) and even though fashion is a notoriously undiversified industry for one that is supposed to cater to a diverse clientele.. I love it! and like so many of us fashion loving brown girls who read and absorb the information and images off those pages we take the knowledge and apply it to "us" in the way that suits 'us'. So imagine the  complete joy in my heart, knowing that someone whose career I have followed for years has been appointed to Editor in Chief of one of the most influential woman's fashion magazine British Vogue

Edward Enninful was introduced to fashion at the age of 16 by stylist Simon Foxton who worked for cult magazines i-D and Arena and scounted non-agency models. Edward became a model and later Simons assistant while modeling, two years later the founder of i-D magazine Terry Jones appointed him the youngest EVER fashion editor of an international magazine.. 

Edward was 18 and since then he has held prestigious positions at both Italian Vogue (contributing editor) and American Vogue as a (freelance stylist) Edward has also been the creative and style director at W magazine since 2011. soooooooo....... Why is this a huge deal! Edward Enninful is the first Non-White and Male to hold this position since the magazine was founded in 1916 he is also the first Black editor of any of the editions 22 globally!!!!! and almost all the design heads of major brands are white as are their chief executives, so the fact that a BLACK man will be in such a visible position is a major step.

I couldn't be more proud.. and not just because Edward is breaking boundaries but because he DESERVES it! such a beautiful spirit (from the stories I hear) and such an amazing talent and image maker, and It warms my heart to know that he is close friends with Naomi Campbell

Edward we will be praying for your continued success please keep up with Edward on IG and snapchat: edward_enninful 

www.edwardenninful.com

Spring

Put a little "Spring" in your step.....

Cake, Cake, Cake.....

And then go to the gym.......