June 30, 2016

Meet West Hollywood Makeup & Hairstylist: Steven Pellissier

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Pellissier.

Steven, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

I loved doing hair at a very early age. Always did friends and family as hobby. I finally decided to pursue it professionally in 2007. Acquired license in 2009 and I have a list of clients and my own studio salon. I can do all aspects of hair and also makeup. Not many people seem to do both. This is such a dream the work I get to do as I truly enjoy it. Get to make people look and feel great about themselves. Like working professional photo shoots and models, getting to help create a look that works as an image that will last. Getting to work for a Brides special day is fabulous.

Has it been a smooth road?

The very first time I had a photographer contact me and asked me to hairstyle for a photo-shoot. It was in West Hollywood. The model was sitting there getting prepped in makeup. The guy had three large screens with images of the type of hair he wanted me to do. The theme being “Guess” I went to work knowing instinctively what to do to know how to make it hold up. They ran off to catch a certain light. He gave me all the images and they were so phenomenal. Magazine ready. I said “this is it. This is beauty. I did it!”

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to hopefully keep growing my business with a steady clientele of people I love. Hopefully be involved with more projects in hair and makeup as I have done hair and makeup for photo shoots and also weddings. Just continuing to work in this business and what I love doing. Any plans for the future would be to get a good campaign to work on. Or a high profile person. I’ve been in his area for a while now. I hear stories all the time about someone who does someone’s hair. That would be nice.

Let’s dig a little deeper into your story. What was the hardest time you’ve had?

The hardest time in my career was maybe the unknown of going at it all by myself. At one time like many others I worked for a salon as a commissioned hairstylist. I had grown tired of doing things according to the owner’s way. Many internal things at that shop and then a final blow that said, “I’m going to quit” so I did and went into the unknown. I decided I wanted to work for myself. I went to rent a station at a salon. I gave myself 6 months to see if I could make it. I had some email addresses and some numbers and contacted every person I knew to come to my new place. I learned marketing and continued client working skills. I haven’t worked for someone since leaving that last place and today I own my own salon.

Do you ever just stop and think WOW – I’ve made it?

The first time I worked on a person that was on the cover of a magazine. It was a small local magazine for West Hollywood but still well known. The male model had asked me to work on his hair because of this upcoming photo-shoot. I did his haircut and highlights for him. So the next day he had the photo-shoot. Well not only did it go well. He was hired and he was going to be the cover of the upcoming issue! And he said it was because of how I made his hair look that he got it. Oh wow such a big compliment. Then the issue came out and I grabbed some. I was still working at that one salon I’d mentioned. I put the images at my station and proudly displayed them. Everyone knew I’d done that guys hair. They were all so envious and jealous. I thought they are envious of my work. But I did the work and I am greatly proud of it.

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