Daily Inspiration: Meet GABRIEL LE VASSEUR

Today we’d like to introduce you to GABRIEL LE VASSEUR.

Hi GABRIEL, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I found my way into this industry thanks to a few barbers who took me under their wing as a kid, kept me out of trouble, and introduced me to the art of cutting hair.

I was 15, just starting high school. A barbershop sat a block away from my house, and after a few visits, I built a friendship with the barbers. One day, the owner asked if I wanted to help out by sweeping hair, answering phones, and keeping the shop clean. That summer, three days a week, I watched them cut hair for hours on end. I observed their techniques, their confidence, and how their clients’ entire demeanor shifted once their haircut was finished.

That summer, I took the same clippers I would shave my dog with (I cleaned them) and did my first haircut on my younger brother in my parent’s bathroom. I showed the barbers a picture and they were impressed, and gifted me all the tools I needed. That’s when my journey started.

They began teaching me after hours, letting me cut their hair and guiding me through the process. In high school, I played baseball and began cutting my teammates hair. I started to be known throughout school as the guy who did haircuts, having more and more people in my parent’s garage every week, throughout my 4 years there. I never thought of it as a career back then for myself, it was just fun, social, and fulfilling to make people look and feel good. Then during my senior year, my father introduced me to a highly regarded hair stylist named Gavin Skill.

I would often stop by his salon after baseball practice and that’s how I was first introduced to women’s hair. Cutting and coloring was completely foreign to me at first but was fascinated from the start. He encouraged me to attend cosmetology school so I could apprentice under him full-time, but I was already committed to playing baseball for a local college. I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps as a professional player. I didn’t want to live with the “what if” of never giving it a shot, so I pushed the idea of going to cosmetology school to the side to pursue baseball.

During my sophomore year of college, COVID struck. I attempted to play into my junior year but the regulations and disruptions made baseball nearly impossible to play. Not knowing if pursuing was the right idea based to the whole world being at a sudden halt, I made the tough decision to stop playing.

After college, I was waiting tables at night and found it easy to talk with patrons and upsell items to increase my tips. One night, I thought to myself: If I can upsell a plate of food, why can’t I sell a home? That realization pushed me to pursue real estate and six months later, I got my license, left waiting tables, and spent the next 3 years working as a real estate agent.

In the meantime, I kept cutting hair in a small station in my home, and word of mouth kept me busier and busier. Still, I ignored the obvious, convincing myself real estate was the smarter choice. I realized that the industry itself wasn’t the right fit for me, as I found little fulfillment and enjoyment in the work, which even my mother noticed before I did. She constantly pushed me to go to cosmetology school after this so I could get licensed.

In the fall of 2023, I enrolled in cosmetology school, looking forward to build on what I already knew. While I gained some knowledge in class and on the floor, I often felt it wasn’t enough. I ended up taking numerous online courses from industry educators, putting what I learned to practice to improve my cutting and coloring skills. I set a personal goal that once I was licensed, I would take the untraditional path and begin booth renting immediately.

I started working at A Secret Place Salon in the fall of 2024 where I’m currently at today. Being surrounded by supportive, talented stylists has been an incredible privilege which I will always be grateful for. Part of me wishes I committed earlier to doing hair full-time instead of being consumed by the rat race in my early 20’s, always hustling to make the next check. But every step taught me something, and all of it led me to this point.

Over the past year, I decided to start sharing my work on social media, even though I have never been a fan of it. It has opened many doors which I would have never expected, attracting new clientele while also connecting me with fellow stylists and industry brands. It has pushed me towards meeting and taking classes from the industry’s top educators like Sam Villa and DJ Muldoon, making me realize that I want more than just to stand behind a chair. I’m now focused on growing my expertise and working into a position of becoming an educator in the future.

I know firsthand how small acts of generosity can change a life. A few barbers once took the time to teach a curious teenager, and that guidance set me on a path I didn’t even realize was meant for me. Now, I want to pay it forward, sharing what I’ve learned to help others grow, gain confidence and understand that we’re not just creating a haircut, we’re creating an experience.

I feel blessed to have found my place in this industry, and I’m excited for the impact I can make as a young stylist – both behind the chair and beyond it.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been an adventurous and sometimes bumpy road, but one I wouldn’t trade. I’ve figured out that this industry is a marathon, not a sprint, and I’m grateful I recognized that early on. As a young stylist, I embrace the hustle and enjoy the grind. My focus is on constantly improving my skills, pushing myself to become the best stylist I can be, and building a strong name in the industry. My ultimate goal is to reach that next level – working alongside top companies and brands while continuing to grow both personally and professionally.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a hairstylist specializing in both women’s and men’s haircutting and coloring,
I’m most proud of being able to say I aim to create an experience rather than just a haircut. I believe genuine conversation is just as important as technical skill, because it allows me to understand who they are, what they need, and how they want to feel when they leave. I strive to earn that smile of guests looking in the mirror after finishing their hair.

Pricing:

• Women’s Cut & Style $85+ (Includes hair wash, scalp massage & blowout/style)
• Men’s Cut & Style $50+
• Color $150 (Includes consultation, all-over single color, hair wash, scalp massage & blowout/style)
• Highlights or Balayage $225+ (Includes consultation, partial/full highlights or balayage, root shadow, toner, hair wash, scalp massage & blowout/style)
• Blowout/Styling $45-$65

Contact Info:

• Instagram: gabriellevasseurhair

Image Credits
Ryder Alves