Rising Stars: Meet Gabriella Almanza

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriella Almanza.

Hi Gabriella, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m originally from San Francisco and I worked exclusively at record stores. Music and art are my loves but they don’t pay the bills and when I transferred to the LA location of the record store I realized I needed something more in my life. I looked into going back to school but I honestly can’t stand the idea of being in a classroom for another four years; so I looked into trades. I looked at becoming a hairstylist and enrolled at the Aveda Institute in LA near UCLA. I had no experience whatsoever with hair, I never even owned a blow dryer or brush! It was a struggle in the beginning but I perserved and I got my license at 26. I went straight into working as a commission stylist at a salon but later assisted at a high-end salon in Beverly Hills. I grew to love color and pursuing more education in that and also curly hair. I now have been doing hair for eight years now and I finally feel secure in my career and I also get my creativity out in the cuts and colors I do.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It wasn’t easy for me, I’m a bit rough around the edges. I don’t really wear makeup or style my hair so it was really hard, in the beginning, to just know how to curl hair or even do a blowout. I was so clueless but I guess when you realize you have no safety net you gotta just figure the shit out and hustle. You gotta make mistakes along the way and I try to take those mistakes and learn from them instead of shying away. I still struggle in some things but much much less than in the beginning, it’s just the attitude you have when you come across them.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I enjoy razor cuts a lot! They almost feel like I’m sketching with it, I soften edges and create negative space by taking out weight. I love curly hair and seeing the patterns that come out when it’s cut right. At the salon, I’m known for my shag and pixie cuts. I’m not afraid to get in there, a lot of my pixie clients say that they love that I just get in there and I don’t question why they want short hair. I guess some stylists don’t like doing short hair on femmes or are hesitant but I’ve had short hair and I know when someone is down for that cut and can wear it.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Have a good attitude, be a hustler. If you don’t have that hustle mentality your not gonna last in this industry long. I started out doing homies at the record store for $15 a cut, just to practice. I didn’t have a car for a while and I would take the bus from Chinatown to Weho for house calls. Also if you can assist for 6-12mo that helps a lot. I wish I did that before going straight to a chair but whatever, I’m happy that I’m here now.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Gabriella.almanza.hair