Today we’d like to introduce you to Adir Abergel
Hi Adir, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story is really one of love for human expression but hair has always been a powerful theme. . Inspired by my artist and eccentric mother’s love for beauty. She gave me confidence to embrace my style and encouraged me to experiment with my individuality. When I was around 10 years old to make extra money, I started applying hair color to my mom friend’s hair and blow drying them from curly to straight. Looking back I realize this is when I fell in love with the process of transformation. Individuality formed the way that I would look at the beauty industry and has helped me shape my role as an artist. Although I never thought that hair would be the way that I would express my creativity. I had big aspirations to be a dancer and at 13 years old moved to NY to pursue that dream. But fate had other plans when I sustained an injury that would force me to think about another path.
That’s when hair truly came back into my life. At 15 years old I started cosmetology school at Santa Monica college and an apprenticeship at a Beverly Hills Salon for the legendary Arthur Johns whose clients included Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Olivia Newton John, Julie Christie, Diahann Carroll, Eva Marie Saint. All of these women literally raised me. The day I started working with Arthur I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I loved how women felt when they left us. I loved the change and the sense of confidence we created for each person. I loved the relationships I formed through the connection of hair. I assisted Arthur until I was 22 years and left to become a full time hairdresser on my own. As my career grew, I started working on music videos with Jewel, Jane’s Addiction, Dave Navarro, Britney Spears, Missy Elliot, and TLC. Once MTV started to fizzle out, I met young actresses like Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, and Rosario Dawson to name a few. All these people have been friends and clients for the last twenty years. We have come up together in the industry and have long, deep meaningful relationships.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being successful is not something that happens overnight, you have to show up daily, be prepared, know your references and always have a great attitude. It’s incredibly important to give love, to connect and to be present with every single person because everyone has a road to getting somewhere. And don’t underestimate the power of mentorship in your journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
People don’t realize how much goes into seeing a moment on a red carpet. It’s a collaborative process with a team and there is a lot of research behind an iconic look. I have created more than 100 red carpet hair moments for award season and I feel blessed to have had these opportunities with the most talented women who I care for so deeply. Hair is an incredibly powerful tool to shape pop culture and celebrate individuality. You may not remember who did the hair, but you will remember how the look made you feel.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My happiness is simple. It’s waking up with my husband. Giving love to our dogs. Cooking a beautiful meal for my friends. Collaborating with my team at Hair by Adir and Virtue Labs. Moving my body and living in the present.
