Today we’d like to introduce you to Nelson Vercher
Hi nelson, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The first time I thought of doing hair for career was when a high school friend said, Nelson you should be a hair stylist, and I thought to myself that’s strange, I only had only seen salons in my neighborhood, Or salons were little old ladies went and this was not for me . And then one day I stumbled upon the Vidal Sassoon salon and my mind was blown.
What was different was there were all these young cool people doing amazing hair and from that point on I wanted to work train and for Vidal Sassoon. So when I started my career in Chicago I apprenticing for several top salons, before landing an apprenticeship at Vidal Sassoon and this was the real beginning of it all. After finishing my training I was transferred to work in San Francisco Ca to start working as a hair stylist, my next move was to a legendary salon in sf called Architect and Hero’s were I became creative director, and this changed everything,
This prepared me for NYC where i lived for 25 years working for John Frieda , Oribe, and I settled a Rita Hazan salon where I continue to work every 8 weeks,
Nyc also provided the opportunity to work in fashion and work on top show in nyc, Paris, Milan, this was the hardest and most fulfilling time in my career, hard because managing a salon schedule and a on the road schedule can get very tricky and you will disappoint someone because you don’t have time .fulfilling because I got to see that world and travel more than I ever expected being a hair stylist.
Although I lived in nyc I always came back and forth to LA to work on celebrity’s shoot music videos and I fell in love with La and was determined to live here , so after covid I took a chance and relocated to LA and took a position as a master stylist at Cristophe Beverly Hills and I’m there all the time unless in nyc or on a photo shoot. I choose Cristophe because it’s an icon Beverly Hills salon and he’s been doing great work for decades and it was an easy fit .
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well starting in the late 80s where there was no DEI, being a young African American boy that wanted a well rounded career, not just working on ethic hair, and to work in a multicultural environment, this ment working in a almost completely white space was definitely a challenge, also Chicago at the time was still a very segregated city, so for a young African American boy from the south side of Chicago, going to work and learn in these uber cool posh spaces, and trying to fit in in a authentic way was not easy, I’ve had really horrible things said to me, but I always kept my eyes on the prize because I knew I had the drive and talent , it just needed to be developed .
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?
I would describe my work as sexy, modern/classic with a twist, I’m known for being a master in haircutting, editorial/fashion and celebrity red carpet hair.
Specializing in wigs, extensions, master hair cutting, key hair stylist for fashion shows, pushing the envelope in a beautiful way. The thing I’m most proud of is all the knowledge I’ve gotten from behind the chair, almost a free education of the world .
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Chicago in the 80s, on the south side, it was normal, staying out late in the summer time hanging on the porch, church on Sundays, school and activities during the week but I was a latch key kid as we were called, kids who both parents worked, so the oldest kid took charge after school to make sure everything was done , house chores, homework, etc, but I was a creative and always felt like a unicorn, never felt like I belonged to any group. Until I discovered Prince at 13 and house music at 15 everything changed.
I also discovered Id and the face magazine and was introduced to 80s British youth and street culture, which completely shaped my taste, I tell you I took a lot of heat trying to look like a London street kid on the south side of Chicago on the 80s, but I was committed to my look and style which definitely had crazy hair as a part of it !
Then I started working in hair and meeting other kids like myself, hungry for success but didn’t go the college route, and had to do something creative.
I grew up with all sisters
so hair was always a big thing in our house, and my mother was so particular about anyone touching my sister’s hair, but with my rebellious nature I new I could do it better than her,
So one day I tried, which was a big no no for my sister to let anyone but our mother do there hair, so tricked my little sister into letting me do her hair, I always made her play fashion model, and dress her up in my mom clothes, she hated it, but had to because I was in charge, we still find humor in this, so I got my chance and of coarse as soon as she saw my sister hair she noticed it.
And to my surprise she loved it, thanks God !
My mother was also devoted to wearing wigs, so watching her prepare her wigs was an education I didn’t know I was getting until much later, you can’t buy that experience!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Nelsonvercher.com
- Instagram: Nelson vercher
- Facebook: Nelson Vercher artist
- Twitter: Nelson Vercher
Image Credits
From top to bottom,
Nelson Vercher imagines 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,10,11,12,13,15,
@Elizabethyoung images, 4,17,
@beckinbeautyxo_ image, 14,
@geremydubsensky image, 16
