Our interview with Federico Ghezzi, a creative Italian hair stylist and hairdresser, who tells us about his journey in the beauty industry, signature approach to hair artistry, and the trends shaping modern hairstyling. With years of experience working at top fashion events and photoshoots, Federico shares his insights on creativity and the importance of breaking the common rules sometimes.
The Fashiongton Post: Federico, what’s one outdated hair trend you secretly love and would bring back if you could?
Federico Ghezzi: I have a secret passion for big volumes and shapes of the early sixties to use in the daily life of both women and men – it would be lovely to see them somewhere at a regular supermarket buying groceries in all those acid colors and fabulous shapes. As well as I prefer a more dramatic look, in our modern society it could be so refreshing!
F.P.: In contrast, is there a trend you wish would disappear forever?
F.G.: I struggle a bit with the junkie or disheveled look that sends a message as if the person is about to die. Kate Moss, the so-called queen of the done/undone look, even in the darkest moments, never gave you that feeling. Obviously, it is a matter of taste but my vision of fashion is the opposite – I like glam which can easily be in a fresh natural skin and healthy hair, something that embraces natural beauty, or the looks which are more avant-garde and scenographic but at the same time always with an eye towards embracing the beauty.
F.P.: Have you ever had a situation where a model or celebrity resisted your vision, and how did you handle it?
F.G.: I always try to be gentle and understanding with the person that sits in my chair but it can happen in particular with the most eccentric looks. Obviously, I always try to find the best solution possible to make everyone happy, including myself. In fashion photography, the result depends on a team of people where each brings something to the table in an attempt to create a perfect image, and sometimes we have to push our boundaries, because it really works that way!
F.P.: Have you ever experimented with unconventional materials in hairstyling—like metal, lace, or even paper?
F.G.: I think the beauty of doing hair is that the actual material “hair” can be transformed and mixed with almost anything you can imagine. Through the years of playing around with hair, I guess I used quite a variety of different materials, such as metal, fabrics, food gelatin, paint, and even liquid plastic!
F.P.: Do you believe in “face shape rules” when it comes to choosing the right hairstyle, or do you prefer breaking them?
F.G.: Actually, I believe this works both ways: for a more prêt-à-porter look, the shape and proportions of the model’s face are extremely important, because it will help to play up her character in a more natural way. And, on the contrary, if we are talking about a more creative and atypical look, you just need to drop all the face shape rules and create it all on the go. In the most avant-garde hairstyles, all these fussy rules just do not apply and it allows us to create a completely new form and aesthetics of the image!
F.P.: What’s the biggest myth about hair that you wish people would stop believing?
F.G.: Oh, one of the biggest myths is the one where people believe that washing their hair more frequently is the best way to cleanse it from natural oils. It is quite the opposite! The more we wash, the more our glands go crazy and start producing excess oil! Sometimes on multi-day photoshoots, if I want a fresh look, I ask the model to absolutely not wash her hair between the first and second day of shooting, to maintain the natural texture and volume.
F.P.: If you weren’t a hairstylist, what other artistic career would you have pursued?
F.G.: I would definitely be an architect! When I’m trying to fall asleep, I usually refurbish the places I’ve been for work or pleasure. Maybe that’s why I like the “architectural” hairstyles of the 50s and 60s.
F.P.: What’s the most rewarding part of being a hairstylist in the high-fashion world?
F.G.: For me, over the years working in this industry, it has been multifaceted, some kind of a fulfillment of those dreams of a boy from a small village in Italy: traveling the world, meeting many interesting people from miscellaneous industries, and gaining experiences and memories that will live with me forever. In a way, the job of a hairstylist and hairdresser has given me the freedom to live the life I was looking for and quenched my thirst for more from life than the reality I was born into initially promised me.
F.P.: Traditionally, your piece of advice to The Fashiongton Post readers?
F.G.: I will share a piece of advice that someone once gave me, and which appeared to be very important and crucial to me: “Whatever you do, if you feel it inside you, do it!”
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