Deepti Aggarwal, stylist at Psalms 23 Salon gives us a closer look at the intricate and exciting world of hairstyling
What motivated you to become a hair stylist?
My interest spawned at a young age. My sister, Ity, got into the hair salon business and started her salon, which gave me a break and my job. She is my motivation.
What is your educational qualification, and how has it helped in your career?
After I finished class 12, I realized I wanted to do something creative. I was never interested in studies but had that determination to do what I wanted.
What do you love most about your job? What perks do you enjoy in this profession?
I enjoy the switch from salon to shots of a movie the most; it helps build up my clientele and I meet new and interesting people. I love to see the smile on my clients’ face and being able to give them what they are looking for in terms of their hair.
Tell us about your experience working with Sonam Kapoor and working on the sets of Aisha and Mausam.
Sonam Kapoor is an amazing person to work with, has a great personality and is genuine. The first film I styled her was Aisha. I was actually hired to take care of the supporting cast (Abhay Deol, etc) but was introduced to Sonam while assisting Namrata Soni who was doing Sonam’s hair on and off. My first time working with Sonam alone was in Mausam when I styled her hair. One of the best things about her is that she loves to experiment with different hairstyles. Not all people and celebrities are okay with that.
Is there any project you’ve worked on that you like best?
My favourite project was working on the movie Aisha. It was a short and sweet production. The crew was youthful and large. It was an amazing experience. Aisha had proper schedules and good shots. We all worked long hours to get the job done. I became good friends with the crew and future clients, such as the director, and it was an honour to have a scene shot in the salon.
How much can one expect to earn as a hairstylist (from a starting position to senior)?
As a warder you start off with about Rs. 5000 and then it all depends on the salon. Salons short of stylists quickly train a warder into a junior stylist. It’s based on an evaluation of your personality and work on the floor. Your pay comes from commissions, experience and how you build your clientele.
What challenges do you face in this profession?
Mausam was more of a challenge than Aisha because there were no planned ideas or conceps for the hairstyling, so it was more up to me, which I found a little challenging, but thankfully everything worked out in the end. In the salon, it is challenging when a client makes a comment after a result, or when trying to follow a client’s imagination when what they are saying might not be a good look for them. It can be difficult to convince them and bring them back to reality.
Do you have advice for students looking to enter this field?
Enter purely on interest as it is a lot of hard work. Everyone starts as a warder, regardless of their wealth or family background. You can’t throw your weight around and you have to be creative and conceptualize looks for your clients and advise them well.
Do you see hairstyling becoming a popular career option in this country?
I think it’s already a popular occupation. In any country, irregardless of a crisis or major event, hairstyling is still prominent. People never forget to do their hair.
Volume 2 Issue 3
