NICCI WELSH
Can you tell us a little more about you and your styling background?
I am a hairdresser, a session stylist and owner of Nicci Welsh Academy. I work backstage for fashion weeks in New York and Paris, have celebrity clients and also work on photo shoots. In addition to this, I run my academy where my team and I teach our students how to have a career like mine. My passion for hair has been with me since a very young age and I love to share and teach all the inspiration I gain from the jobs I do.
I grew up in the hair salon. My mother is a hairdresser and I was sweeping the floors in her salon at age 9 begging her to let me wash hair. I had to wait until I was 13 before she would let me, I hung out at her salon every Saturday. I always knew I wanted to be a hairdresser. I took my hairdressing education as soon as I left school and got a job in the next town at a larger salon. Going into the industry so young gave me a vision of trying every form of the business, I went on to help run my parent’s salon at 19 and took additional education to become an educator so I could also train the staff there. A client of mine was a photographer and was looking for a hairstylists for his shoots. That’s when the session world opened up for me and I started building a portfolio of my work. I found an agency in London and started making a living from photoshoots and videos but my passion for educating has always stayed with me. I decided to open an academy to teach others how to have a career like mine. I moved to Copenhagen where I live now with my husband and 2 boys.
How do you stay inspired to create new braids?
At my academy we have “hair lab” sessions, we show each other different braids we have been trying and find new ways to do them. Some fun looks can come out of these sessions, some we keep some we don’t.
Favorite artists to follow?
@niniej @hairbyruslan @jenatkins
What new trends in styling can we look forward to?
I think the trends are changing so quickly that none of them stay around long enough so I like to focus more on techniques. As we can see braids are a big hit right now and I love that as it gives us the chance to learn new looks from each other.
What trends are you loving right now?
I’m totally braid obsessed but also living in Denmark I do love the cool girl Scandi style, creating natural textures.
What is the one product/tool you can not live without?
Oribe maximista.
Best advice to give an artist who is wanting to break into editorial work?
Learn how to really dress hair, curls, finger waves, braids all the old techniques as they all come around again. And practice, practice, practice.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Spending time with my family and friends.
Guilty pleasures?
Lots and I don’t feel guilty about them 🙂
