GETTING WIGGY WITH IT

Carl Brown is the hair maestro in the world of wigs, with a penchant for people, precision and practice. Here, he lifts the curtain on his daily creative landscape…

Carl Brown

Carl Brown has a captivating creativity. Honing in on his love of fashion and vintage to focus fully on the niche area of wigs, he’s a master of his craft – the big wig, if you will. With a firm focus on the 1940s and 1950s, the Liverpudlian has a passion and panache that’s seen him merge timeless elegance with modern precision. His Liverpool-based It’s The Hair Studio, launched by Carl in May 2019, allows him to fuse his wig styling finesse on clients (in person and globally via his custom wig styling service) with his love of educating, travelling to teach the intricacy and versatility of wig work to a global audience.

A WINDOW ON HIS WIG WORLD

FORTÉ: “I love vintage hairstyling and take inspiration from the 1920s through to the 1960s. I have a few signature styles and love creating detailed intricate up-dos and classic, 1940s red carpet Hollywood waves.”

VERSATILE STYLE: “Creatively speaking, wigs are much more versatile than real hair and one of the best aspects of wig styling is its global reach. By shipping worldwide, I can serve clients beyond my local area. About 75 per cent of my work is shipped to the US.”

DISCIPLINE: “With a busy wig styling business and orders on a two-month wait time all year, the pressure is intense. However, the high volume of work keeps me focused. The demands and expectations of my clients require me to be organised.”

HAPPINESS: “My happiest moments are during my creative flow, styling wigs in my studio. I love how the creative process evolves. The style happens organically; the little inspired moments that bring a project to life are incredibly satisfying.”

DRIVE: “Beyond career development and financial benefits, being part of an amazing online community of followers and fellow stylists continues to drive me."

CELEBRITIES: “I’ve worked with numerous celebrities, particularly in the burlesque scene, and have styled many drag queens from RuPaul's Drag Race on both sides of the Atlantic.”

CARL’S QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

TOP TIPS FOR PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT: Practice, passion and patience. All skills take time to develop, the more you do it, the quicker you’ll perfect it.

HAIR-KIT STAPLE: Tail comb and hairspray. CAN’T-LIVE-WITHOUT TOOL: Rollers. SIGNATURE STYLE: Classic 1940s up-do.

FAVE CELEB CUT/COLOUR AND WHY: Dita Von Teese’s pageboy in jet black. I love the clean, classic, polished silhouette of the 1940s.

IF NOT HAIR, THEN WHAT? I’d love to develop a business coaching or consulting firm. I’m passionate about empowering others to create thriving enterprises.

WHAT’S HOT FOR HAIR IN A/W24? There’s been a shift towards more precise, polished styling, away from the undone, boho look. This excites me, as it aligns with my approach to hair.

WHO’S YOUR HAIR HERO: Hairstylists from the Hollywood studios of the 1940s and 1950s. Their classic brush-out sets and pompadours are perfect. The meticulous hairstyling of that period fits perfectly with my style.

@carlbrownhair