NIKOLAY NAM: THE STORY OF SUCCESS

Step into the dazzling realm of Nikolay Nam, the hair virtuoso and fashion prodigy, who captured the "Best Colorist - 2021" title and dominated multiple International and Uzbekistan Hairdressing Championships. La Botanica invites you to an exclusive rendezvous with the trailblazer who's reshaping how women connect with their hair. Get ready to be captivated by his enchanting journey of color, trends, and eco-chic fashion, all while working with the fashion world's elite. Interview by Irina Chillè

MODA magazine. Photographer: Ernest Kurtveliev. Hair Stylist: Nikolay Nam.

LB: What is your creative mission?

NN: Actor Sebastian Stan in one of the movies said this phrase: "My hair is very naughty. I have a relationship with it...". So, my mission is to help women build a relationship with their hair: to accept it, to start taking care of it and eventually to love it madly.

Nikolay Nam by Photographer: Vladimir Kim.

Fashion shoot by Photographer: Maria Frolova. Hair stylist: Nikolay Nam. Total look: Nikolay Nam & Elena Milberger.

La Botanica: Tell us a bit about your career.

Nikolay Nam: It all started in my childhood. I remember myself at school, where I tried to cut someone's hair, do manicures, and sew my first garments. In high school, my dreams became clearer. I had already consciously chosen the profession of a hair stylist, and now I am the leading hair stylist at the Tashkent beauty studio 'Sofia'. I also work for popular fashion projects in the country. In our conversation, my professional growth may seem rapid. However, it was preceded by years of hard work, training with famous masters from France, South Korea, and Italy, participation in hundreds of creative projects, and several hairdressing awards.

Over the years, I managed to reach the most advanced level in hair techniques, and I began to not only work with trends but also create them. Soon I was invited to work as a Leading Hair Stylist at the fashion shows of Art Week Style.uz. - the biggest, on the scale of Central Asia, cultural and fashion event. I led a team of 50 hair stylists and makeup artists and had the opportunity to work personally with such designers as Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, Dsquared2, Jimmy Choo, Brunello Cucinelli, Victor de Souza, Loris Diran, etc. I have gained a wealth of experience while working with them: from the joint preparation, learning the history of the collections, exchanging ideas with the designers, implementing original ideas, to the final touch of the hair. Their highest acknowledgment of my work inspired me to further work in the fashion industry. When the Art Week project took shape in Tashkent Fashion Week, I continued working with famous foreign and local brands.

Also, for many years, I have been working with the largest fashion company in Central Asia 'Podium Group' to create hairstyles for fashion shows, fashion magazines, and advertising campaigns.

Tashkent Fashion Week 2017-19. Fashion Collections by Nikolay Nam & Elena Milberger. Hair stylist: Nikolay Nam. Photographer: Vitaliy Mun

Backstage for MODA Magazine. Photographer: Vladimir Kim. Hair stylist: Nikolay Nam.

LB: You're so good at coloristics, tell us about the top trends?

NN: Hair colors and shades are a passion of mine, and that's why I support the trend for unusual colors more than anyone else. I love the freedom that women find in combining shades like the purple moon and pink bubble gum. At the same time, there is a rich natural palette - naughty gray, rabbit beige, and the milky way. Regardless of the color, my task is to help the client find harmony between their inner world and outer appearance. Hairstyle is one of the ways to self-expression, which gives a person more confidence and a feeling of freedom, and I’m always ready to help with this.

When I color hair, I follow the principle: beautiful hair - healthy hair. This principle is unbreakable for me. Hair can be transformed without being damaged. I learned this philosophy from Mounir Abomar, the legendary colorist of the Middle East. He has created a unique scientifically-proven formula for his products that allows colorists to color hair but keep it healthy and strong. This pioneering approach inspired me to develop my own healthy coloring techniques for different hair structures. I often wonder why no one thought about the health of colored hair earlier. Perhaps the external effect was more important. I'm glad that modern coloristics is moving away from that notion.

LB: Share with everyone who is just starting out, what experience a stylist can have when working with fashion brands?

NN: I always draw my students' attention to the magic of fashion paradoxes. Fashion allows you to move away from standards to give free rein to creative experimentation. For example, you make a low ponytail, and it's always different - austere, bold, ironic, and playful. You can use accessories, make a comb or add strands, and get a few more not-boring options. Also, it has always been critical for me to be able to combine things that seem not matchable and, by doing so, move fashion forward. That’s why I like working on collections of Christian Dior, Dolce&Gabbana, and Hugo Boss so much. It's true haute couture and a great way to combine luxury in clothing and artistic carelessness on the head, which makes the image lively and light.

LB: Where do you find your inspiration?

NN: Inspiration is always in nature. Everything beautiful has already been created by it, and all we have to do is to use it wisely. The textures, shades, and shapes you give to your hair are born from careful observation and experimentation. It's in demand in fashion right now, and I'm always ready to make it happen.

LB: Never heard of a hair stylist becoming a fashion designer. You are exceptional. Why did you decide to do a fashion collection?

NN: Are you talking about my brand NNAM'? I might mention that I am also the co-author of the brand 'The MIX'. Style doesn't encompass only hair; it goes far beyond. At some point, I realized I wanted more - to create not just a hairstyle but a complete look. By that time, I already had all the necessary skills and, most importantly, a vision of my first collection. I developed it while working with international designers and was directly involved in their creative process. I created prêt-à-porter fashion collections that combined classic and modernism - classic cuts, trendy prints, and spectacular fabrics. As for fabrics, I'm convinced any creative work should promote the idea of saving the world. In my case, this idea is embodied in the use of eco fabrics: cotton, wool, linen, and hemp - comfortable and environmentally friendly.\