On matters hair he is the man

RADOLPH GRAY has perfected his hair art to the level he now styles big names like Beyonce, Naomi Campbell and Ajuma. But what gives him great joy is not the fame and glory but nurturing and equiping young talent with his skill and expertise. SHIRLEY GENGA caught up with him

Who is Radolph Gray?

I have a passion for all things related to hair and beauty. To sharpen my talent, I trained in some of the most prestigious salons in the world. I am now an International Educator for The Colomer Group.

What are some of the prestigious catwalk shows you have participated in?

I have worked for Armani, Calvin Klein, Chanel, D & G, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada among others. I am part of Eugene Soleiman’s prestigious team for International fashion catwalk shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. I have also participated actively in the Festival For African Fashion and Arts (Fafa), which is held in Nairobi annually.

Which celebrities’ hair have you styled?

Beyoncé, Gabrielle, Stacy Dash, Kyle McLaughlin, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Campbell and Ajuma. I also did the hair on set of Madonna’s film, Filth & Wisdom.

When did you discover your passion for hairdressing?

My mum was a trained hairdresser and so she used to make hair at our childhood house. I was close to my mum and would help her around with clients. I actually discovered my passion for hair during that time.

Tell us a little about your childhood?

I am the second born in a family of five. I grew up in one of the slums in England. My family and I had a tough experience  those days because of our skin  colour. My mum and dad divorced when I was young, and so mum had to raise five kids on her own.

We went through a lot of hardships with my siblings, but my mother did the best she could to give us a decent life. We had no hot water and no electricity and so during winter, we lived on paraffin fire. Despite the harsh conditions, my mum was strong and determined to give us everything we needed to make it in life.

What do you love about what you do?

I am doing the job I have always wanted to do. Because of my job, I have travelled around the world from Milan to New York to Paris. It has been an amazing journey. I come to Kenya about four times every year.

 As part of the Fafa make-up and hair team,  I get to influence the hair and beauty industry in Kenya. I spend most of my time in the world of fashion and supporting catwalk shows behind the scenes.

As part of giving back to society, you run Shair Academy in Nairobi. Fill us in...

I originally came to Kenya to promote hair products, but during product workshops I realised the training most hairdressers had was not so good. I would end up spending a lot of time training them before introducing the new products. So seven years ago, I decided to do something about it and that is how Shair Academy was born.

I love educating stylists and technicians in the Shair Academy. It so rewarding to share your skills and expertise with young minds. It gives me such joy giving back to the community this way.

Sounds like this means a lot to you...

Yes it does. In the fashion and beauty world, we spend thousands of dollars for 20 minutes shows; I wanted to find a way to give back no matter how small, and that could change a young person’s life forever.

So when the opportunity to give back to Africa presented itself, I took it.  I come from a background that was not privileged and so I understand why it is important to give back.

I want to train and educate the next generation of African hair stylists while also encouraging the development of the hair and beauty industry from the catwalk to the local salon.

Tell us elaborately how the Shair Academy operates?

We have managed to create a unique non-fee paying hair academy in Nairobi. As  an international educator for The Colomer Group, I offer my teaching services for free. The academy is supported by the Shair Trust and has trained more than 200 salonists and beauticians. The training lasts a year. When the students graduate, they not only get an internationally recognised certificate but also get enough professional equipment to start their own business and be independent.  It is regarded as probably one of the best hair schools in Africa today.

Tell us something many people don’t know about you?

I have dyslexia and as a result, doing simple things like writing my signature is challenging. My signature always looks different and it used to cause me a lot of embarrassment, but as I have gotten older and wiser, I have learnt to take life as it is.

Advice for other hairstylists?

 Always keep your finger on the pulse of hairdressing trends. A natural look is now trending.