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Nikki Nelms

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Nikki Nelms
NationalityAmerican
OccupationHairdresser
Years active2004 — present
Known for"Don't Touch My Hair" (hairstyling)

Nikki Nelms is an American hairdresser. She has worked with celebrities including Solange, Janelle Monáe, Zoë Kravitz, and Yara Shahidi. Her best known work includes the hair styling in Solange's "Don't Touch My Hair" and Janelle Monáe's hair in "Pynk". Nelms is known for using non-traditional materials and bold silhouettes in her styling.[1][2]

Career

Nelms was raised in St. Petersburg, Florida.[3] She self-taught hairstyling as a teenager and honed her skills by doing hair for her classmates and her eight aunts.[3] She attended a few years of college at Florida State University before leaving to pursue a career in hairstyling,[4] and later attended beauty school.[3] Nelms broke into styling for celebrities in 2004 after she met Lil Wayne at Club 360 in New Orleans. This led to later collaborations and helped her gain footing in the entertainment industry.[3] Some of her earliest work was hair styling on music videos for artists such as Kanye West and Timbaland.[1]

Doreen St. Felix of Vogue described Nelms' approach to hairstyling as "mixing avant-garde ideas with more traditional techniques."[3] Nelms is known for including everyday objects as accessories in her styles, like sticking several combs on a high vertical ponytail.[3][5] She also uses non-traditional materials like wire to create structural, sculpted looks.[5] Nelms buys many of her accessories from Home Depot, as well as craft stores, thrift shops, and beauty supply stores.[6][3]

Nelms uses the term "collaborate" to discuss how she works with clients and how she decides on styling.[7] She has discussed the versatility of Black hair and how styling natural Black hair is sometimes interpreted as radical regardless of her intentions.[7]

Clients

Nelms' clients include La La Anthony, Beyoncé, Serena Williams, Bianca Lawson, and Jurnee Smollett.[3][6] She is Zoë Kravitz's key hairstylist.[3] She styled Yara Shahidi's hair for the 2019 CFDA Awards in a braided chignon inspired by a look worn by Diana Ross in the 1975 film Mahogany.[8]

Nelms has been styling Solange Knowles' hair since as early as 2006 after they were introduced by a mutual friend.[1] The first look she executed for Solange included bangs inspired by singer Shareefa Faradah Cooper, to cover a case of pinkeye Solange was dealing with.[1] Nelms styled Solange's bridal hair for her wedding day with baby's breath in her afro.[1] She did extensive styling for Solange's A Seat At the Table (2016) album, including every look for the "Don't Touch My Hair" video.[9] The beaded braids Solange wore in the video went viral, with fans replicating the braids across social media.[3] The look was inspired by jazz singer Patrice Rushen.[1]

She collaborates frequently with Janelle Monáe, and first worked with her at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.[7] and styled her hair at the 2019 Met Gala and the 2020 Academy Awards.[10] She also styled Janelle Monáe's hair for the music video "Pynk" in a look with bright pink pompoms attached to a top bun.[2]

Personal life

Nelms resides in Brooklyn.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Dyer, Deidre. "Solange Knowles Has a New Album and a New Look! Inside Her Surprising Beauty Inspirations for A Seat at the Table". Vogue. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  2. ^ a b Weinberg, Lindsay (2018-04-10). "Janelle Monae "PYNK" Video: Singer Wears Pussy Pants". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2020-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Félix, Doreen St (2017-01-25). "Meet the Celebrity Hairstylist Who's Changing the Black Hair Conversation". Vogue. Retrieved 2020-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Stoney, Ashley (2018-04-13). "Black Girl Brilliance Project: Nikki Nelms Shows Us Why Her Game-Changing Hairstyles Make Her An Industry Icon". Essence. Retrieved 2020-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b Pergament, Danielle (2020-03-03). "Nikki Nelms Creates Sculptural Works of Art Out of Natural Hair". Allure. Retrieved 2020-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b Amay, Joane (2019-08-30). "Celebrity Hairstylist Nikki Nelms' Top Texture Tricks, Picks and Tips". EBONY. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  7. ^ a b c Marine, Brooke (2018-03-02). "Janelle Monáe's Hairstylist Nikki Nelms on Why Black Hairstyles Are So Much More Than Just a Trend". W Magazine. Retrieved 2020-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Yates, Jacqueline Laurean (2019-06-04). "Yara Shahidi's 2019 CFDA Awards braids were inspired by Diana Ross". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Scott, Julie (2016-10-06). "What 'Don't Touch My Hair' Really Means". Elle. Retrieved 2020-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Vanderhoof, Erin (2020-02-10). "For Janelle Monáe's Oscars 2020 Hair, the Goal Was to Keep Things Simple". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2020-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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