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He can’t turn you into a Hollywood star but he can certainly make you look like one! Celebrity hairstylist Dennis Stokely, stylist to the stars including Brooke Anderson, Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria and Paula Abdul, will visit Bacio-Salon at the end of this month for a lecture and pop-up services.
Since childhood, Stokely says he has been mesmerized by gorgeous hair. He recalls begging his two younger sisters to do their hair when he was a child and charging fellow students $5 for hair styling sessions while attending the University of Georgia as a journalism major.
“I just had a knack for hair,” Stokely says. It wasn’t until his sophomore year of college, however, that he decided to pursue his passion for hair styling in a professional setting. He left Georgia to get his foot in the door of the fashion and beauty industry, initially as a model in New York City. After a few years modeling, Stokely attended hair school at The Academy at Joel and Company in Savannah, then returned to New York to interview at Kenneth Salon at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, an iconic salon where mavens such as Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe had their hair styled. Unfortunately, Stokely was told he was too young and inexperienced to be a hairstylist at the Kenneth Salon, but he was hired as a receptionist.
“For a little kid from south Georgia, it was really quite a step for me,” Stokely says. From there, Stokely took on hairstyling gigs around the country. He then met Paula Abdul through Alexis Vogel, a world famous makeup artist with whom he worked at a wedding in California. After serving as Abdul’s hair stylist for two years, while she was a judge on seasons seven and eight of “American Idol,” Stokely says he and Abdul formed a close friendship.
Later this month, Stokely will share what he’s learned on his hairstyling journey during a one-hour lecture at Bacio-Salon entitled “A Master Class in the Art and Business of the Beauty Industry” on November 25, with free advice to local hairdressers who want to learn how to maneuver the industry, find clients and fully realize their distinct skills. Following the lecture, Stokely will teach stylists some of his favorite red carpet looks, including his signature up-dos. “I hope I can show them something a little different,” Stokely says. On November 26 and 27, Stokely will take clients—by appointment only—to give them a once-in-a-lifetime celebrity hair treatment. “I hope I can show them a way to maybe look just a little more modern,” he continues. Get ready to make Raleigh your runway.
Dennis Stokely’s pop-up at Bacio-Salon takes place November 25-27; availability is limited. Book a session at bacio-salon.com.
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