Alexandre de Paris at the Coulisses du Mariage: Meeting with Frédéric Pavard

With Jean-Luc Minetti, artistic director of the brand, you also propose make-up, what is the point for you?

It is a real complement which enables us to have a general vision of the client, not only of the “hair”. We can have total look in terms of the face.

What are the most popular hairstyles at Alexandre de Paris?

We are often asked hairstyles with loose hair and the veil is the worst enemy of the hairdresser! It damages the hair when it is contact with it. During the religious ceremony, we often recommend tied hairstyles, a bun; the night, we do a second hairstyle with loose hair, a half-up hairstyle, on the side or lightly braided in order to obtain something a bit destructured.

What is your trick so a bridal hairstyle can last all day long?
At Alexandre de Paris, we have our own technique. First, we start to prepare the hair because the hairdresser often starts with a raw material. We have to make it more flexible with the hairdryer or the hair curler in order to give movement then tie it in a nice way and place hairpins correctly to hold the hairstyle as long as possible.

As a hairdresser ambassador, what is your best memory in terms of wedding?

This is a good question! We go to weddings in Saudi Arabia. They always are very impressive. Observing all these women with high jewelry pieces… We are lucky to see them and touch them. Sometimes, they give us amazing diadems that we put on the hairstyles and we have millions of them in the hands!
Men are not supposed to be there. We try to be very discreet. Even the clients make sure to hide us as much as possible. We intervene in very private rooms to style these ladies.

To be good at creating bridal hairstyles, what kind of training do you recommend?

At Alexandre de Paris, we propose a two-day training on bridal hairstyles. It is important to determine in advance what we will do during the D-day with the client. That is to say, trying to teach the hairdressers how to do a diagnostic on a future bride. It is very important in order to be guided with the hairstyle trial. In the second part, we have one or two days dedicated to bridal hairstyles. These tend to be big architectures. We add crepe papers, we teach the hairdressers how to put hairpieces and wedding veils, to also accessories. It is a whole study on the bride.

Who is this training for?

For all the people working in this field. They can be make-up artists who need to make a fast tie during a shooting or hairdressers ambassadors for L’Oréal Professionnel or even independent hairdressers who master the hair very well.

As a trainer at the Alexandre de Paris’s academy, what are the required skills to master bridal hairstyles?

One must be good at their job, know how to create beautiful buns and train a lot. This is a daily training. It is better to face problems on trainings head or on models than on clients!

You are famous to perform spectacular shows especially with L’Oréal Professionnel, what does it imply?

We travel a lot. We’ve just come back from Brazil where we spent 7 days for the third biggest world hairdressing salon. This year, our show lasted thirty minutes on the theme of “Paris je t’aime” (Paris I love you). We are always asked to represent the Parisian trend. Thirty-six models were wearing Stéphane Rolland’s dresses. During prestigious shows, Jean-Luc Minetti and me create the accessories ourselves.

What is your morning habit?

I am a Facebook addict! Instagram, sometimes. Twitter never. Snapchat, I'm not very into it. Our work requires a lot of time so we can’t be everywhere!

We will follow you on…

With pleasure!