Sam McKnight MBE: The Legendary Hairstylist Talks Kate Moss, Shooting With Supermodels, And Knicker Elastic!
Sam McKnight MBE is a true icon in the world of hairstyling, trusted and adored by everyone from Cara Delevingne to the late Princess Diana, not to mention all the infamous 90s supermodels. Our beauty editor, Tamara Corin, meets him to hear about his vibrant tales, iconic career and the one haircare product he can’t live without….
Describe your hair career in three words.
Long, fun, and unexpected.
What techniques do you use to ensure the longevity of a hairstyle for red carpet events and photoshoots?
Every shoot is different but creating a good base is really important. It’s about not overloading the hair with product, so the style doesn’t get too heavy. It’s about being cautious with your styling products.
Who was the client that catapulted your career?
There wasn’t a particular client, but what really put me on the map was when I began working for British Vogue, which introduced me to all the great photographers. Also, being around the very beginning of the supermodel era also helped me get my name out there. And then followed Princess Diana and Kate Moss around the same time. The good old days!
Can you explain your process for creating a hairstyle that compliments a celebrity’s outfit or overall look?
I tend to work in the opposite way. It depends on their personality. If the makeup is a full-on, I tend to keep the hair simpler. It’s a balance between hair and makeup. But honestly, it’s more about the mood of the person. The whole point about looking good is feeling good, if a client doesn’t feel good, she’s not going to look good.
Can you describe a time when you had to deal with a hair emergency?
It happens all the time. It’s a daily thing! We take everything with us on shoots and to shows, literally the kitchen sink to avoid a disaster happening. That being said, the other day I forgot to take bespoke extensions for a shoot, I accidentally left them at home, and I had to just wing it. No one had a clue. We just changed the brief and if you say it with confidence that there’s been a last-minute change, no one questions it. So long as you make everything look good, you’re a winner.
Can you describe a time when you had to work under pressure with limited resources but still managed to deliver exceptional results?
I did a Vogue cover with Kate Moss in St Barts with makeup artist Val Garland. Our hair and makeup kits never showed up on the trip. And we had all these extensions to use as it was meant to be a paparazzi Bardot vibe, but obviously that went out the window. Val found a black eye pencil at the bottom of her wardrobe, so she used just that, while I got a comb and some hairspray from the local pharmacy and spent the whole trip filling bottles with salt water from the sea. Thankfully we had Kate Moss, so it wasn’t panic stations and Kate looked amazing as ever.
Can you provide examples of hairstyles you have created that have become iconic or trendsetting in the industry?
Princess Diana: that was the most famous one. Plus, Kate’s cool girl hair vibe was created by me in the early 90s.
Tell us one hair tip everyone can live by?
Don’t stick to one hairstyle. You can do so much with your hair, keep changing it. And if you can’t experiment yourself, get someone else to do it for you. People who are playful and change their hair often, usually look younger. When you get stuck with the same style, it ages you quicker. Keep evolving it. And products are not going to damage your hair, they’re made to be experimented with. Use them!
What’s the favourite look you’ve ever created?
Slick back hair on Princess Diana. She looked stunning with this style, yet she never really went out in public like that, but we did it for photoshoots and they’re some of my favourite pictures of all time.
What’s the most unusual thing in your hair kit?
Knicker elastic!! It’s good for fastening on hair pieces and brilliant for ponytails. It’s also great for stitching on a hat or fascinator or even sewing feathers to hair.
Name the most used product in your hair kit.
Hairspray for sure!
Finally, who would be, or is, your dream celebrity client and why?
I don’t really have a dream client. However, the heyday for me was the late 80s of the supermodel era, when the girls were all teenagers and they weren’t the icons that they are now, they were just kids; we were all just kids having fun! We went on endless trips, for weeks on end, Linda (Evangelista) would come, Cindy (Crawford) and Christy (Turlington). It was Mary (Greenwell), me, and Patrick (Demarchelier). They were amazing days. We would get drunk at lunchtime; we stayed in really amazing hotels. It was before the industry got industrialised. It was all about creating. They really were great days.
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