Welcome to The Who What Wear Podcast. Think of it as your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the fashion-and-beauty world. Subscribe to The Who What Wear Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
This month, Who What Wear is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To commemorate two decades of spotlighting tastemakers and style leaders, we're dedicating October to guests who have shaped the fashion industry and cultural conversation since Who What Wear's inception. This week, it's Jen Atkin!
Celebrity hairstylist and founder Jen Atkin has always loved pop culture and glam.
"I grew up '80s, MTV. Obsessed with Paula Abdul, Madonna, Janet Jackson," Atkin said. "I just loved glam."
After moving to Los Angeles with her best friend, Atkin began knocking on salon doors looking for a job.
"I started literally going door to door to salons and asking if I could be a receptionist," Atkin said. "I got a really great job at a salon that was the buzzy place to be."
The rest is history. Since landing her first gig, Atkin has worked with everyone from the Kardashians to Hailey Bieber.
For the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Atkin sat down with Hillary Kerr to share how she got her start in the industry, how she founded Ouai and Mane Addicts, and more.
To read excerpts from the conversation, scroll below.
Talk to me about how you first fell in love with hair and makeup?
I grew up '80s, MTV. Obsessed with Paula Abdul, Madonna, Janet Jackson. I just loved glam.
I loved makeover scenes in movies, and I really didn't know that it could be a job.
The way I got into it is I left my little hometown of St. George, Utah, with my best friend, Lindsay.
We came to L.A., $300 in my pocket. I write about it in my book. Had no idea what was about to happen to our lives.
I started literally going door to door to salons and asking if I could be a receptionist. I got a really great job at a salon that was the buzzy place to be.
I met Jess Alba there back in 2003, I want to say. From there, I just assisted for a really long time. I really worked very hard, honed in on my craft. I learned from as many people as I could.
Once I outgrew the salon—it was 15 years in the salon—once I outgrew that, I started doing hair backstage for fashion shows, and the rest is history.
So Mane Addicts started first and then Ouai.
Yeah so Mane Addicts was out of my kitchen. Mike [Rosenthal] and I, when we had our first place together. A condo. Mane Addicts was in 2014.
Then 2016 is when Ouai launched. The way that I described everyone now, because I do get asked that question sometimes on social, like, what's the difference between Ouai and Mane?
I'm like, okay, you know Prada? Mane is Miu Miu.
We started out with tools. I wanted to innovate after working with Dyson for six years. I wanted to innovate in thermal heat styling, and I wasn't on the market.
How did you build Ouai while still having such a busy, wild career?
I got to go back to 2014, when I was jotting down the idea of what I wanted it to be and going around and asking anybody I knew that knew anybody with money if they wanted to invest.
I remember, at the time, I was very busy. I was really, really busy. I wasn't in the salon, but I was working with celebrities.
I also knew this brand needed to happen and this was before—and it's table stakes now that a brand is digitally connected—but this was before there was any of that.
I wanted it to really be the first digitally connected haircare brand.
I remember reading in The New York Times that you were named the most influential hairstylist in the world in 2015. Do you remember that article? Do you have it saved somewhere?
You know what? We lost it in the fire. My amazing husband reached out to The New York Times, and he got a copy sent to us.
Oh, that's amazing! What did it feel like to have that level of acclaim? Did you feel comfortable? Could you acknowledge it?
Hillary, you know me well. I am not like high highs. I'm not low lows, and I also don't get off on validation at all. It's one of my superpowers to be honest. I don't get overly stressed.
You're an even-keeled person.
I am. I don't know if it's, maybe I'm a disassociater. Who knows?
I feel honored by it. I do. And I feel there are moments where I'm like, Oh my god, I can't believe that happened. But I don't get off on it, if that makes sense. I just don't get off on validation. I never wanted to win awards. I don't really ever participate in any of that stuff, because I don't think I'm the best.
I think I'm really good at business, at running business. I think I'm good at a lot of things. I'm good at staying calm when things are tense. I'm good at caretaking, and I'm good at being professional and showing up, but I'm not the best hairdresser. You know, there are a lot of amazing hairdressers, so I felt honored.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.