We are thrilled to partner once again with the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) to promote all of the talented artists who are finalists for the 2017 NAHAs (North American Hairstyling Awards), the most prestigious hair and beauty award in the country. In this feature get to know more about this year's Newcomer Stylist of the Year Finalist, Paige Roberts.
Form, shape, texture and color – this is what stood out to us most about Paige Roberts’ beautiful collection. Not only were they absolutely beautiful in their own right, they worked together flawlessly to cream a seamless image. Read on to learn more about Paige Roberts as an artist, how she created her hues and such volume within the hair!
What was the inspiration behind this collection?
I was inspired to create something more bold and dramatic. I've always loved working with lots of hair so I wanted to play around with texture and shapes. I wanted the hair to really stand out which is why I chose to work with the Pravana Vivids and Neons. After I knew the basics of the look I was aiming to achieve I just started building the wigs and let everything evolve on its own. When I'm creating something I don't like to force it. I want everything to flow naturally, and I feel like the best work is created when you go with the flow instead of against it.
What was the most important aspect for you?
The most important aspect for me was making and shaping the wigs. I made all of the wigs by hand it was a challenge figuring out how many bags of hair would show the right amount of fullness and volume I was looking for. Also, deciding what type of curl pattern would best fit the looks I was going for was very important.
What was your biggest challenge?
Shaping the hair was definitely the most challenging part of the process. I knew that I wanted very clear and distinct shapes that were different, but complimented each other at the same time. I drew different shapes on a piece of paper and that's how I decided which shapes I was going to go with.
As a newcomer, what did you learn about competition?
This isn't my first rodeo shooting a collection for NAHA. I was the makeup artist on several nominated collections last year. It is such a rush being on a team and feeding off of each other’s energy and creativity, but I have to say as my first time submitting my own collection and doing it for myself was a high I've never felt. Being able to say that something is truly yours feels so incredible and I can't wait to do it again. You definitely have to have the passion for this and be willing to put in the hours. It's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but it's so rewarding in the end.
What does your collection say about trends?
I feel that my collection shows that today you can do just about anything. Women are getting more comfortable with sporting the more bold colors and it's exciting. I also see a lot of women embracing their natural texture and I love that. I see a lot more pastels these days, but I think the more vibrant colors will be making a comeback. After all, I've never really been one to follow the norm.
How did social media influence your work?
It's so easy to get inspired with all of the technology we have at our fingertips these days. I use Pinterest and Instagram for everything. I created multiple storyboards on Pinterest and I pulled all of my inspiration from those.
Tell us a little more about you, as an artist.
I am a color specialist and makeup artist at The Songbird Society in Dallas, Texas. My bosses, J.T. and Richard Hayler, are the most incredible human beings and they keep me inspired daily. I started in this industry as a makeup artist and decided one day that I wanted to do hair too. I'm thankful that I am at a place where I'm able to fulfill both of my passions. I love every aspect of being a colorist from fashion/creative color to dimensional brunettes. However, I have the most fun creating beautiful blondes. Blondes are challenging because there are so many different shades, tones, and definitions of the color itself. Being blonde means something different to every client and I love a good challenge. I have recently fallen in love with the technique of hair painting and I could do it all day. It's more aggressive than balyage and the technique is really allowing me to push boundaries with my clients. I'm so thankful to be surrounded by such a talented group of artists at Songbird. You can check out my work on Instagram @paigeeroberts @thesongbirdsociety.
How do you Vegas?
Well this will be my first trip to Vegas so I guess we will find out!
Salty or sweet?
Can I have both?
What did you learn about yourself through creating this collection?
I learned a lot about myself throughout this whole process. I've grown so much over the past year in general, personally and in my career as well. I learned that I am fully capable of doing anything that I set my mind to. I also learned that I am so much stronger than I used to be. There were definitely a few nights when I was at the salon until almost midnight working on my collection when I thought to myself that I couldn't do this, but I was determined to push through it and not give up on something that's always been a dream of mine. However, I think the most important lesson I learned this year is that surrounding yourself with the right people who love and support you means everything.
If you won the lotto (or slot machine) tomorrow, what would you do?
If I won a ton of money I would definitely make sure to take care of my parents of course, but then I would use the money to travel. I want to travel all over the world to learn about other cultures and get as much inspiration as I can. I would then use some of the money to attend some gnarly classes that I've always wanted to attend because as we know, hair is always evolving and I want to keep learning so that I can be the most successful version of myself. Whatever money is left over I will use to buy a house and a whole bunch of pugs.
Be sure to stalk Paige Roberts on Bangstyle and stay tuned for the latest NAHA #hairinspo!
