Teddy Charles: He's got style
MANILA, Philippines - Today’s Filipina is always on the go and eager to try new things. But the exuberant spirit can sometimes be hidden by something as simple as limp and lifeless hair.
“For a woman, her hair is everything. If she has bad hair in the morning, she will literally have a bad day,” says Paris-born hairstylist Teddy Charles, “All women need to feel good about their crowning glory.”
The hairstyle expert knows that long and abundant hair that moves naturally will always be a symbol of feminine beauty. This is why he is never wary of going the extra mile — or the extra inch — when styling hair. His cutting-edge styles are very much appreciated by his prestigious clientele, which includes top fashion designers Luca Luca, Marchesa, Badgley Mischka, Sari Gueron and Yigal Azrouel, and noted photographers Karl Lagerfeld, Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, Glen Luchford, and Mikael Jansson.
Teddy’s creations have graced not only the catwalks of Paris but also the pages of major fashion magazines all over the world such as French, Italian, American and Teen Vogue, i-D, V, Numero, and Vogue Nippon. His fingers have worked their magic on the tresses of stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz, Hayden Panettierre and Blake Lively.
Hailed as a hair and fashion industry trendsetter, Teddy’s expertise stems from a passion born at a very young age. Teddy knew he wanted to be a hairstylist when, he recalls, his mom would always buy hair coloring at the supermarket. “She always needed someone to help her apply it and I decided to help her,” he reminisces. “The more I did it, the more I loved it.”
He moved on to running errands for his older brother, who also worked in a salon. By the time he was 16, he was working in a salon in Versailles. He moved to Paris at the age of 18, and worked in the various salon circuits in the city. He eventually moved to New York where he began assisting notable hairstylists like Julien D’Ys and Orlando Pita. At the age of 21, he decided to become a freelance hairstylist for photo shoots and fashion shows.
His move from styling in salons to creating styles that leap out of magazine pages is indicative of Teddy’s passion for reinvention.
“I like change,” he reveals. “In hair salons, there is routine. You do the same things. This is why I’ve worked in a lot of salons. I loved what I did, but I wanted change. That is why I do magazines now. In magazines, it’s always different. You renew yourself. The challenge is to always find a new look that will please your designer, stylist and photographer.”
Always open to new challenges, Teddy was more than willing to share his creative genius with another leader in hair care — Sunsilk.
Sunsilk continues its quest of unlocking the secrets of specific hair types, this time by co-creating with world-class experts.
“We have the same philosophy when it comes to hair. They learned a lot from me, I learned a lot from them,” says Teddy.
Teddy worked with the brand’s technical team to come up with formulations infused with his talent for caring for long and strong hair.
“Asian hair is straighter, stronger and heavier than blonde or colored hair. So what you need to do is work more on your hair and use the right tools to create more shape. Try to break that heaviness,” he explains.
In his recent trip to the Philippines, Teddy worked with teen sensation Sarah Geronimo.
Teddy says taking care of one’s hair is not a complicated process. “Just be faithful to the basics: a good shampoo and conditioner. Keep your hair simple, keep it easy, don’t abuse it and it will respond accordingly,” Teddy adds.
