From The Archive: Chris Appleton

This interview appeared in the August 2019 issue of GAY TIMES.

Photography Taylor Miller
Words William J Connolly
Fashion David Greene
Grooming Sam Visser

British beauty expert Chris Appleton’s first client ever was his mother. His latest muse is Kim Kardashian West. The Leicester-born talent has gone from his living room to the Hollywood Hills in a flight to fame that’s found him a favourite in the world of show business. With many of his clients from the top of the music and fashion – and him being the creator of some iconic looks for J.Lo, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande – Chris understands the pressures of being in the public eye as the ‘go-to hair guy’. Or as Kim titles him during this interview, the ‘hair transformationist’. Well, it seems rather fitting. “I think the most challenging thing in this job is the fact that you and I can like it, but then the rest of the world has an opinion. Or something might look great in real life but might not photograph the same,” Chris explains as he sits with Kim. “I think if nobody is discussing anything then you’re not doing the right thing – if people are just like ‘whatever’.” With Kim agreeing, he adds: “If you’re going to do something different and try and push boundaries then it’s good to get that conversation.”