Hairstylist John D Breaks Down the Hair for Alicia Silverstone’s Cover Look

B Side

Traditionally, the B side refers to the flip side of a record. The A side contains the more front-facing hits—the singles—but on the B side, you can get in a bit deeper with the artist. And quite honestly, there’s no better metaphor we can think of for the creative team behind a beauty look. They pull the references, scour the archives, and paint the picture you see on the big screen. The celebrity, model, or actor is the single with the most airtime. But the glam team? They’re the producers, conductors, friends, and family members. For lack of a less ubiquitous phrase, they make it work.

It has always been our mission to shine a light on the BTS of beauty, as the artistry of hair and makeup is an intricate, detailed exploration that lies at the cross section of aesthetics and culture. Why? Because the origin of a look is just as important as the look itself. The backstory deserves its hard-earned glory.

This time around, we’re introducing you to celebrity hairstylist John D, the mastermind behind the hair looks for Byrdie’s latest issue—Legends—featuring Alicia Silverstone. Below, join us in taking a peek behind the curtain.

The Breakdown

On the inspiration for the hair looks…

“The inspiration for the first look, a clean blowout, was simplicity. We wanted a clean, healthy-looking blow-dry to get the looks going. The vibe was classic beauty. 

“For the second, we went with a textured and messy updo twist. I keep a few ‘inspo’ folders on my Pinterest and in photo albums, and when ‘messy twist’ was mentioned, I had the perfect image in mind. The vibe was ‘cool boss babe.’

“From there, we went to a sleek, deep side parting. It was strong and graphic. The vibe was expensive. We were all having such a great time doing this shoot and wanted to get one more look in at the end of the day. So I winged it and dropped her hair down, quickly ran a curling iron through the ends, and shook the waves out. I just love messy bedhead hair. The vibe was sexy af.”

On working with Alicia…

“Working with Alicia is truly a joy. She is kind, open to collaboration, and has a really easygoing nature about her. She makes our days on set and at work fun and fulfilling.”

On his early years and starting his career in beauty…

“I grew up in a small mountain town called Crestline, California, about an hour and a half east of Los Angeles. I was just out of high school and feeling uninspired by the traditional college route. I started dropping all of my core classes and was only holding onto my art classes. Dance, theater, and photography were my passions. Clearly, I was called to be an artist. I met a new friend in my theater class, and his roommate was going through the cosmetology program at the same junior college we were in. As a kid of the ’90s, I was pretty obsessed with fashion magazines. The beauty, glamour, and excitement of the images being produced at that time felt like where I wanted to be. I heard I could get my cosmetology license in one year from start to finish. I decided at that moment: This is it! My calling to the world of beauty had presented itself. 

“Cut to: One fateful day, I had an opportunity to work as an assistant on a fledgling new hit show called American Idol. That experience really changed me. It opened my eyes to the possibility of a true long-term career as a hairstylist. Dance took the backseat, and it was full steam ahead to the hair career I have today! I always say that hair found me. 

“From there, I was offered department head on So You Think You Can Dance. I led that team for the first four years of the show. We found inspiration for the dancers straight from editorial and runway styles. While working on SYTYCD, Sarah Jessica Parker’s team sought me out to work with her because of the hair I was doing on that show. I stepped away from TV and focused on the celebrity world. I assisted for about a year, and then signed with my first agent. I was hungry, and when something came my way, even if I had no idea how to do it, I just said, ‘Yes!’ Yes, I know how to do that! Yes, I can run a team. Yes, yes, yes. That was my motto. I faked it till I made it. I rode those waves and amazing opportunities into the space that I’ve carved out for myself to this day.”

On his career highlights…

“One of my career highlights happened just last year. I went to Cannes with my client and friend, the incomparable Greta Gerwig. She was the president of the Cannes jury, so we stayed in Cannes for two full weeks. We had the best time. Greta was going to multiple events per day. So we had ample opportunity to turn out some looks. We played dress up every time we all got together. My goal was to change the hair for each and every look, which can be a real feat when dealing with short hair, but I did it! We created over 15 hairstyles. We were in our element, and it felt so good! Traveling, eating, watching movies, wandering around, shopping, and making my mega-talented friend look and feel her most beautiful. It was a truly unmatched experience.”

On what beauty means to him and how it’s empowered him throughout his life…

“Beauty means empowerment. Bringing out the best in someone. Making them feel and look good resonates from the inside out. And when someone feels beautiful, it [offers] the opportunity to shine with authentic confidence. To me, that is priceless. For years, I thought what I did had no real impact on the world at large. But I realized how wrong that sentiment was. It’s deeply powerful and personal to be given space to help others shine bright. It’s a gift both my clients and I feel. Feeling beautiful empowers one to feel limitless.”

On his mentors and icons…

“My original beauty icons will always be the ‘Supers’ of the ’90s. Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, Amber Valletta, Nadja Auermann, Shalom Harlow, Alek Wek, and the list goes on. My bedroom walls were quite literally wallpapered in their images. My original beauty muses were also my three younger sisters. I took four years of darkroom photography in high school, and my sisters were always up for a ‘photo shoot.’ Patiently dealing with me doing their hair, makeup, tweezing eyebrows, picking out their clothes, etc. I was a real one-man show, and they just let me practice, practice, practice. They taught me so much. I’m so grateful for those times we all got to play together. Shout out to my sisters, Stephanie, Candy Joe, and Kimmy.”

Advice for those coming up in the industry…

“My advice to those coming up today in the industry is: practice, assist, collaborate, grow, and say YES, even when it scares the crap out of you. Amazing things happen when we push ourselves out of our comfort zones. And get a good accountant who can help you stay on top of your finances and taxes! Life is a long game, and this industry ebbs and flows. Being prepared for those ups and downs will save your sanity at some point. Trust me!”