VICTOR SIMMONS
KING OF THE CROWN
interview JORGE PEREZCHICA
photography KEVIN TREJO
hair VICTOR SIMMONS / makeup SELENE COLÓN
Every superhero has an origin. What’s your backstory – how did you become King of the Crown?
I grew up during the 1990’s in the Coachella Valley, La Quinta to be exact. It was a very suburban so-cal childhood. Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles and Pizza Parties. I always had a creative imagination and gravitated towards things that seemed larger than life in movies, T.V. and music. I loved the big over the top glamour in the reruns I’d see of Golden Girls, sci-fi fantasy in Star Wars, and was obsessed with all the bold music videos on TRL. As I got older, I became really self-conscious and subdued as I realized I was different from most other boys and didn’t want to be singled out or pointed out for being gay. It wasn’t until years later at that I was able to overcome the self doubt and self inflicted shame, and embrace the parts of my creative and artistic self. I really have to give so much credit to my parents on this one. Although I had many bouts of self-esteem issues, my parents always imparted upon me, my sister and my brother that we were loved unconditionally. They also never let us forget that we were each capable and smart enough to achieve anything we wanted in life.
Did you always want to pursue a hairstyling career?
I didn’t grow up with hairstyling as something that was an example of a career choice. I do have memories of going to the salon with my mom to get her hair done, the barbershop with my Dad to get his and my hair cut, and my grandparents either fluffing my curly hair out or brushing it down depending on who was combing it. At a certain point, I started cutting my own hair with some clippers at home and even asked my parents if I could cut my little brothers also. I even tried styling my sisters hair into these small attempts at braiding or buns. When I really considered hairstyling was after trying a semester of general ed at College of the Desert. I was going with no real direction as to what exactly I wanted to do. I had all those little signs or signals that I thought, well, let me try this. So I stopped what I was doing, went to Beauty School and loved every step of the way. The thing I love the most about the hair industry is that it’s so visually engaging. Hair is the one accessory you wear everyday, so it really is a visual representation of how you feel on the inside.
You have a business degree. How has that helped you in the real world?
After 10 years of being a stylist, I felt like I had some unfinished business at College of the Desert and I wanted to go back, not just for a sense of accomplishment, but to have some more knowledge of what I could use to my advantage in my career as a stylist. I earned my Associates Degree in Business Administration with honors in 2012. I gained a whole lot of understanding about marketing, accounting, and effective strategizing in a business plan. I feel that you can never be at a disadvantage in life by getting more education. As an artist, it’s just as important to take care of your business and support yourself as it is to be happy creating your work.
What was quarantine life like for you at first?
Quarantine life during the first wave of Covid-19 was extremely intense for me. I had a roller coaster of emotions ranging from relaxed and lazy to stressed and anxious. The time off work and being away from socializing seemed like a nice break at first, but there’s only so much of ‘personal development’ someone can do like yoga, reading, and bingeing favorite shows without going stir crazy. As time went by, I had submitted myself to the fact that I had no control over the situation, but I could make the most of my time engaging in the here and now.
How is the hair industry impacted by the pandemic?
It’s been such a devastating year for a lot of us. Depending on which state you work in, salons are either open or still shut. For CA, it’s been a constant pattern or closing and re-opening. It’s a really hard thing to map out because there is so much uncertainty. I know that most hair stylists and barbers are doing the best they can to survive and stay connected with clients. Keeping up to date with mandates and regulations like masks, health screening, and regular disinfecting is what everyone is doing. New innovations like selling hair products to clients directly with personal online links have been a big help.
You co-produced “GENERATE” a fashion/dance/music video with DJ LF. Tell us about the project.
About 2 years ago I was trying to develop a concept of bringing what I saw at trade shows and conventions in the hair industry to everyday consumers as a way to market myself to new clients. The lights, the stage, music, extravagant styles, bright makeup, etc. My friend DJ_LF worked in nightlife and I asked him about how the bar/nightclub/event business worked. Together, we created Hairitage Showcase at BART Lounge. A fashion show event in the in the bar with the focus on hair and makeup. Together, with friends, family, hair models, and creative partners, we made each event bigger by trying new things each time. After COVID-19 closed the bars and nightclubs, I thought we could do a pre-recorded version of what the show would be like. Models, dancers, featuring local art, etc. To make everything original, DJ LF produced the song GENERATE to go along with the video that was shot by Kevin Trejo. The message of the song is about embracing your self empowerment and celebrating the creative energy we create when we all work together.
Selene Colón is someone you collaborated on GENERATE and other various projects. How did you two meet and what keeps you guys inspired as a team?
Selene and I met when I was working as a cosmetology instructor. She was already an accomplished make-up artist and was coming to school for her cosmetology license. Whenever someone needed makeup on a gig that I was doing hair for, I recommended her. From there we worked together more and more often. I think what keeps us motivated is the mutual love of our craft. Selene is uber talented and has such a wide range of what she can do with make-up. From special-effects, to beauty, to editorial. It’s amazing.
What are you working on next?
More content to support GENERATE such as live and virtual performances, collaborations, and fashion features. The next song and message will be coming very soon. I’m looking forward to expanding and carving out more facets of my creative skills, and discovering more possibilities. I want to give people something to look forward to and believe in themselves that there is so much more in store for themselves.
Anything else you would like to add?
Download and stream GENERATE on all music platforms. The music video is up on our YouTube channel: The Crown Collective. Be safe and kind to each other. Invent the life you envision for yourself and don’t let things keep you down, get right back up. Stay tuned, this one’s for you.
link: Victor Simmons