Ralph Daniels

Hair & Make-up Stylist, Freelancer

Bangalore

Text: Border&Fall

Photography: Header: Tarun Solanki | Remaining: credited accordingly

The Beginning I was brought up with huge expectations from my parents, that I would follow my uncle’s academic brilliance at IIT and a career that followed. As a result, I was actively mentored prepped and cajoled towards that goal. I played along, convinced that it was the right thing to do and perhaps they were right in thinking so. The trouble began during my teenage years the moment I discovered my affinity lay with everything creative – the thought of that life began to alienated me. My biggest regret in life is that I downplayed the value of that realization, keeping it almost secret.

Years passed and in 2008 I was living in Bangalore and busy working in the corporate space. Around that time my best friend started working for a designer and I had the opportunity to hang out with them during a fashion week in Mumbai. It was then that the world of fashion in all its brilliance – beautiful tall models, designers and assistants, hair and makeup, innovative accessories, rehearsals… it all hit me like a ton of bricks. I was overwhelmed with the sheer chaos but the heady feeling that came with it and knew that very instant that I wanted to belong here. This tremendous experience made me take my first steps towards hair and makeup. There is no looking back.

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspiration My creative aesthetics are heavily influenced by the glorious 50’s and 60’s – quintessential Hollywood glamour. There are also traces of the Elizabethan in hairstyles, I’m obsessed with period movies, vintage pop art and William Dalrymple’s writings on the days of yore. So I end up marrying vintage with the modern on a subconscious level.

Digital References marcustroy.com, jedroot.com, makeupisart.com, laurencelaborie.com

Work Editorial features and shoots: Vogue India, Verve, Grazia, Marie Claire Commercial campaigns, look books and ad films for clients: Tanishq, Bhima Jewellers, Malabar Gold – Brides of India, The Collective – AW 2011, Indigo Nation, Scullers, Color Plus, Nike, Fastrack, Prestige Man Store, Kalyan Jewellers, Jos Alukkas Jewellers and others