MR. PIN UP Michael Davids grew up in Perth Western Australia, having always gravitated towards the hair industry with a fascination of glamorous wigs and hairstyles of Hollywood’s’ golden era. Now based in Melbourne, from his signature ‘Vintage’ style to dressing the locks of some of Melbourne’s TV Housewives, a youtube star with his channel ‘Bouffant Delacroix’, not to mention his product range and wig company, he certainly has his hands in a lot of pies.
We spoke to Michael about his diverse career and what excites this ‘Hollywoodesque hairstylist and entrepreneur.
How did you first get started in the industry?
I absolutely hated school. Not because I was lazy, but in the 80s and 90s, the education system wasn’t evolved enough to cater for people with strong creative sides. One of my sisters’ friends suggested that I go for a hairdressing apprenticeship at the age of 16. I went for 3 jobs and didn’t pass the probationary period. I was a very high energy eccentric kid. So, I went back to school. It was there when I met a friend who knew of a salon, I would be perfect for. That salon was called Dale James Hair and Beauty. I fitted in like a glove and finally found my people
Who has inspired you along your journey in the industry?
Mostly work colleagues. However, over the years I have lived with various performers, and you tend to learn little tricks off each other. Often some styles that seem impossible have very simple tricks behind them and come from those other than hairdressers!
You are very well-known for your Vintage Hair Styling; how did this niche develop and what drives the passion for this era?
I have always loved vintage hair. Perhaps in a past life I was alive during this era. I remember as a kid seeing the famous cartoon character Jessica Rabbit (who was based in the 1940s) and thinking “Wow. Why don’t women nowadays dress glamorously like this. I was also quite drawn to the Dick Tracy movies and the 36
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performances by Madonna. One of my biggest influences was a book that I bought from a shop next door to a salon I was working at in Melbourne. It was a coffee table book of photographs of Dita Von Teese, the famous burlesque dancer. It was so intriguing to me and how beautiful the hairstyles were. I was living in a world of straight hair and flat irons. I could not understand how this beautiful glamour of sculpted curls and waves had been forgotten. Thankfully I was taught all of these fundamentals at training school, and I started to practice them again.
You have created your own range of Poison Apple branded products, what inspired you to do this?
To this day I have been heavily involved in the burlesque, vintage and Pin-up circles and have a lot of clients. They all used different products and over time some of the popular ones were discontinued. Even I was looking for the perfect setting spray; a spray that had very strong hold without being crunchy and with a soft bounce and shine. Seemed like the impossible combination, but with the right developers and of course branding. I managed to pull it off. With my loyal clientele being avid social media bloggers. My Poison apple setting spray became a success. Since its release about
4 years ago, the range now has its signature setting spray, pomade, called “toffee apple” shampoo, called “shampotion”, conditioner called “the wicked crème” and treatment “once upon a week.”
Can you tell us about your earlier competition work and what is it about that, that you enjoyed?
I loved competition work early on in my career. I found it very exciting and also it gives you a chance to do work a little more elaborate than what you might ordinarily do in the salon. In my early years I won a few competitions over in WA. My favourite competition was an education presentation where you had to present your work to an audience and panel of judges and I chose avant-garde hair; the more outrageous, the better! I won the Western Australian title for that one. It was a lot of fun and filled with showmanship. I think competitions are a great way for hairdressers and salons to come together as a community and celebrate their craft.
