7 minute read
COVER STORY
Partnering for a Cause
Santa Monica resident and actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, has partnered with her longtime friend and hairstylist, Sean James, for a collaboration between their brands.
By Kamala Kirk
Throughout the years, actress Jamie Lee Curtis and celebrity hairstylist Sean James have collaborated on many projects and iconic looks for her film and TV roles, among them “Halloween Kills,” “Freaky Friday” and “Knives Out.” The two first met when Curtis brought her daughter, Annie, in for a haircut at Fred Segal Santa Monica almost 30 years ago. “At the time I was going to a fancy hairdresser and my guy was out of town,” Curtis recalled. “After Sean cut Annie’s hair, I told him I needed a haircut too. I sat in his chair and when he finished, my mind was blown. I loved what he did and he’s cut my hair ever since. We’ve worked together on many movies and have been friends for a long time. He also cuts my husband’s hair and both of my daughters’ hair. He was at Annie’s wedding and will be at Ruby’s. Sean has become a part of our family.” James, who is represented by Aim Artists and works at Matthew Preece Salon in Santa Monica, is an award-winning celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Chris Hardwick, Eugene Levy, Cole and Dylan Sprouse, and “Weird Al” Yankovic. “When I first cut Jamie’s hair, she trusted me to give her a new look,” James said. “And over the years, I’ve helped create different looks for her various roles and projects. I’ve traveled the world with her and it’s been wonderful to be by her side for special moments in her life like when she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award in Italy. We share a deep connection and my entire friendship with her has been a collaborative effort from the start.” Most recently, Curtis and James have partnered for a special collaboration between their brands, My Hand in Yours and Beach Blvd, to benefit an important cause. In 2019, Curtis launched My Hand in Yours, a line of handmade artisan gifts that provide comfort and support. From candles to small sculptures, all of the items are designed by artists and handpicked by Curtis, with 100% of proceeds going to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “For years I would send little bronze feet made by sculptor Anne Ricketts as gifts along with a note that said, ‘Be where your feet are,’” Curtis said. “For someone going through a hard time, it would remind them to be present and help them stay grounded. My Hand in Yours is a phrase I always write on cards for friends and loved ones, it’s my way of saying ‘I love you.’ When I came up with the idea for the company, I approached Anne to make a small sculpture of two hands clasped together. I’ve been very blessed in my life and the purpose of My Hand in Yours is not to make more money, it’s to raise money for the Children’s Hospital. I pay for all of the costs including manufacturing. If you spend $35 on a tote bag, all of that money goes towards the care of critically ill children. Every cent is sent.” “Jamie is an incredible philanthropist who has been working with Children’s Hospital for many years since I’ve known her,” James added. “When I think of Jamie, I don’t think of her as just a movie star. I think of her like a sister and someone who contributes and gives back to society. My Hand in Yours has such a great selection of beautiful gifts that provide people with closeness and love during these times of separation and isolation. The most important thing is that all of the profits go to Children’s
Hospital, which is an incredible institution with innovative doctors and nurses. I am so happy to be able to help bring awareness and raise money for this cause. It’s truly amazing what Jamie is doing.” James is the founder of Beach Blvd, a line of luxury self-care products that are inspired by beaches around the world and his career in Hollywood. Prior to the pandemic, James was developing his own haircare line, but when there was a national shortage of hand sanitizer as a result of COVID-19, he decided to change course and developed highquality sanitizers instead. “When I started My Hand in Yours, Sean was incredibly supportive and was always buying our items as gifts for friends,” Curtis said. “He’s a very ambitious person who came to America from Australia with only a few dollars in his pocket and has worked extremely hard to achieve all of his success. When COVID hit, he created his own line of hand sanitizers, which I loved immediately. Then three months ago he came to me and offered to create a custom hand sanitizer in our signature scent. It smells wonderful and I bring it everywhere with me. When I offered to pay for the cost of production and materials, he refused. He wanted to donate everything, which allows us to sell his product at no cost to us and the hospital gets all the profit. That is the purest form of philanthropy.” The Beach Blvd hand sanitizer features a French lavender fragrance and is available exclusively on My Hand in Yours’ website. It retails for $12 per bottle or two bottles for $20. James and his business partner, Vikram Prabhu, worked with Curtis and a graphic designer to create the lavender wreath logo that appears on the bottle. In the center of the wreath is a pair of hands representing My Hand in Yours with ocean waves at the bottom. “I love the ocean and the waves represent the continuous cycle of life,” James said. “My Hand in Yours has several lavender products, so we wanted to create a scent that was in alignment with Jamie’s brand. The hand sanitizer is formulated in the U.S.” Curtis said that lavender became the signature scent for the company when she was working with her friend, Terry Castle, on a candle in honor of her 17-year-old son, Will, who had passed away from leukemia. “I ran into Terry at a high school reunion where I learned about her son’s passing,” Curtis said. “She contacted me a few months after I started My Hand in Yours and told me that she was starting a candle line to raise money for pediatric cancer. She offered to create an exclusive hand poured candle that was called Will Comfort. She sent over samples of different fragrances and French lavender was the perfect fit. I began sourcing lavender from Bilston Creek Farm on Vancouver Island and we expanded our line to include a lavender eye pillow, tea and essential oils. Lavender became our scent.” Since its inception, the company has continued to expand its offerings to include items like hats, an artisan wreath, wind chimes and a baby snuggler, among others. Their new line of pet products, My Paw in Yours, has also been a big hit with fans of the brand. In addition to a stainless steel pet bowl created by MiiR, they have a stylish leash system made by young entrepreneur Jake Hurley. 100% of every sale from the pet products goes toward Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ animal service program for young patients. “Animal visits greatly reduce the stress levels of children and greatly reduce the need for pain medication,” Curtis said. “When children interact with these service animals, it’s incredibly healing for them. I’m really excited that we’ve been able to expand the company into other markets, but the most important thing for me is that the Children’s Hospital gets all of the profits. So far, we’ve raised around $750,000. I am moved to tears on a daily basis by the kindness and generosity of my partners like Sean, the artists and makers, and customers who all want to join in and make a difference. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no greater mission than helping a sick or injured child.”
Beach Blvd
beachblvd.co Instagram: @beachblvd.co @seanjameshair
My Hand in Yours
myhandinyours.com Instagram: @my_hand_in_yours A special version of James’ popular Beach Blvd hand sanitizer in a lavender scent is sold exclusively on My Hand in Yours’ website with 100% of proceeds going to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
