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Cultivating Beauty Celebrity hairstylist Matthew Preece on his career, meditation and more PHOTOS BY LUIS CHAVEZ
By Srianthi Perera When he’s not cutting hair, celebrity hairstylist Matthew Preece turns inward. “Meditation is a way to remove yourself from the daily chatter and the daily grind, it’s a place where you can connect with the universal consciousness,” said Preece of his namesake hair salon in Santa Monica. Preece also finds value in connecting with his clients. “I like knowing that I have the ability to be able to change how they’re feeling to the positive. There’s nothing I like more than seeing my clients walk out with beautiful hair and feeling beautiful as the day goes,” he added. “I like to help them transition to a different state of mind if they are suffering with something. So, it’s all about connection.” Round French mirrors with lighting, brushed aluminum stations, Buddha statues, pictures of the Sex Pistols and graffiti art – in this eclectic, high-end establishment, clients such as Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, Robert Downey Jr., the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Muse step into an ambiance where spirituality meets with rock ‘n’ roll, while also hobnobbing with the ultra-modern. “Living in Los Angeles and working in this industry, it’s inevitable that you’re going to be bumping shoulders with celebrities, and obviously making friends along the way,” Preece said. But does he get nervous that the scissors will slip or the foam will flow just a tad much? “Personally, I don’t really get nervous,” Preece said. “I’m not in a position where doing a celebrity really means anything to me other than maybe making a friend. However, occasionally, depending on the situation I find myself in, it can be a little nerve-racking.” It’s nothing compared to Preece’s beginnings in the industry back in his home country of England. He was just 21 when he opened his first salon. “I got into the hair salon business because I was at the forefront of fashion in my
Matthew Preece is a leading fashion and celebrity hairstylist and the owner of Matthew Preece Salon in Santa Monica. youth and it seemed like a natural step,” Preece said. “I immediately took to it, finding I had a natural ability to create.” However, it was premature. “It was a nightmare, I was far too young to deal with managing and running a salon. I was full of testosterone and fear. It was very difficult,” Preece
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recalled. “I promised myself I would never own a salon again. And, of course, I came to America, and one thing after another, now I own my own salon again.” In 2008, Preece received an opportunity to open a Fred Segal Salon in the same location as the older Fred Segal
beauty salon. Coincidentally, it was located in a place he had called home for many years. “At the time I was working at the Chris McMillan Salon in Beverly Hills when Fred and Michael Segal personally asked me to resurrect the Fred Segal salon space to its former glory,” Preece said. “I reluctantly
agreed, but as history shows, obviously that was a great decision for my career at that time. Unfortunately, Fred Segal in Santa Monica closed its doors in 2015 and I was left with the option to open a Matthew Preece Salon or go to work at another salon elsewhere. I meditated on this
