The Moscow-based creative takes inspiration from her travels around the world for her eye-catching creations
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A bunch of carrots, old safety pins, some shells picked up off the beach; what do these items have in common? Nothing, to the ordinary viewer, but for Moscow-based hairstylist Dasha Sevostyanova they all have potential to become one of her incredible hair looks.
After learning more classical styles through her education and work at salons, Sevostyanova wanted to push herself creatively and began experimenting with different household items. A quick scroll through her Instagram account – @sevanova – reveals she really can use anything to create a look, from a bunch of tulips to moss and marshmallows to hair clips.
For Sevostyanova, individuality and going against the grain is really important for her creativity and she doesn’t want to be boxed in by trends or expectations. In the future, she hopes to launch her own hair product – which she already has in the pipeline, although, she says it’s still a secret for now.
Here, we speak to Sevostyanova about her travels, individuality, and why she wants to live life like Benjamin Button.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I was born in Novosibirsk – a large and cold city in the central part of Russia – and lived there until I was 26 years old. Then I moved to Moscow and my more interesting life began. Moscow is a huge city where you can be anyone you want.
What is it you do and how did you get into it?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I’m a hairdresser. At 20, I graduated from a vocational school and worked in a few different beauty salons, but now I work a lot on shoots for magazines and commercial projects. I always knew that I didn’t want to work in a beauty salon all my life, I wanted to shoot and develop my creative potential. I can’t say exactly how I came to this decision, but I think I wanted to change my life.
What are you trying to communicate through your work and why?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I can’t say that I’m trying to evoke deep thoughts with my work. I want to create and alternative beauty and perception of reality.
Who or what inspires you?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I’ll be banal and say that travelling to new cities inspires me the most. A year ago, my husband and I left on a long journey from Moscow through Europe and South America to Mexico – it really changed my life and inspired me! The change of seasons is also inspiring, now it’s autumn, there are such beautiful colours around.
What’s been your career highlight so far and what do you hope to accomplish ultimately?
Dasha Sevostyanova: One of my most memorable moments was when my work was posted on Vogue Korea’s Instagram account – it was a hairstyle that I made and photographed myself. In the future, I would like to work with a brand as an art director.
What are you working on at the moment?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I’m in the initial stages of creating my own hair product, but it’s a secret.
What does beauty mean to you?
Dasha Sevostyanova: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This Oscar Wilde quote reflects my attitude towards beauty.
Describe your beauty aesthetic in three words.
Dasha Sevostyanova: Individual, freedom, comfort.
What’s your favourite smell and why?
Dasha Sevostyanova: My favourite smell is when you arrive in a hot country, the airport doors open and you breathe in the humid sea air. When you fly in from a cold country it feels like you’ve landed on another planet.
Which fictional character do you most relate to and why?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I really like Eve (played by Tilda Swinton) in the movie Only Lovers Left Alive. She’s beautiful, smart, and so calm.
How do you want to change the world?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I’ve never really thought about how I would like to change the world, but I constantly think about how I can change myself which has made me become a lot more conscious.
You’re the editor of a time-travelling beauty journal 100 years from now, what beauty trends are you reporting on?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I hope that in 100 years there will be no beauty magazines or trends and people will do what they like without judgement.
If you had to choose one surgical enhancement, what would it be and why?
Dasha Sevostyanova: I have wanted to change a lot of things about myself for so long but now I am on the path of complete acceptance of my appearance. I can’t say I have achieved my goal yet, but most of the path has been covered.
It is the sixth day and you are creating humans. They can look however you want them to. What do they look like and why?
Dasha Sevostyanova: Water occupies most of the planet so I would give people membranes between their fingers and gills so they can breathe underwater.
Would you rather live forever as an old person or live your life in reverse?
Dasha Sevostyanova: The second option is like Benjamin Button, so I choose that as I love the film.
What is the future of beauty?
Dasha Sevostyanova: My wish is that the future of beauty is the recognition of individuality. People have suffered so long from the inability to comply with trends that they end up broadcasting their own vision of beauty. This is the future, but some might say it has come already.