Salt Lake City ,Utah based Jake Thompson is the co-owner of Lunatic Fringe Salon.
His hair creations have been featured in Modern Salon, American salon, Estetica, Salon Magazine and beauty underground and has worked with companies such as Redken, Sexy Hair Concepts and Revlon Style Masters.
Jake is a multiple NAHA nominee and winner of Southwest Hairstylist of the Year 2016, and Avant Garde winner 2011 and 2014.
Besides working behind the chair at his salon and traveling the world educating and inspiring many, he has learned and mastered the art of photography and now shoots and edits his own collections as well as others.
Jake how did you originally get into hairstyling?
I was originally introduced to the hair industry by my mom, she never did hair, but thought with my artistic passion hair would be an amazing fit. She was right because hairdressing was very hard for me in the beginning & it seemed like not the best fit, but as my career advanced I was introduced to many iconic hairdressers that helped shape who I am today. The likes of Robert Lobetta, Sam Villa, Chris Baron, Michael O’Rouke, Vivianne MacKinder & many others.
Who or what inspires your hair creations?
My main source of inspiration comes from combining the beautiful world we live in with technology. I love both of these and I try to utilizing them in a way to exploit my vision. I strive to keep all my collection very sexy and beautiful whether it be classic or avant garde. I have to love it, if I don’t immediately want to show it off, I either didn’t take it to the level it needed to be or I over did it. Creating for me is a delicate balance of pushing myself to that limit it celebrates my vision.
Can you tell me a little more about your photography?
My photography voyage started in 2010, I did not have any preconceived plan to take it were it is today. I only wanted to understand what the photographer I was working with saw. But after years of shit photos, things started to look good. And in 2012 I was nominated and won Avant Garde NAHA with my photography. So from there I really tried to learn as much as I possible could, my good friend and local mentor Fumi Eguchi showed me photography tricks as he picked up a camera about a year before me, so we could really grow together. Today Fumi and I work together frequently sharing ideas and inspiration to both elevate our passion for creating art! Photography to me today is just a way to express my collections, I truly try to push the boundaries, my 2018 NAHA is something completely different than anything I’ve ever seen. If i’m not pushing the limits to my hair art and or photography lighting or just creating I feel dead inside.
What are your favorite styling products at the moment?
I’m truly loving Oribe Swept Up Volume Powder, it is my go to in my session bag. Instant texture is what I love about it. I also love Surfcomber Tousled Texture Mousse, perfect for blowout, diffusing curly/wavy hair, or just applying to dry hair for piecy texture.
