MENU
SEARCHVictor Fontanez is best known for his men's fades and transformation videos. See why we chose to make him part of our 2019 MODERN SALON 100.
Victor Fontanez @vicblends
Victor Fontanez @vicblends
MODERN met Victor Fontanez, @vicblends, the night he was named “Rookie of the Year” at the 2019 International Barber Grammy’s. Age 20, Fontanez has been barbering (professionally) for just one year and shares his clean and well executed shapes with more than 250K followers.
Victor Fontanez
Dibbs Hair Studio, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Specialty: Men’s fades, transformation videos and motivational speaking
Top-performing post: I have tons of posts that have gone viral, but there’s one specifically that I remember being circulated over the whole web with millions of views. I shaved a unibrow on a classmate in barber school. This post went viral because of the exaggeration and crazy look of the unibrow —it’s always satisfying to see a pet peeve being fixed.
Favorite apps: iMovie, Layout and PicsArt. iMovie is the app I use to put together my hair cut transformation videos. Layout allows me to create collages without any borders or watermarks. PicsArt is what I use to remove acne on my clients when cleaning my pictures. These are all very basic and user-friendly apps.
I follow: @staygold31, @los_cut_it, @robtheoriginal, @patty_cuts, @iamtyrikjackson
Victor Fontanez @vicblends
Victor Fontanez @vicblends
Pro tip: The most important and most overlooked is your background. The whole point of our posts is to catch the attention of our audience, so when posting a picture of a men’s haircut, a dark or messy background can blend in with your clients head/hair and make it hard for that post to stick out on the explore page. You need some sort of contrast between your client and the background, I highly recommend purchasing a white backdrop for photos.
Hidden talent: My hidden talent is probably my attention to detail. I’m able to catch a lot of things most barbers commonly overlook.
Fun fact: Skateboarding. When I was young, I used to want to be a professional skateboarder.
My audience follows me because: I feel like my audience loves me not only for my work but my personality, age, and that my motives are all positive, new to the industry, and genuine. I have a lot of true passion for what I do, and it shows in everything I post or create.
How social media changed my life: Social media has not only changed my life from a business and financial standpoint, but more personally and spiritually than anything. My number-one motive has been using my platform for the right reasons, to inspire, motivate and be an example to not only the younger generation, but for anybody on this earth looking for a positive role model. Social media allowed me to not only accomplish these things locally in my community, but I am now able to touch the lives of individuals on the other of the world.
My first @modernsalon feature: The first time I was featured on MODERN SALON was after the CT Barber Expo. It was a surreal moment to finally make my way to being featured. Thank you so much again!
Click here to the see the full list of this year's MODERN SALON 100.
In an industry with so many options and opportunities, we asked artists what made them niche down and select a specialty. Amelia Fugitt (@ameliahairmakeup) says choosing to focus on transformations has transformed her career.
In this content series, we're focusing on artists who found a niche that really speaks to them and work for their career. Henry "Tribes" Amoloja (@theweightedcape), is based in Dallas, TX, and practices sensory-friendly barbering.
In an industry with so many options and opportunities, we asked artists what made them niche down and choose a specialty. Texas-based artist Kimberly Michelle has always loved focusing on healthy hair and scalp, and headspa rituals was a natural evolution.
In an industry with so many options and opportunities, we asked these artists what made them niche down and choose a specialty. See Caidy Brasure's perspective on specializing in editorial and special occasion styling.
In an industry with so many options and opportunities, we asked these artists what made them niche down and choose a specialty. See Shonda Harvey-Gayle's perspective on specializing in extensions.
In an industry with so many options and opportunities, we asked these artists what made them niche down and choose a specialty. See Stacey Ciceron's perspective on specializing in natural texture.
Get to know Jerwin Carlos, a fun-loving hairstylist and a member of Ulta Beauty's Artist Collective.
Check out these beautiful holiday and winter nails, created by the talented nail artists of our MODERN SALON 100 of 2025. Top-tier inspiration!
As we prepared this year’s MODERN SALON 100, our annual recognition of standout artists, we invited salon owners to nominate rising stars on their teams. The response was tremendous, filled with heartfelt praise for talented professionals.
Meet Jill Buck, a dynamic celebrity hairstylist, Davines North America Color Ambassador, and devoted mom whose creative flair extends seamlessly from the salon to the screen.
It's our 10th year of recognizing the most passionate and inspiring gamechangers in our industry! See who made this year's list.
Get to know Ulta Beauty Design Team member and Elite Stylist Beto Sanchez!
Alli Webb, the beauty entrepreneur and founder of Drybar, is back with a new haircare line inspired by lessons learned, and an embrace of her natural texture. After some difficult years, Webb decided to stop trying to control things and instead, find the magic in the mess.
Laura Gunter is a respected hairstylist, educator, and creative force based in Marietta, Georgia. With more than a decade of experience, she’s built a dynamic career that bridges artistry, mentorship, and industry leadership.
Eyre features deep, midnight hair color hues with metallic accents and her models are framed by darkness and caught in shadow, emphasizing their powerful presence.
Happy Women's History Month! Here's a woman who's making history in our industry today: Carolyn Aronson of leading haircare brand It's A 10.
From rethinking traditional assistant and apprenticeship programs to helping stylists avoid burnout and build community, this interview with Vee Vargas, a finalist for the NAHA Inspiring Salon of the Year, will inspire you.
