ABOUT GIANNANDREA

Where I Call Home: Los Angeles, CA

Industry Icon: Garren

Career Other than Hairdressing: Flower shop owner

Now reading: Walt Disney’s biography

Hidden talent: Masterful chef of Italian cuisine and macrobiotic

Day-off pursuits: A restful day, a great swim, a perfect dinner and a great movie.

What He Loves About His Job: “Just before they leave me to step into their limo or to walk the red carpet, we share one last look. It is a very pure, honest moment.”

Title of your autobiography: “Joyful Encounters”

They are the most visible, glamorous women in entertainment, their every hair style and beauty move analyzed, recorded, and re-imagined forever. Who do they trust to take them through their red carpet, premiere or photo shoot transformations? The man they call “G.”

Celebrity hairstylist Giannandrea, a native of Italy, travels the globe as the International Creative Director for Macadamia Professional. He is in the south of France preparing Rosario Dawson, Eva Mendes, and Reese Witherspoon to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. He’s helping Cameron Diaz look her best as she gets her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s starting a trend with his cut (the “Shab” a texturized combination shag and bob) on Dianna Argon (for the Glee Film Premiere. If there is a red carpet happening, his work is likely to be on it. His approach to dressing these high-profile heads involves research and preparation prior to the big reveal.

“I look at photos of the woman, I look at different styles they have worn and I ask myself, ‘What is her unique beauty?’” Giannandrea says. “Then, when we work, we discover it together.”

 But all the glitz hasn’t gone to G’s head. He retains the enthusiasm that set him on a career path, years ago, that he says was his “destiny.”

“I started doing hair for fun at 15 when I lived in Bologna, Italy. It was the 1980’s and it was an exciting time. Blame the Brits and their rebellious, crazy, New Wave hair styling during that time. I just feel in love with hair cutting!” Giannandrea say. “I trained classically but ‘rebel-edge’ is my style. I started freelancing in Milan at age 18 and from there I worked in Milan, Paris, and New York in the heyday of fashion. I assisted just about every famous hairstylist on countless fashion shows and shoots while nurturing my own editorial career.”

Editorial progress made a move to New York in 1992 inevitable. Giannandrea would work with the most important photographers, models and hairdressers of the day.

“I quickly got an agent and started collaborating with many top designers and did many fashion shows while still traveling all around the world for editorial shoots,” Giannandrea says. “In 1994, I started assisting Orlando Pita and for the next few years I almost solely assisted him. I subsequently joined my mentor Garren and for the next six years I worked closely with him on ‘la crème de la crème’ of fashion. He truly helped me redefine and finesse my skills. The knowledge I acquired during the years with Garren is priceless.”

Today, #HairByG is enhanced with products from Macadamia. “Presently I am extremely focused on continuing to evolve and create beautiful quality work. I love my role with Macadamia and how it allows me to show other stylists and consumers new looks, techniques and how incredibly well Macadamia products perform and support any look or texture. I truly love what I do right now and I will continue being a freelancer and work directly with Macadamia and stylists. This is what makes me happy.”