Mika Fowler may be Tinsel-town’s go-to hair artist, but the woman behind Olivia Munn’s sleek, mid-length bob is as modest as she is brilliant. Always respectful of exactly what her clients want, Fowler, the style director at Gavert Atelier in Beverly Hills, uses her “dry cut” technique to ensure her clients are satisfied when they leave the salon. Check out our interview with Fowler to learn more about Hollywood’s favorite hairstylist.

BANGSTYLE: Tell us a little about yourself.

Mika Fowler: I studied hair in Japan over 20 years ago. I did hair 10 years in Japan, but then I kind of started to stress having to do the same kind of hair over and over again. So I came to the U.S., and I went to the Vidal Sassoon school. I wanted to start all over—from scratch. That school is in LA, so that’s how I ended up here and gradually ended up doing more Hollywood things. It’s a fun city; you have the beach and everything. 

BANGSTYLE: What made you want to become a hairstylist, and how did you get started in the industry?

MF: My father is a designer, and my parents never pushed me to go into the arts. I’m Asian and Asian parents are always pushing kids to go into a more educational career field, but I always liked drawing. I just didn’t know how to express my creativity. When I told my parents I wanted to go to art school, they told me that I wouldn’t make money and that I should go to regular school to do something different. I started working at a big company, but I was totally not happy. Then, at the same time my mom—she’s a successful business woman— sold her business and started to retire early. A year later she said, “I’m so bored. I’m going to go to beauty school.” She ended up being a beauty school student and kept saying how fun it was. I was so miserable doing office things, and I knew I needed something different. We started going to the school together, became hairdressers, and opened a salon together. We worked together for two years, and then I came here. 

BANGSTYLE: Have you considered opening your own salon in LA?

MF: It’s a tough business here, and having 14 years of experience in America is still baby. Since I didn’t grow up in this country, I still have so many basic things to learn. I’m very open to the idea. If I have a chance, maybe, you never know. So far, the salon I work at has a really, really fun, young vibe. We’re very free to do many things, and my boss supports so many things. I guess I don’t know.

BANGSTYLE: What are your career highlights?

MF:  Working on the PETA campaign that Olivia did in the year 2011. It’s definitely an organization that I support very much and hold very dear to my heart; so when I began to see these giant billboards go up everywhere with my hair creation, that was amazing for me. It definitely feels a lot different than a red carpet appearance and has led me to Jimmy Kimmel and the Conan show. Seeing Olivia grow to where she is has also been a career highlight. I started with her years ago, and seeing how far she has come has been nothing but a pleasure to see. Also, when my mom picked up an issue of ELLE last year, she called me to tell me there was an article about me and how proud she was. Those are definitely career highlights that I relive in my head from time to time. 

BANGSTYLE: What about your career are you most proud of?

MF: The fact that I have been a part of so many people’s memories—the weddings, the red carpet events, the music videos—I become a part of their lives in that moment, and I help them make that moment special. Also, styling Olivia Munn’s hair for the PETA campaign. I love my dog, and I like how Olivia supports PETA in a very organic way; I totally agree with it. I love having the opportunity to support different organizations. 

BANGSTYLE: Who inspires you, and what influences you?

MF: You know, I think everything inspires me. If I see someone with beautiful hair, I will really want to create a version of it. I see so many little details and like to incorporate those pieces into my work. I feel like anything I see with my eyes, I memorize not with my brain, but with my soul instead. I am also inspired by Karl Lagerfeld and how he has been so powerful and creative with his own style.

BANGSTYLE: What is your favorite part about being a hairstylist and why?

MF: I like red carpet events, but I also like being a part of my client’s lives. Yesterday, I had a big wedding house call. I’ve been doing this girl’s hair since she was in high school, and just yesterday she was getting married. I like how I can be a part of their family. That really makes me happy. Red carpet events too; they are really big moments for those people. I like being able to help them look beautiful. 

BANGSTYLE: Can you tell us about what it’s like being the Style Director at Gavert Atelier?

MF: We are a very free salon. Everyone is very talented and comes from all over the world. We are also a very culturally diverse salon, which really educates me. They all look up to me for guidance, and I look after them so much. They are my family.

BANGSTYLE: You have worked with many A-list celebrities including Olivia Munn and Rosario Dawson. How have you been able to build such a loyal and elite clientele?

MF: I never think of them as celebrities. They’re just girls who want to be pretty for their special moment. One thing I try not to do is watch their movies. I don’t want to know about their celebrity status; I just want to focus on the girl, the face, the dress she’s going to wear, and the kind of event. This way we build trust. Whatever my clients want, they get. I never push them; I want them to feel comfortable. 

BANGSTYLE: You specialize in the “dry cut.” Is it best to cut hair when it is dry as opposed to when it’s wet and why? When did you discover your natural talent for the “dry cut?”

MF: I am such a picky girl. I really, really hate when people cut more of my hair than I wanted, especially my bangs. If people cut an extra half inch, I have to cry for the next two weeks. It really, really stresses me out. I hate when people cut my hair, blow dry it, and I’m surprised at the end. I like to see it as it’s being cut. When I do the dry cut, I look at the way your hair falls first, then I wash your hair so I can see how your hair changes when your hair is wet. After, I dry it to see how your hair changes in the drying process, then I use a flat iron to see the quality of the ends. Finally, I move your hair around to see the shape of the hair before cutting. Even if a famous hairdresser cuts your hair, you are the one wearing the hair, not the hairdresser. So if the person is not comfortable, it has no meaning. I like to give quality haircuts, but I respect what my client wants. Fashion and makeup is easy; you can take or wipe it off, but hair is attached. Most people have a comfort zone, which I think is usually their hair. Every time I have a male assistant, I tell him that being able to touch a stranger’s hair is such a privilege. Touching hair is very intimate and personal.

BANGSTYLE:  Tell us about working as a stylist in Japan.

MF: It’s a totally different system in Japan. The hairstylists in Japan are all on a salary. They like to work as a team—the owner and hairdressers all need to follow the salon’s way. Everybody works for the salon. It’s fun. Sometimes, since you’re working in such a big team, you can do big projects like shows. But developing individual creativity is difficult because if the salon says that isn’t their way, you can’t do it. It’s like a samurai mind; you can never say no to them. Yes, master. That’s it. I don’t like when people tell me what to do. If I agree, I’ll naturally follow, but if someone keeps telling me what to do, I start to get frustrated. It’s good too, though, because stylists are very protected. You don’t need to have a strong clientele because the salon will do everything for you. It might be good. There’s a lot more security in it; but if you want to push your own way, it’s really difficult. With my personality, I definitely didn’t feel like I fit with that kind of system.

BANGSTYLE: What do you think is next in hair?

MF: Face framing. I think people will start to get more polished looks. 

BANGSTYLE:  What do you want to see happen in the beauty industry in the next 5-10 years?

MF: You know, the beauty world is really changing right now—every professional world is changing right now, I think, because of YouTube. Non-professionals are now doing hair in the bathroom, filming it, and grabbing the attention of a huge audience. There is a thin line between professionals and non-professionals. These famous YouTubers are styling without knowledge. Since I am a professional hairstylist, I may be able to collaborate with them and provide them with tips. I think we should work more with the regular fashionable girls who are making these videos.

BANGSTYLE:  What are the hottest trends in hair right now?

MF: I’m not a colorist, but I like the ombre hair color. I like braids too. 

BANGSTYLE:  What is an at-home hair tip—something you recommend to your clients?

MF: Don’t buy so many products. It just confuses your hair and your life. When you go to the doctor, they usually prescribe you one kind of medication. Same with hair, hairstylists are also consultants; let them recommend styling tools and products that are best for your kind of hair. Buy a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and a finishing product that is best for your hair. 

BANGSTYLE:  How long have you been working in the hair industry?

MF: 20-something years

BANGSTYLE:  What are your favorite hair color trends?

MF: I personally like reddish colors. It’s been quite popular. If you have a light skin-tone, then this color is great. Color really depends on skin-tone. 

BANGSTYLE:  Describe your ideal client.

MF: My clients are all perfect. 

BANGSTYLE:  What are you doing to push the boundaries in the hair industry?

MF: I think for the West Coast, the dry cut is a new thing. Most people who sit in my chair are very surprised when I start to blow dry first. I think a haircut should be dry in the future. Also, I think following the bone structure of the client is important when cutting hair.

BANGSTYLE:  Do you have any advice for new hair artists starting out in the industry?

MF: Today’s kids are much smarter. They know everything because of the Internet, but I think they should stay focused and try not to multi-task so much. They should focus on themselves, on their work, and their clients to create a comfortable working environment. If you want to be somebody, you have to perfect one thing before you move on to the next—not only in hair, in every industry. 

BANGSTYLE:  What are your future goals?

MF: I like working with girls and changing their image, giving them beautiful hair. It’s like an addiction for me. I want to keep making girls pretty—even 80-year-old women. 

20 Things: Mika Fowler

1. Movie - Classic movies with Audrey Hepburn and Kill Bill
2. Song - Anything by Pitbull; Reggaeton
3. Fragrance - Chanel No. 19 or Miss Dior (Mika means beautiful fragrance)
4. Food - Italian
5. Hairstyle - Long hair like Brigit Bardot; little bad girlish style; effortless
6. Brand - Everything Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood
7. Product - Mixing MAC eyeliner
8. Book - A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami
9. Celebrity - No comment
10. Drink - Mexican beer with my dog
11. Website - www.style.com
12. City - LA
13. Restaurant - Villa Blanca
14. Bar - The Pali House
15. Author - Haruki Murakami
16. Shop - Melrose or Beverly Center
17. Pastime - My dog, Dos Equis
18. Memory - Coming to America
19. Season - Fall
20. Want - Makeup