How David Mallett Became the Parisian Fashion Girl's Favourite Hairdresser
April 1 | 4 minute read
Words by Izzy Wight
Naturally, when David got the call asking to fly to Paris to style Lenny Kravitz for a shoot with Jean-Baptiste Mondino, he “sprinted” to the airport. On set, he met Emmanuelle Alt – later editor-in-chief of Vogue France – who asked him to work on a shoot with actress Diane Kruger the following day. From there, his glittering Paris career had begun.
Now, David’s come full circle. After 40 years working with Europe’s A-listers, his eponymous haircare brand has landed on Australian shores – more specifically, on MECCA’s shelves. Featuring homegrown ingredients like pink Murray River salt and macadamia nut oil, the line pays homage to his Aussie roots – but is rooted, of course, in effortless, Parisian-chic performance.
“The David Mallett signature comes from years of working in fashion and being highly influenced by my 40 years in Paris,” David explains. “It's that effortless elegance that feels natural, never contrived. It’s hair that looks refined and luxurious, yet as though it hasn’t tried too hard — perfectly cut, beautifully balanced and full of soft movement. It's perfect, undone hair that moves, shines, smells good and looks incredibly desirable.”
To celebrate the launch of David Mallett at MECCA, we chatted to the hair icon himself about hair trends, the fashion industry and his ever-growing roster of celebrity clientele.
On Seasonal Styling
“Here in Paris, we have very defined different seasons; what happens in summer and vacation period is very different to what happens during winter. When you have -10 and -17 in New York, and snow and the Mediterranean, this has a great effect on how people wear their hair, and their hairstyles correspond to the season. Australia has much more moderate and less aggressive seasonal changes, so people can tend to have a more summery approach to their hair all year round, which is not applicable in Europe or New York.”
On the Power of the Curl
On His ‘Miracle Product’
“The one product that can do it all for me from our line is our 'magic' Hair Serum. It's an incredible product. It hydrates, nourishes, controls frizz, helps to sculpt curl and gives the hair an incredibly delightful touch. It's tactile, sensorial, real and the perfect answer to any hair needs. It's great for men and women.”
On Working in Fashion
“Working in the fashion industry has had the most massive influence on how I see hair. We're in the salon; we're always permanently working with our products and my team... We like to be in the beginning of the creation and present it to the world via our products and via our haircutting and colour skills.”
On His A-list Clientele
“What I learnt from working with famous models and celebrities [is] that products need to deliver a quick result, they need to have a fantastic smell and need to be incredibly efficient. Our serum was the first one that we developed for models that needed nutrition, shine and an instant remedy for their hair. Our Spray No.2 Le Volume is the perfect product to apply in the back of an Uber or a taxi to get a little volume or root lift. All my products are easy to use and a perfect recipe for beauty.
“Models have also shown me the importance of simplicity: products must be intuitive, multifunctional and easy to apply anywhere... Lightweight textures, buildable hold and effortless finishes are key, because hair needs to look polished – but never overworked.”
