Meet Destiny Venice | Hair Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Destiny Venice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Destiny, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I’d like to say being hard-working and resilient, but I know a huge factor of my success has been following my heart. Following my heart, and then following through with not giving up and hard work. I also think being a pleasant person to work with plays a huge factor as well. I’ve been really lucky to have met some amazing people a long the way that believe in me, and have advocated for me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Where do I start? I have worked in the hair industry for 14 years. I started as a receptionist at a salon, then became a licensed cosmetologist and began taking my own clients. Eventually I moved to NYC and started working on set for photoshoots and commercials. I am responsible for doing models’/actors’ hair to meet the clients art direction- or getting individuals ready for events. For me styling hair conveys a story. The story your clients want to tell with their campaigns, the story you want to tell in an editorial, or a story your personal clients want to tell for an evening out. It feels like an art piece, but one you get to create with a team or/and individual.

I have worked on campaigns such as Tommy Hilfiger, Bare Necessities etc. As well as editorials for Harper Bazaar, GQ, L’Official, Lampoon etc… I currently freelance in LA, and I am represented by the Art Department Agency.

It has been quite the journey getting to that role. I graduated high school a year early and went straight into Cosmetology school. Then I started taking clients at the salon etc, and have worked at a couple of salons since. I knew at the time I didn’t want to just do hair in a salon but I wasn’t sure what my next step should be. I’ve always been into drawing and painting, even as a kid.  As an adult I have enjoyed the opportunity to showcase my fine art, as well as, sell my prints and originals.   I still enjoy doing commissions for individual clients including pet portraits and designing business logos.  So, I knew my next step had to involve doing something creative. I ended up getting asked to do hair and makeup for a shoot for a friends Vintage shop. There I met Katie Eidecker, who ended up being an angel in my life. She took a liking to me and the next thing I knew she asked me to help with a photoshoot doing hair… and from then on the ball started rolling. That shoot lit a fire in me- I knew working on set was where I wanted to be. My passion was ignited. That spiralled into me working part time at a salon, and at a bar, and on set when I was asked. I remember being so tired working at the salon 9 am- 5pm, and then heading straight to the bar to close. I would cry sometimes from exhaustion, but the days working on set really fueled me. Eventually, I kept getting so much work on set that I didn’t have to work at the bar, or salon anymore and was busy enough with just set work. That feels like a life time ago- but its always a great reminder of how far I’ve come.

Down the road, hair dressers from NYC would fly in to ATL and I would get asked to assist them. I knew right away, that if I really wanted to grow and learn I needed to move to NYC. I had only been to NY once when I was about 12, but never in my life did I ever think I’d live there.  However, I knew in my heart it was right. I flew to NYC a couple months later with two suitcases- one being my hair kit… and I never looked back. I’m so thankful for a makeup artist named Chris Colbeck who wrote to his agency, The Art Department, and said they should hire me as an assistant for their artists. Long story short, after 3 years of assisting with artists from their agency and other great agencies my biggest dream came true. I got signed with the Art Department as a lead stylist. I literally screamed from excitement. I’m so thankful for my agent Layla Carrol for believing in me. I’ve been signed with them 3 years now.

Although I’m so thankful for the time I had in NYC, my heart had been longing for a change. I had been wanting to be in LA for a couple of years and much like my jump to NYC, I made the leap to LA, (this time with a little more than two suitcases, and a little more cred ). Thankfully my agency is here in LA too, and my NY agent connected me with my current LA agent Chip Adams. It feels surreal to say that out loud. I love my agency family, and I’m so thankful for the people that believe in me and fight for me. I’m still the new kid in LA, but I Love it here. (I also love having a car, I know…I know.) I moved here because living in NY it was really hard for me to maintain a healthy balance.  I’m thankful I’ve had the time to get my priorities right, and to remember there is so much more to life than just work. I’m lucky to love what I do, but having hobbies—traveling, enjoying friends and family—are super important too. Finding balance is what I’m thankful for. I definitely feel at home here and I know I made the right move. I haven’t felt so happy and inspired mentally and spiritually in quite a while. Life is crazy sometimes, but I cannot wait to see how my LA chapter unfolds. It’s truly just the beginning for me. I’m a true believer if you follow your heart things work out.

“Life is tricky, Baby. Stay in Your Magic.” (I’m not sure who originally quoted that one.)

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, being the new kid here, I think everything is exciting. I would definitely take them to the beach, so far I have found some places I like in Malibu- Like Point Dume. We would most likely go on a hike as well, anything out doors. I really liked the Temescal Canyon Trail. The Griffith Observatory is beautiful too. I’m super into yoga too, so we’d probably hit up a class at Virtu with Dalton Grant. I ended up moving to Silver Lake (I know, I moved from Brooklyn to the LA Brooklyn)- There’s a really cute coffee shop called Cafe Nido we’d have to pop into. Also Bacari- their small plates are so good! (I’ve been there too many times), and Lola wine bar is one of my favourites too. I also love going to the different markets like the Los Feliz Flea Market. Otherwise, I am lucky enough to have found a spot with a private yard space- so we’d most likely be hanging out there. I love to cook, and host. I’m still adventuring and finding more favorite spots. I love that about LA though, it’s so spread out and there are so many different neighbourhoods and day adventures to do.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ah, there are SOOO many people I’d love to list. The list would be never ending, as there have been so many amazing people along this journey. I’d love to thank my agency the Art Department along with my agents Layla and Chip. Literally all my friends, all my clients, my dog (Norman). This entire article could be about the names of people who have helped me along the way.

Website: https://www.art-dept.com/la-hair-stylist/destiny-venice/13317/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinyvenice/?hl=en

Other: www.destinyvenice.com IG @desvenice new art instagram

Image Credits
Sam Gold for personal photo