Kelsey Miller trimmed her client’s long hair and started blow drying while keeping her eyes on the Olympic figure skater gliding across the phone screen.
Miller, who works as a stylist at 13th and Washington salon, helped perfect Olympian Alysa Liu’s signature "halo” hairstyle, those alternating rings of dark brunette and golden blond, when Liu was in St Louis, Missouri for the US Figure Skating Championships in January.
Miller’s most famous client was now competing for gold. Lucky for Miller, the client in her chair during Liu’s free skate was also a fan. She pulled up the live stream on her phone, so they could watch together.
"I had chills watching her,” Miller says.
It was a chance opportunity that led Liu to her chair. Another one of Miller’s clients was at lunch with a person connected with the team. He mentioned that a girl on the team needed a hair appointment. Miller’s client immediately contacted her.
"I have a VIP client, and I can’t tell you who it is or what you’ll be doing, but she needs a hair appointment tomorrow night."
Miller, who has been doing hair for 18 years, jumped in. Coach Phillip DiGuglielmo reached out to her and shared Liu’s skating videos. He said she wanted rings with a "milk tree” colour.
She started researching and put together a game plan. Liu had originally bleached the circles around her hair herself with a product she bought at Sally’s Beauty Supply store.
But Liu wasn’t thrilled with the brassy tone. She wanted the rings to be more dramatic.
When she arrived the next day, Miller told her the colour processing could take a while.
"I will try my hardest to get you your desired look, but I’m not going to compromise the integrity of your hair,” she told Liu.
Thankfully, Liu has strong hair. It took five hours to get the style right.
Liu has said the style was inspired by the rings on a tree trunk and how they document the passage of time. When Miller dropped Liu off at her hotel, she asked to be tagged if she shared her new ‘do on social media.
She had no idea how that casual request would impact her career.
Liu credited Miller, who only had about 650 followers on Instagram at the time. Her fans loved the unique look and jumped to follow her hair stylist as well.
The day of the Olympic finals, Miller curled her client’s hair while they anxiously awaited the score in the free skate. Liu earned 150.20, the highest score of the night. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto missed the top spot by less than two points.
Liu won the gold.
Brands asked her to try their products. New clients wanted to get on her books. Other stylists praised her work.
"In my wildest dreams I would never expect any of this to happen to me,” Miller says.
An Olympian's iconic hairstyle changed her life. – St Louis Post-Dispatch/Tribune News Service
