NailGurl Asks: Marian Newman
NailGurl had the chance to catch up with our favorite “nail guru” world renowned Marianne Newman. Newman has been in the field of nails for over 25 years, and has been an inspiring nail technicians globally. Marianne has helped with the development with many brands that we have all grown fond of. Aside from product development, Marianne is a highly respected educator and has written the definitive guide called “The Complete Nail Technician”, which has been sold worldwide and has become a crowd favorite amongst many nail enthusiasts. Newman’s works can be seen on the covers of British Vogue, and has worked alongside legendary photographers, including Mario Testino, David Bailey, & Patrick Demarchelier. Known as the “Super Manicurist” Newman has also adorned the hands of Lady Gaga , Naomi Campbell, P-Diddy, Kate Moss & more. Let’s read on as to what Marianne has been up to, and her upcoming ventures….after the jump!
Name: Marian Newman
Location: London, England
Occupation: Sessions nail technician and author
Q: Current “Must-Have” Obsession(s) of the Moment:
I have been a devotee of Shellac since it launched for the convenience of it especially when working but now I am hooked on Vinylux! I love the speed and staying power without spending too much time applying it. I have painted it on several ‘special’ people now and they all love it!
Q: Your career spans over 20+, and I know that you get asked this a lot. However NailGurl would love to know how you got started in the nail industry.
It was by accident! I used to be a forensic scientist when I left school but stopped work when I had my family. When the youngest started playschool; I wanted to do something that I would find fun and could maybe earn a little from. I trained as a make-up artist and then got a part time job is a small chain of salons. They had a ‘Nail Treatment Centre’ (very advanced for their time and I was asked to research the industry to find the best products. That opened a whole new world to me and I discovered ‘nails’.
What drew me in was the fact that so little was known about nails and associated products. My questions on the science side didn’t get answered so I kept digging. Then I got involved in education as all that was available was so poor. That led me to opening a ‘nails only’ salon when there were only a handful through the whole of the UK and then onto teaching.
I haven’t been able to escape ever since!
Q: Marian, you have definitely seen all dynamics to the nail industry from the 80’s onto now. What do think about the current explosion of nail art & the industry as a whole today in 2013?
It was always there! The nail art I was doing in my salon in the late 80’s-early 90’s (and in fact developing kits and demoing and selling on QVC late 90’s) is not much different from today. Styles are becoming more individual but the basics are the same. I think networking, which is now part of everyday life, has made a huge difference as so many ideas and obsessions are available for all to see and spark interest. The vast range of products, designs and nail styles just weren’t around for the consumer to see then but now they are everywhere. Retailers have jumped on the surge of interest and made a bigger variety of products and this has suited the bad economic times as its’ affordable and fun. People may not have the spare cash to make a big statement with clothes and shoes but they can with their nails!
It’s an ‘easy fix’ and all ages LOVE it! A big regret though is education and training is not keeping up with the demand and colleges are still teaching back in the dark ages and not using all the newer research and understanding on the nail unit as a whole and new advanced product.
Q: What is a normal day like for the “Super Manicurist” better known as Marian Newman?
Oooo! Every working day is different. Throughout the year, most days are spent in a studio. This could entail a natural buff in the morning and nothing else for the rest of the day; sorting out a bad set of nails with falsies so they look like they grew there; coming up with a ‘never seen before’ design that is quick to apply and quicker to remove; coming up with design after design for a ‘nail’ shoot. Who knows what the day will bring!! Twice a year I get stuck into fashion shows. I usually do quite a few and often the ‘big ones’. Last season I did about 25 in NYC, London and Paris. The biggest model count was 60 and the smallest 12. It’s exhausting and challenging but I love it. In between London and Paris I officiate at the biggest nail competition we have in the UK, the Nailympics where several 100 competitors come from 20+ countries to compete. I’m doing the same in September when I’m Head Floor Judge and introducing a new category I developed: Salon Nails. It’s over 3 days so, again, exhausting.
Today I am at home but preparing for a Chanel event at their nail bar in central London (Covent Garden) tonight which should be a lot of fun (and a lot of nails!) I’m also packing as tomorrow, very early, I set off for 3 different shoots all on location around the south and I won’t be back until late Sunday night.
Q: When you look back on your career, what was one of your biggest accomplishments?
That’s not easy! I suppose it is writing my text book, The Complete Nail Technician. The 3rd edition has been out for 3 years now and the 4th is due next year. Each time I update it and add new technology and designs. A few weeks ago I was delighted to be awarded the Scratch Stars Services to the Nail Industry. These are a set of industry awards created by our biggest trade mag, Scratch, and that was the big one of the night, nominated and voted for by the industry.
Q: Your creativity has no limits. What are some of the inspirations behind your nail art?
Most of my designs are very simple. I’m not an artist so I keep away from the intricate designs as, I believe, if they are not perfect they look tacky. I like to use structure (like many of the nails I’ve made for Lady Gaga, they are nails stuck together in different ways) or simple effects with polish or unusual things like wool (Italian Vogue), chains (Gareth Pugh fashion show), angellina fibres (Vogue Japan), felt and wire (China Vogue), hawthorns (Fred Butler show) I usually get a very brief ‘brief! Like a recent Mugler show I was told “hot city at night” so I used textured polish in various colours with holographic glitter at the base for night time lights. Or another was “insects” so I used real beetle wings, a translucent white fiber (for dragon fly wings) and metal organic shapes. A few words will usually spark an idea or 6
Q: Aside from being such a dynamic manicurist & nail designer, you are a highly respected educator when it comes to the nail industry. What advice do you have for up & coming nail technicians who want to leave their mark on the industry?
You never know enough!! Knowledge, understanding and experience is key. You have to know the rules in order to break the rules and if you don’t know and understand your medium, whether its natural nails of the vast variety of products, you need to understand how it all works in order to create something different. How does it all work is a question to KEEP asking.
Q: What can we expect to see from Marian Newman in the near future?
I have just started working on a global project that will come to fruition next year but it is still embargoed. I’m very exciting about it as it hasn’t been done before and I love that. In the meantime I will keep doing what I’m doing but with a view to winding down. I’m getting old!! But I would like to go out with a bang!
Be Sure To Follow Marian Newman On:
Instagram/Twitter: @MarianNewman
Website: MarianNewmanNails.com