It's Kinda Boring and Long but with all the crap people read and believe these days I thought I wouldn't hurt to lay it down a bit.
The Truth that is.
This was a personal journey and I did it for a guild line for a bio. As the years turn and fly by it is really rare we sit back and think where we have walked and who we walked with. Who helped us along the way and made us who we are. I know I am forgetting many details and moments in between but this is the truth. The whole truth and dam. When I look back I think to myself. What a wonderful World and how grateful I am to live and be free to Live the way I choose. I am grateful I chose to be a hairdresser and Follow my Fathers Footsteps.
I want to make sure you understand how grateful I am to everyone who's name's follow.
I would not be me without you. Some stronger then others. My Love and admiration is true and with respect.
Salvador Calvano III
May 9 1970, born in Chicago Illinois.
1972 moved to Phoenix Arizona. Growing up in the desert with quiet wide open spaces.
1973 Salvador & Joanne Calvano open Cutters hair salon in Phoenix Az.
1974 Growing up going to the salon with Mom & Dad. Got my first guitar.
1975 Mom & Dads salon grow to become one of the top salons in the southwest.
1976 built my first pinbox camera.
1977 Began taking pictures and began a path of art and images.
1978 Went to Tokyo Japan for the first Intercioffure World congress with family to began a path of hair and beauty.
1979 Explored cub scouts, nature, sports, super 8 film, music and art.
1980 Studied photography, woods, metals, sculpting, started working at Mom and Dads salon on Saturdays.
1981 Continue to grow in Art, Scouts, traveling with Dad to hair shows assisting and working backstage on an array of projects. Continue this path winning awards along the way in art and sculpture through High school until 1987.
1983 Attend first Intercoiffure Photo shoot in Venice beach California. Bought my second guitar.
I met David Wagner. The original day maker.
Mario Tricocci gave me his shear case that I still have and use.
1985 Haircolor USA.
1986 International Haircolor exchange.
1987 Started Cosmetology school while in high school winning awards for styling and coloring.
1988 Graduated Shadow Mountain High school and Cosmetology School at the same time. Attended World Congress in Hamburg Germany.
Studied under Rocco Altobelli, Richard Hudivani, Beth Minardi, Reg Laws, Oscar Bond, Leland Hirsch and many more of the greats.
1988 to 1992 Became artistic Director of Cutters Hair in Phoenix Arizona teaching and growing staff and traveling doing education and platform work for Logics, Artec and Ariella.
1991 Organized, Choreographed and directed young Intercioffure presentation at the Waldorf Astoria NYC. Became one of the first hairdressers to receive the Vidal Sassoon awards for excellence in art and design.
Was one of the first hairdressers to receive the Vidal Sassoon award at the Waldorf Astoria.
1992 Purchased first Macintosh computer with a total capacity of 64 megabits. It was big at the time. Two weeks later color screens were introduced to the world.
Moved to Miami beach to work as a freelance artist totally focusing on magazine work and building a portfolio. Met Didier Malige through Palma Driscoll at Bryan Bantry agency NYC and began assisting.
1993 Worked with Didier on Italian Vogue with Linda Evangelista, Bruce Weber and Isaac Mizrahi.
First Gianni Versace campaign in lake Tahoe. Coloring hair and working with Didier Malige.
Went to Versace mansion to do Donatellas hair drinking espresso with Gianni while waiting for Donatella to get out of the shower. This went on most of the time I lived in Miami while building my portfolio.
May 1993 moved to New York City. This is the place and time my career exploded.
Spent the next 8 years traveling the world working on some of the biggest fashion moments of the nineties. Working with Didier Malige, Odile Gilbert and Sam McKnight.
Began traveling to Paris, Milan and London doing Fashion weeks all over the World.
Paris Haute Couture for Chanel, Chloe, Dior, John Galliano, Jean Paul Guitier, Vivian Westwood.
Made a Music video with Jeff Buckley before he was the legend he is now.
First Gio Giorgio Armani perfume campaign. Sam McKnight got mugged the night before Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell had a party the night before. I filled in for Sam.
1995 Opened my first Salon studio in the heart of NYCs famous Meatpacking starting the fashion trend it is today.
Soho legend John Dellaria gave me his pool table that is now in the Arizona Salon.
Jon Bon Jovi in Argentina changed my world forever.
Versace campaign with Didier and Bruce Weber.
Bought my third guitar.
Sports illustrated swim suit issue in ecuador. Victoria's secret all over the world.
Claudia Schiffer bought me flowers.
Lou Reed for New York magazine.
First Vogue cover Australia.
Worked with photographers Patrick Demarchelier, Bruce Weber, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon.
Second Vogue cover Germany.
Continued to work on campaigns, editorials and Fashion shows around the world. Studying, growing and absorbing from fashion stylist, photographers and designers.
2000 Closed my NYC salon and moved to the Hollywood hills California to concentrate on celebrities and doing hair for the music industry.
Christina Agulera, Patty Springsteen, vertical horizon.
My Brother in-law was killed in a helicopter accident in the Arizona Desert leaving my sister and triplet sons behind. I am the God father and moved home to be with my family.
Retired as a hairdresser for the first time.
Sold Christmas trees in the desert delivering them in my 1974 red convertible eldorado.
Worked the door at Mickeys Hangover. A popular bar in old town Scottsdale. People thought I was Mickey.
Went to a party and saw this girl with horrible hair and realized the world of hair and beauty needed me back.
Aug 2001 moved back to NYC. Via Montana, Canada, 4000 mile road trip back to NYC the long way. Freedom was free.
17 days later during fashion week.
Sept 11 2001. I was on my roof and witnessed it all first hand with my friends. Far from home.
September 21. 10 days later. Packed my truck with my dear friend and drove back to Arizona.
October 2001 the state of Arizona demanded I went back to hair school to re establish my Arizona license in cosmetology. It was kind of fun.
After searching for a salon I landed at a place called Dees international Hairport.
The press ate it up.
February 2002 opened Salvador Calvano Hair.
My father's old olive factory turned into a beautiful spacious warehouse style salon. Back yard and all. A high end private studio catering to guests in a very personal, fun, laid back and professional environment.
Built my first website and began to shoot, edit and produce videos.
2009 started my own product line made for stressed desert hair called Extreme Therapy for damaged hair.
2010 started my first Rock and Roll band. The Last Nomadiks. After our first paid gig our bass player moved to Chicago. We broke up and gave him all the money for gas to get home.
Over the years continued NYC fashion week twice a year working with Didier Malige, Odile Gilbert and Sam MkNight working on some of the most prestigious fashion shows on earth.
September 13, 2011 met the love of my life at the Whiskey Ward in the LES of Manhattan.
Did long distance for 6 months. Racked up miles in my heart.
March 15, 2012 Patricia Catherine McDonald moved to Arizona.
September 1, 2012 asked her to marry me and she said yes.
Fashion week in NYC. Again. Together.
After over 20 years of Fashion weeks and 40 plus seasons. The love flows like a bubbly spring that you just want to drink from with your bare hands.
It's the love that flows and you can't stop it.
25 Years flew by like a hot blow dryer in Phoenix in June. Yeh that hot and fast.
Was I lucky? Did I work my ass off? Did I knock on the right doors? Or did they knock on mine?
Was it my faith? Or fate?
God only knows.
That's the gist of my life so far and I really feel like its just beginning.
With love,
Salvador Calvano III
