Michelle Obama’s Hairstylist – Yene Damtew
President Joe Biden’s Inauguration – January 20, 2021
BY AKILI KING VOGUE
YENE DAMTEW HAIRSTYLIST
I’ve always been a stylist at heart,” says Yene Damtew, the hairstylist who coiffed Michelle Obama’s flawless look at the 2021 inauguration. “Growing up, you’d always find me with a doll in hand, styling her hair.”
Damtew quickly became her neighborhood’s go-to hair expert. Then, at the age of 16, she enrolled at Cerritos Cosmetology School in L.A. County, where she deepened her knowledge of the craft. In 2017, she opened a two-chair salon, called Aesthetics, in Arlington, Virginia, before opening a bigger one, just down the block, in 2020. Expanding her business during the global pandemic came with anxieties, of course. “I worked with a small team of local contractors to make my dream a reality, even though it was really challenging some days,” she says, adding that she had to shut down shop for a few months at the height of the pandemic. When they eventually did open, she adjusted accordingly: stocking up on hand sanitizer and PPE for clients and staff, adding temperature checks, and requiring that everyone wear masks inside at all times. “Luckily our clientele has been supportive of everything, even with appointments more spaced out so we maintain safe social distancing inside,” says Damtew.
When she’s not at the salon or working with celebrity clients, Damtew runs a virtual educational program, The Academy, which helps budding hairstylists sharpen their business skills (she has a business degree from Marymount University in addition to her styling credentials). As for how she came to create those voluminous curls for Michelle Obama for President Biden’s inauguration ceremony? We asked for all the details, below.
What was it like when Michelle Obama approached you to do her hair for the first time?
I started working with her more than a year ago through one of my mentors. While [she was] in the White House, I primarily worked with her mother and two daughters, but would often assist with her hair. We formed a deep bond and relationship that way. Years later when she approached me about working with her full-time, I was truly humbled. I’m honored that she trusts me. It cemented that voice in my head that tells me I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to.
Take me through how you achieved Michelle Obama’s look for the 2021 inauguration. What products did you use, and what were your inspirations?
It wasn’t something I dreamed up days in advance. It came to me when I saw the look Meredith Koop had pulled for her to wear. I used several tools and products for this look. I started with creating curls with a one-inch barrel iron. Yes, you can achieve bigger curls with a smaller barrel! Next we did a curl set to lock in the curls. Then I used a round brush to create body and “soften” the curls. I fished it off with a feather comb for some volume and then hair spray so it would hold. This is definitely a look anyone can achieve at home with a little practice and patience.
