N ot a m e m b e r ? J o i n at a s so c iate d h a i rp rofe s sio n a ls .c o m 25
Meet Ammon Carver, chief artistic
director for Ulta Beauty and global
creative director for L'ANZA Healing
Haircare. As the NAHA 2020 Men's
Hairstylist of the Year, Carver talks about
how becoming a hairstylist saved him, the
inspiration and process behind this issue's
cover shoot, and his trend predictions for
2021. Carver also offers tips and advice for
stylists interested in editorial hair design
and navigating through COVID-19.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO
BECOME A HAIRSTYLIST?
I grew up in Utah, and I come from a large family of
seven children. My parents were trying to encourage
us to follow our passions, and they saw that I had a
passion for animals—horses in particular. So, at age
11, they would drop me off at a summer job cleaning
horse stalls, which—in hindsight—was their way of
being like, "OK, that one's busy." Being with the horses
made me feel individual. It was my thing I had that
was different than my brothers and sisters—so I got
passionate about it, and I found I was pretty good at it.
I worked with a trainer who was the top Arabian show-
horse trainer in the United States. She took me under her
wing and partnered with me. I rode across the country
traveling with her, between the ages of about 13 and 17,
just riding all these really great horses (that she helped me
train) and winning national championships. I thought I
was going to be a horse trainer for sure when I grew up.
It was my path. And then a pivotal moment happened for
me—I came out to my parents when I was about 16.
Gravity-Defy Collection
Hair: Ammon Carver
Makeup: Deney Adam
Styling: Jennifer Daniel
Photographer: Richard Monsieurs
Ammon Carver
@ammoncarver