Gibson, Ted 1965(?)–

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Ted Gibson 1965(?)–

Hairstylist, entrepreneur

As a hairstylist to the stars at his chic Fifth Avenue salon in New York City, Ted Gibson kept his promise not to repeat celebrity gossip. He was instrumental in bringing long, full hairstyles back into vogue and he became a regular guest on television programs. Eventually he developed a line of hair and body products. A weightlifter, Ted Gibson placed third in bodybuilding at the 1994 Gay Olympic Games.

Played Football

Ted Gibson was born in Texas, the only son of Ted Gibson, an army sergeant, and Beatrice Gibson, a post exchange cashier. He grew up on army bases in Germany, Hawaii, and Japan until age twelve, when the family settled in Killeen, Texas. During his childhood Gibson dreamed of playing football for the Dallas Cowboys, and he did play high school football in Killeen. However, he had always loved hair, and his international experiences had left him with an appreciation of the different concepts of beauty in various cultures. He told People: “I would try to brush [people's] hair, but my dad would not allow it. He wasn't having it—his only son?”

Gibson told Teen Vogue: “I always had this creative side but wasn't sure it would turn into anything. One of my best friends is a hair dresser and he drove this really great car and had a fab apartment in Austin, Texas. I wanted to be just like him.” He told Behind the Chair: “I finally decided I needed to follow my own dreams and see if I was any good.”

Gibson attended barber school, where he won a competition. He earned his cosmetology license in 1991 and went to work in Austin. He was the only black hairdresser at the salon, a situation that was often uncomfortable. Once a customer grudgingly tipped him twenty-five cents.

In 1992 Gibson was hired by Aveda, first as an appointment broker and then as a teacher at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. One of his students was Jason Backe, who became his partner. Gibson traveled the world as head of global education for Aveda. Working under company founder Horst Rechelbacher, Gibson began designing. He helped create some of Aveda's signature products, including the Self Control Hair Styling Stick and six perfumes in the Pure-fume line. In 1997 Gibson was named creative director of Aveda's New York City salons.

Became a Celebrity Hairstylist

In 2003 Gibson and Backe opened a salon in Manhattan's Flatiron District, with Gibson as chief stylist and Backe as the salon's premier colorist. Gibson was determined not to be known as just a “black hairdresser.” He told People: “People always want to pigeonhole you in what makes them feel comfortable. But it's always been really important to me to work in multiethnic salons. One should be able to go anywhere and get a haircut as opposed to, ‘If you're black you only do black hair, and if you're white, you only do white hair.’”

Charging about $450 for a haircut, Gibson became an immediate sensation. In 2003 actress Angelina Jolie chose him as her stylist. Soon his clients included actresses Demi Moore, Claire Danes, and Jessica Alba; television anchor Diane Sawyer; singer Amerie; and numerous other celebrities. Gibson dreamed of designing hair for a major motion picture.

Hairstyling for designer fashion shows requires a very fast hand. Gibson learned the tricks by assisting master stylist Eugene Souleiman. Soon he was traveling the globe again, styling for runway shows by Chanel, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and others. Gibson's hairstyles appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Allure, and other publications. Once in London he did covers for Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire in the same day. Gibson also worked on multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns for Redken, L'Oreal, and Garnier.

A regular contributor to NBC's Today Show, Gibson was soon a television celebrity in his own right. He did regular makeover segments on the Oprah Winfrey Show and appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, The Insider, Movie and a Makeover, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

Launched a Product Line

In October of 2005 Gibson launched his own line of hair products, Ted Gibson Beauty, sold through the retailer Saks Fifth Avenue. His first products were sheets that were swiped over the hair for styling and conditioning. Resembling towelettes, hair sheet treatments contained proteins and vitamins. Gibson next introduced his Individual Color shampoos and conditioners, which came in dual-chambered bottles with pigment on one side and shampoo or conditioner on the other, both infused with orchid extract and lavender. Individual Color came in five shades, and a dial on top of the bottle allowed the user to adjust the amount of added color.

Just five months later, in March of 2006, Gibson launched a new line of hair color with shampoos and conditioners named for his motto “Beauty is Individual.” Later in 2006 he introduced additional products including a fine-mist holding spray. Gibson tested his products on celebrity clients before launching them, and they earned industry accolades and developed a devoted following.

In July of 2007 Gibson introduced the “It” series: Build It blow drying agent, Fix It styling gel, and Tame It shine lotion containing a special blend of merlot red wine. His Goodnite hair repair serum cost $200 for four ounces. He continued to sell four color shampoos and conditioners and three body shampoos and conditioners. He introduced the Bandostick hair accessory in various colors and a hair dryer and flat styling iron that used nanotechnology.

As of 2007 Gibson and Backe continued to manage the 2,500-square-foot Ted Gibson Salon for men and women. Customers were offered herbal tea or a glass of wine when they entered the salon and received a five-minute aromatherapy head massage. The salon ran a twelve- to eighteen-month training program for beauty school graduates. Although haircuts by Gibson himself cost $950, once each week his stylists-in-training gave $50 hair cuts.

Gibson supported various charitable organizations, conducting cut-a-thons for the conservation fund Go Zero and S.A.V.E.S., a sterilization program for feral and stray cats. In 2007 he began investing in reforestation and wind energy to offset the carbon dioxide produced by his salon.

In August of 2007 Gibson began working with the Demeter Group, a San Francisco-based investment banking firm, to raise capital for enlarging his business and to develop a plan for marketing and distributing his products in Russia, the United Kingdom, and Japan. He intended to open a second salon in Manhattan, as well as new salons in Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami. He told WWD in October of 2007: “Our vision is to develop more product, open more salons and develop Ted Gibson into a global brand. I'm very much hands-on. I really like doing the day-to-day responsibilities.”

At a Glance …

Born Ted Gibson Jr. in 1965(?), in Texas; son of Ted and Beatrice Gibson; partner Jason Backe. Education: Barber college; cosmetology license, 1991.

Career: Austin, TX, hairstylist, 1991-92; Aveda Corporation, Minneapolis Aveda Institute, MN, teacher, head of global education, product designer, 1992-97, New York City salons, creative director, 1997-2003; Ted Gibson Salon, New York, NY, proprietor, 2003—; Ted Gibson Beauty, New York, NY, founder and principal, 2005—.

Addresses: Office—184 5th Ave., Second Fl., New York, NY 10010.