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32 | BEAUTY LAUNCHPAD | OCTOBER 2017 Trendsetters/ A-List PAUL: LEE MITCHELL; BRUSH: COURTESY OF DENMAN; ELVIS: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES; CARA: JEFF SPICER/GETTY IMAGES; RAIN: GETTY IMAGES Cutting Edge Known around the globe as the ultimate "hairdresser's hairdresser," Paul Stafford (@wearestaffordhair) knows how to get the best results for his clients. A three-time Northern Ireland Hairdresser of the Year award winner and owner of the prestigious Stafford Hairdressing in Belfast, he has worked closely with Denman Brush (@denmanbrush) for more than 20 years. Stafford's unique and intricate styles have graced the pages of magazines on every continent, where he creates inspirational looks for both stylists and clients alike. Read on to learn more about the mane master, in his own words. —JASMINE COREAS Nickname? At school I was always called Staffy. Go-to hairbrush? I've been using a Denman D4 all my life; it's the only brush I've never moved on from, replaced or found a better alternative to. It does what it needs to do and does it well. If you weren't a stylist you'd be___? A writer. I love writing social and cultural commentary, or music journalism. I would have liked to be a musician, but I write better than I play or sing. If you could have dinner with any person who would it be? The day Elvis Presley died, it was like part of my youthful innnocence died, too. I can honestly say it was my fi rst experience of grief. Elvis will always be the King, so dinner with him would be incredible. Dream vacation? New York City. I'll go there any time of the year for whatever reason. I regret not moving there when I had the chance. I love the United States, but New York in particular is a special place. r PAUL STAFFORD measure. Refuse to dwell on either and instead move on. What accomplishment are you most proud of? There is no single accomplishment that stands out, but I am proud of the people I have trained who have gone on to make a name for themselves and opened their own salons. Favorite celeb look? Cara Delevingne's bleached crop is cool, edgy and aspirational —three elements that make any haircut sought after, and I'm enjoying the impact it's had on clients. Best piece of advice? I once overheard someone say, "Talent is luck, practice is success." I know lots of talented hairdressers who don't put the work, the hours or the practice in. They tend to be less successful than less talented people who are prepared to do the work. Do you prefer rain or shine? I have no choice but to embrace the rain, as I live in one of the world's wettest countries. That said, I cherish warm days. I'm lucky that I get to travel for work; variety is good. Best blowout tip? Always fi nish a blow-dry with a 60-second blast of cold air. It gives the hair a refresh and a more authentic fi nish without removing any of the texture or volume. Reason you became a stylist? I became a hairdresser as a way of escape. I grew up in Belfast, Ireland in the '70s —during a period of darkness and war. I'd spend the odd Saturday at a local salon when my mum was having her hair done, and something just clicked. I loved the atmosphere of glamour and the happiness on the clients' faces. Personal mantra? Take your criticism and praise in equal -dry