A master of effortless hair, Anthony Turner’s looks have graced the covers of Vogue, Dazed and i-D. The renowned session stylist began his career as a young shop assistant at Toni & Guy in the British Midlands. He continued his training at East London’s boutique salon Taylor Taylor, before landing a spot assisting industry heavyweight Guido Palau at New York Fashion Week. Joining Palau’s team full-time, Turner subsequently spent 7 years living and working in New York. Now back in London, Turner is one of the most in-demand session stylists on the scene. His extensive portfolio continues to grow, having recently worked on campaigns for Mui Mui, Prada, and Christopher Kane. He regularly works alongside photographers including Craig McDean, Alisdair McLellan and Willy Vanderperre. Turner spoke to INFRINGE about his inspirations and collaborations.

What’s your favourite current hair trend? To be honest I find it hard to follow particular trends, just because I think trends change so fast. I’m also very aware that what I might consider forward thinking and edgy, the regular girl at home probably couldn’t care less about. My young cousins all want to look like Kylie Jenner, not Kate Moss, and obviously my way of thinking is completely the opposite. On a broader scale I just like anything that feels and looks different. I love it when risks are taken in order to stand out from the crowd.  

Would you say you have a signature approach to hair? I think whatever I do I always try to make it seem effortless. I’m not ever overly technical so there’s always a homemade feeling about it. I enjoy mistakes and rough nuances. 

Session work is such a collaborative process. Are there any creatives that you particularly enjoy working with? From photographers and stylists, to designers and art directors, everyone I work with has such a unique point of view that I feel they all individually push my work in different directions. Sometimes these are directions I would never have thought of and they all have a very special part to play during the collaborative process.

What has been your most unlikely source of inspiration? I think my home town. When I was growing up there I just saw it as this grim corner of the Midlands that I couldn’t wait to run away from as soon as I got the chance (which I did)! But now when I go back it’s strange, because I love it for the same reasons that I hated it for when I was growing up. The Skally kids look amazing, the goth kids are beyond, and you still have the old ladies sitting at bus stops on their way to bingo smoking cigarettes in one drag and teasing their hair the same way they have been doing it for most of their adult life. Granted it’s still grim but I love it for that.

Favourite hair era? That’s tough… I’m inspired by so many eras. From the 18th Century to the 60s, 80s and 90s, they all say something very special to me. 

What has been your favourite brief to date? It’s difficult to pinpoint one in particular but I do enjoy it when there’s a narrative and we get to be a little more creative by building a fantastical character and bringing it to life.

What’s been your most memorable career moment so far? I think working with Winona Ryder. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is my favourite movie of all time and to me she is the embodiment of Gothic theatricality, which I’m really obsessed with. She very often plays the kind of twisted woman in movies that appeals to me greatly. She blew my mind, we got along so well!