A Foreword to My First Lady: Milica Kastner
Updated: Oct 6, 2020
Once upon a time in the Year 2000, I was a kid who made my way to the bright lights of London to try and carve out a creative career for myself in the world of Makeup and Hair. Since watching the 90's Supermodels strut their stuff in the legendary 'FREEDOM' Music video I knew that I wanted to be a creative that worked on jobs just like that!!
Fashion, Music, and Creativity all rolled into one.
I was young, ambitious and broke but the hustle and bustle of the prestigious West End Salon I'd bagged myself an apprenticeship at fed me all the fuel and drive I needed to keep pushing towards the end goal.
Every day there was a rotation of familiar faces that I would recognise from the TV and I knew that a day would come if I kept learning and absorbing the skills from my peers, that I would be doing more than just washing the hair of these clients that came into our snazzy salon on Marylebone High Street. I couldn't wait for the day to come where instead of spraying the toilets after clients post haircut Ones and Twos, like the senior members of staff I too would be joining clients on the front row at Fashion week or joining them at their houses in the south of France but until then I knew it was all about mastering my craft while sweeping up the split ends and scrubbing the sinks on what was then £1.20 an hour!!
One day on a REALLY busy Saturday afternoon a girl walked in who desperately needed a Blow Dry. No one was free. It was Saturday and appointments on that day got booked up months ahead of schedule, but still, she pursued, and eventually my Boss suggested that he could get ME to do it instead.
Intro: My first encounter with Milica Kastner. She was Cool. She was Vivacious and she was truly Magnetic. Dressed like Kate Moss with a Californian Tan and a mane of the thickest golden locks you'd ever seen which just screamed: " Yes Bitches, I've arrived!!" To be honest I shit myself that my Boss had thrown me under the bus with someone who was so effortlessly cool (but then again I love a bit of sink or swim in life) It was just a blow-dry but it was also my chance to do my FIRST paying client and she was probably the coolest cat of them all.
I still remember that day like it was yesterday. Milica Kastner, A half British, half American producer, and daughter of the incredible Elliot Kastner. Instead of being intimidating which I always worried about with some of the people that came in, she made me feel every inch the creative I wanted to be and for that one hour, I laughed so hard I knew there was a genuine friendship on the cards. A week later she returned and insisted she would only see me and waited in PRET for me to finish work to pass me her number.
20 years later the Journey and stories of our friendship have seen no end of love light drama and laughter. From hanging with popstars to Wonky haircuts on rockstars, gatecrashing Fashion parties, carrying pythons around our necks, and printing pictures of ourselves on Anya Hindmarch bags. We have laughed, we had cried but the stories and experiences we have managed to share are probably just a very small chapter in Milica’s very colourful life story of which I cherish every part. We well and truly have had a blessed friendship and the love I have for Milica is that of a big sister and not of the typical hairdresser/client I was originally striving for. Seeing Milicas's role in Motherhood and raising 2 very extraordinary children with the kindest of hearts is a testament to the light Milicas carries in her heart.
I wanted to dedicate the start of this Blog to Milica Kastner, My friend that has always championed me and raised me up (Even when I practiced my Highlights in the good old days and snapped her hair with bleach, she never complained. In fact, she found it hysterical screamed with laughter then called 1019937000 to laugh about it!) She showed me my worth and that any path can be walked down! She taught me confidence and the art of being true to yourself. Never once did she make me feel like a nobody. Yet it was the day we met she made me feel like a somebody.
Her energy is so electrifying I sometimes wonder if she is real. The rarest quality I've ever encountered. Wickedly Funny, Honest, and Fearless!
My darling friend Milica Kastner is poorly and in lessons learned from previous experiences I know that there should never be any regrets in telling someone how much you love them So, with that said I would like to say Milica Kastner, My first lady, I am so glad I met you.
I love you!
Cints xx
Picture captured by @sparklestyle
