Having adorned the nails of celebs around the world, London-based nail artist Sophie Harris-Greenslade is on her first visit to India
Sophie Harris Greenslade
When Sophie Harris-Greenslade took to nail art seven years ago, it was still a fringe area in the realm of styling. The year was 2010 when she graduated from a nail school in Kent and took a job at a salon in London for two years, before branching out on her own. Today, she counts the likes of Rihanna, Nicole Scherzinger, MIA and Gwen Stefani among her clients. Her Tumblr blog, The Illustrated Nail, has over 5,00,000 followers.
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Joining nail school was never on the cards for Harris. "It happened quite by chance. My mum has worked in the beauty industry for 20 years. She encouraged me to go to nail school, and see if I liked it. I absolutely fell in love with nail art, because I felt that it allowed me to use my passion for illustration, on a smaller canvas," says Harris, in Mumbai for a launch associated with OPI. "It's my first visit here and I love how people are so passionate about colour. Nail art is becoming popular here and people are excited about a vibrant palette of gold, glitters, geometric designs. I see them giving it a go, and that's a good thing." The 29-year-old sees a bright future for nail art. Colour blocking, metallic finishes and negative nails - which incorporates the natural nail as part of the design - are trends that, she feels, will hit big.
For Harris, who's currently training nail technicians in India, health and hygiene of nails is as vital as their styling. "While it's crucial to be an artist to be able to do this, it is equally important to be well-versed with the anatomy of nails, their growth and hygiene. That's what I keep telling aspiring nail technicians."
Does she feel the pressure of wearing nail art all the time? "Well, I love wearing nail art but it gets tricky when I am working other people's nails. But I do wear it when I step out," says Harris, whose signature style is bold, illustrative nails.
Harris, who has managed to do a fair amount of sari shopping here, is considering incorporating those designs in her work. "The prints and colours are just what I look for. I've got some ideas. I'll go back home and sketch them and see what comes out of it."
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