Today we’d like to introduce you to Troy Munsey.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Troy. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
A hairstyle has always been a part of a bigger picture for me, an element of how I present and express myself. When I was in elementary school, I would keep a brush in my pocket to make sure my hair was always groomed just right. In high school, I played with color and experimental haircuts.
At 19, I started working as a receptionist at Snipz hair salon in Mission Hills and fell in love with the culture of the hairdresser. It looked fun and free-spirited. One day as I was browsing through an industry magazine, an ad for a haircare brand called RUSK caught my eye. It was interesting. It was unconventional. It had a rebellious spirit. Everything about the image made sense!
At that moment I knew that this is what I had to do. It wasn’t long after that I enrolled in the City College Cosmetology program. For the next two years, I immersed myself in hair education. I also followed that haircare company around, took every class they offered, and eventually joined their education team.
For the last 12 years, I’ve been working in the salon environment and traveling North America teaching classes, doing hair shows, fashion week, photo shoots, etc. Now, settling into a studio space in Normal Heights I’ve been able to carve out space where creativity and self-expression are the center of my work, and it feels really good.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Some parts of the journey have been smooth, other parts not so much. One of the biggest struggles I’ve had and continue to have, is believing in myself and staying true to my vision. Being in the beauty industry can be challenging because it’s extremely fickle. Trends change quickly.
One day you’re in, the next you’re out. And as a hairstylist, your job is to keep up with those trends. Personally, I’ve never really bought into the traditional commercial standards of beauty, but it’s difficult to fight especially when you have bills to pay.
Corporations put a ton of money into convincing people that they should look a certain way, and the average person really believes it. So trying to help people see that who they are and how they are is enough feels like a real grassroots movement.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about NormalCollective, Creative Hair Space – what should we know?
NormalCollective is a space where my business partner, Al Banuelos, and I invite people to be who they are and have fun. The philosophy of the salon is that every haircut and hair color should be reflective of our guests’ individuality, a personal statement of their identity. We specialize in modern, creative hairstyles tailored for the individual.
Our haircuts balance the bone structure, require little to no maintenance, and grow out beautifully. Our color schemes enhance the shape of the haircut and complement the skin tone. The whole experience is a collaboration with our guests.
What I’m most proud of as a company is our dedication to challenging the cis-white-hetero and corporate standard of beautiful. As queer people of color we really believe that when it comes to beauty and self-expression, there is no “right” or “wrong.” It’s all about getting comfortable with who we are as people and not comparing ourselves to what we see in media.
A few times a year we conceptualize, organize, shoot, and produce a collection of images that reflect that message. All of our models are our friends and real-life salon guests. It gives us all a chance to come together and be a part of something we all believe in, which ultimately is the art of self-expression.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My “mom” and “dad” Cami King and Mark Weaver, who gave me my first salon job really deserve a lot of credit. They’ve believed in me since day one and continue to be so supportive.
The Rusk creative team has been a huge source of inspiration and growth over the years- The bulk of my skills and experience comes from working with this talented group of hairstylists. And pretty much anyone who gets on board my crazy ideas!
Pricing:
- Haircuts (regardless of gender) $45+
- Single Tone Color $85+
Contact Info:
- Address: 3532 Adams Avenue. San Diego, CA 92116
- Website: www.normalcollective.com
- Phone: 6198047097
- Email: troycutshair@gmail.com
- Instagram: @troycutshair
Image Credit:
PATALA ARTS and NormalCollective
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