{"id":169686,"date":"2026-03-24T08:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=169686"},"modified":"2026-05-22T16:13:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T20:13:50","slug":"yuji-okudas-effortless-approach-to-subtle-hair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=169686","title":{"rendered":"Yuji Okuda\u2019s Effortless Approach to Subtle Hair"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><em>Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent.<\/em><\/p>\n<style>\n.quote {\nline-height: 1.2em !important;\npadding: 35px 25px;\n}\n.wp-caption {\n    margin-top: 65px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141369\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141369\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Yuji-portrait-updated_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"1238\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169688\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Yuji-portrait-updated_.jpg 1146w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Yuji-portrait-updated_-592x640.jpg 592w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1146px) 100vw, 1146px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141369\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/people\/yuji-okuda\">Yuji Okuda<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><a href=\"\/\/models.com\/people\/yuji-okuda\">Yuji Okuda<\/a>, Hair Stylist <\/p>\n<p><strong>Hometown:<\/strong> Tokyo, Japan<br \/>\n<strong>Based:<\/strong> Paris, France<br \/>\n<strong>Representation:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/artlist\">Artlist<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>How did you first discover your passion for hair? Was there a specific moment that made you realize this was your career path?<\/strong><br \/>\nI\u2019ve always loved making things with my hands, and I\u2019ve always been drawn to fashion. When I chose beauty school in high school, I initially thought I would go into salon work and eventually become an owner. But as soon as I started working, I realized I wanted to become a session hairstylist. From that point on, I kept setting new goals and moving toward them. I left Japan, moved to Paris, and somehow, fifteen years have already passed, which I never expected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you describe your work? What\u2019s your trademark?<\/strong><br \/>\nI love crafting beautiful, delicate hair textures with movement that feels effortless and natural. The way the hair falls around the face or grazes the ears is everything. It\u2019s subtle, but it defines the entire shape. The roots are almost invisible in the final image, yet they act as the quiet engine behind the whole silhouette. The ends matter just as much; they carry their own quiet story. I\u2019m also drawn to finding the most efficient path between process and result, connecting the dots in the cleanest and most thoughtful way. You don\u2019t always have as much time as you\u2019d like on set, and some of my favorite work has come out of those more urgent, \u201cwe have to move now\u201d moments.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your process for conceptualizing a look?<\/strong><br \/>\nI don\u2019t carry many references with me. I prefer to communicate with the team on set, study the model\u2019s hair closely, and begin with what\u2019s right in front of me. Depending on the texture, I don\u2019t always start by blow-drying. Sometimes the hair\u2019s natural texture is already perfectly suited to the model.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What non-fashion\/beauty influences shape your creative perspective?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy family and the creative friends I met in high school had a huge impact on me in my late teens. I grew up in a creative household, with my father working as a graphic designer. My friends and I spent a lot of time talking about design and fashion. After moving to Paris, I assisted Tomohiro Ohashi and worked on countless shows as part of Anthony Turner\u2019s team. In my mid-twenties, I approached everything with a sense of curiosity, trying to absorb as much as I could. Those years became the foundation of my creative perspective today.<\/p>\n<p><strong> What other jobs have you had?<\/strong><br \/>\nProfessionally, I\u2019ve only ever worked in hair. Outside of that, I\u2019ve explored photography, making clothes, building websites, laying tiles, constructing terraces, pouring concrete, and even creating an artistic wooden door.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s one thing outside of your work that you\u2019d like people to know about you?<\/strong><br \/>\n1. I\u2019m good at DIY.<br \/>\n2. I also love the mountains. Skiing is one of my favorite things to do.<br \/>\n3. Once, a photographer asked me to join a shoot on the ski slopes. We had to move between locations on skis, and he asked if I was good. I said \u201c very good,\u201d and he confirmed me instantly. I carried a backpack filled with a hair dryer, products, wigs, etc., and created big hair on the terrace of a mountain restaurant. It was an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been the most challenging moment in your career, and what did you take away from it?<\/strong><br \/>\nProbably the constant need to surpass myself. There\u2019s no room for \u201cthings were better back then.\u201d You have to evolve, always.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s a common misconception about what you do that you wish more people understood?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy father worked in information design, a field that isn\u2019t about decoration, but about bringing clarity and simplicity. People who don\u2019t know much about hair might look at my work and think it doesn\u2019t look \u201cspecial.\u201d But the kind of special I aim for is subtle, the kind that doesn\u2019t shout. That\u2019s the approach I\u2019ve taken for years in my work with Charlotte Gainsbourg.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What advice would you give to aspiring hairstylists?<\/strong><br \/>\nTake every challenge you can. Dive into the details you love \u2014 the shapes, the textures, the small obsessions \u2014 and pursue them. Sometimes, learn to break your own rules (even though that\u2019s not always easy). On a practical level, while still assisting, I did many shows. Three shows a day, ten models a day, for weeks. You improve quickly, and you gain real confidence. That opportunity was essential for my career.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who do you think is one to watch?<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/people\/satoko-watanabe\">Satoko Watanabe,<\/a> she always inspires me.<\/p>\n<h3>Selected Work<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2560\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169691\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--512x640.jpg 512w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--1024x1280.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Balmain-x-Juergen-Teller--1638x2048.jpg 1638w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nLaetitia Casta by Juergen Teller | Image courtesy of Artlist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/balmain-balmain-ss-2025-campaign\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Balmain S\/S 2025 Campaign<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nThis was my first job for <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/client\/balmain\">Balmain<\/a>. We shot it at <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/olivier-rousteing\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Olivier (Roustein\u2019s)<\/a> home, and it was an unforgettable day.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1829\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-640x457.jpg 640w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-1280x914.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/The-Face-x-Charlotte-Stouvenot-2048x1463.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nCaitlin Soetendal  &#038; Olivia Petronella Palermo by Charlotte Stouvenot | Image courtesy of Artlist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Close To Me for The Face Magazine<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen using wigs, what\u2019s fun is that you can completely change the model\u2019s character. I often darken the roots, too. I also had a brown wig ready, but once they both put on red outfits like this, the blonde one had a stronger impact.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Self-Service-x-Senta-Simond.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1241\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Self-Service-x-Senta-Simond.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Self-Service-x-Senta-Simond-516x640.jpg 516w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nYlang Messenguiral by Senta Simond | Image courtesy of Artlist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/self-service-self-service-issue-54-me\/1510337\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Me for Self Service Magazine<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/models\/ylang-messenguiral\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ylang (Messenguiral\u2019s)<\/a> hair, as everyone knows, is beautifully curly. I often work in a spontaneous way that allows the hair to move naturally. I don\u2019t usually set it stiff with spray before the model gets dressed.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Harpers-Bazaar-x-Mark-Kean-.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Harpers-Bazaar-x-Mark-Kean-.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Harpers-Bazaar-x-Mark-Kean--512x640.jpg 512w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/Harpers-Bazaar-x-Mark-Kean--1024x1280.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nCharlotte Gainsbourg by Mark Kean | Image courtesy of Artlist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/harpers-bazaar-france-harpers-bazaar-france-february-2025-cover\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Harper&#8217;s Bazaar France February 2025 Cover<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nWorking on this cover alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/charlotte-gainsbourg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Charlotte (Gainsbourg)<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/Elodie-David-Touboul\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Elodie (David Touboul)<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/people\/mark-kean\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mark (Kean)<\/a> was an incredible experience. The three of them are very inspiring and talented in their respective fields, and it resulted in an iconic cover.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_141376\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-141376\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/System-x-Juergen-Teller.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1440\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-169695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/System-x-Juergen-Teller.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/System-x-Juergen-Teller-480x640.jpg 480w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/oftheminute\/images\/2026\/03\/System-x-Juergen-Teller-960x1280.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-141376\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><br \/>\nCruz Kahlbetzer by Juergen Teller | Image courtesy of Artlist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/models.com\/work\/system-magazine-dior-ss26-by-jonathan-anderson\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dior SS26 by Jonathan Anderson for System Magazine<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\nI trimmed the hair a bit and added texture with 3 different products. I dried his hair, then added water for a more natural look. Shooting with Juergen (Teller) is always something special \u2014 every time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent. Yuji Okuda, Hair Stylist Hometown: Tokyo, Japan Based: Paris, France Representation: Artlist How did you first discover your passion for hair? Was there a specific moment that made you realize this was your career path?&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":450,"featured_media":169688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6476,12752,13941,10414,16,13943],"tags":[12930,12921,10368,13154,14948,15254],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/450"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169686"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169698,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169686\/revisions\/169698"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}