Ken Pavés

Ken Pavés was born in New Baltimore, Michigan, the youngest of three children. His mother, Helen, of Portuguese and Filipino descent, and his father, Gary, of Romanian Jewish descent, influenced his early life. Pavés credits his mother for inspiring his entry into hair and fashion, noting her ability to transform through dressing up. He graduated from a cosmetology school in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, in 1994, marking the beginning of his professional journey in the beauty industry. Following his graduation, Pavés began his career as an assistant to star stylist Oribe in Miami, earning $75 a week. He supplemented his income by styling hair for strippers late at night, a skill Oribe discovered, leading to Pavés’s reputation for creating “big, beautiful hair.” He further refined his craft by studying hair design at Vidal Sassoon Academy and Toni & Guy Institute. His early career also involved traveling through Europe, where he collaborated with other celebrity hairstylists to create looks for couture collections by designers such as Versace and Valentino.

Pavés met Jessica Simpson in 1998, who became one of his most consistent clients, initially hiring him for her album cover styling. This relationship expanded into a significant professional partnership, including the launch of their ‘Hairdo’ line of clip-on hair extensions in 2006 with HairUWear. In 2002, he began a collaboration with Hairboutique.com founder Karen Marie Shelton, providing celebrity hair advice and tips for the website. That same year, Pavés commenced regular appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” conducting hair makeovers for audience members, and he would appear more than 40 times on the program, becoming known as “The Big Kahuna of Hollywood hair” by Oprah Winfrey. His work has been featured in major publications like Vogue, W, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, Vanity Fair, GQ, In Style, and O Magazine. He has styled numerous celebrities, including David and Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, Celine Dion, Nicole Richie, Fergie, Taylor Swift, Eve, Megan Fox, and Marc Anthony.

Beyond his styling work, Pavés is actively involved in philanthropy. He has served on the board of Bright Faces for 12 years, a global medical organization supporting children with facial deformities. His philanthropic efforts also include providing free wigs to women in need through his hair extension and wig line and advocating for communities such as individuals with ALS and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. Notably, he raised 2.2 million dollars in 10 days for Epidermolysis Bullosa research, which he personally distributed on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Pavés is a spokesperson for Operation Smile, having accompanied Jessica Simpson on international trips for the charity since 2003, after introducing her to the organization. He appeared on MTV’s “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica” and his hairstyling credits extend to films such as “Monster-in-Law” (2005), “Jersey Girl” (2004), and “The Wedding Planner” (2001), where he worked as a hairstylist for Jennifer Lopez.