What Drives Alyn?
"A hairstylist is a craftsperson and an artist", Alyn asserts, "but compromising and communicating with clients to fit and enhance a personality, a lifestyle, an image. It's all about this coming together with a client and giving a visual expression to the client's expectations and desire." If Alyn styles your hair, you'll know at the first snip of the scissors that he does not do hair for a living, but instead lives to create hairstyles. This is not something he fell into, he chose and embraced this profession. Speaking about one turning point in his career, Alyn remembers, "I used to work for a European color line called Goldwell and I did some platform work (hair stylist's speak for hair fashion show) for the company. Once, I introduced a new technique, an approach to color--in essence I took contrasting colors and made them complimentary. After doing several models on stage, the audience thanked me and gave me a standing ovation. At that time, I knew I was on the right track and there was no stopping me." That's Alyn's driving force, the need and impulse to master every facet of his craft. Every challenge is an opportunity to create something uniquely fitted to one person.

"I love my profession. It's one of the few professions that allow you to touch someone physically and emotionally. There are a lot of emotions involved with hair. It's a person's permanent accessory.

A Man of Two Cities
Alyn is on the upswing in his professional journey and yet he still works as hard as ever. He keeps a demanding work and travel schedule and he commutes to style hair at Chicago's foremost salon, Paul Rehder, and at Beverly Hills' top-rung, Jonathan's. Why bother, you wonder? "I am obsessed and passionate about my profession," Alyn explains, "with these two very different locations, I engage in two very different moods. This forces me to adapt my techniques, re-think styles. For example, I've learned balayage techniques in L.A. and I incorporate them in my work in Chicago where you see many more classic shapes and where the blonde shades tend to be more natural. This makes my Chicago styles stand apart from the more common foiling techniques". Alyn has L.A. hair pinned down also, "L.A. hair is longer, softer, with more fluidity. It's a lot more daring with color. In L.A., my clients' color and style always have to be the most current and yet set them apart. Their hair corresponds to and expresses their personalities"

Midwest Beginnings
Alyn started out in the small town of New Harmony, southern Indiana. At 14, he would watch Friday night videos to spot cool hair styles and colors. Then, he would try them on himself or on his friends. After completing trade school (Tri-State Beauty College, Indiana), Alyn moved to Chicago and apprenticed at Vidal Sassoon's. But Alyn wanted different haircuts, original, new styles. That led him to an artsy salon in Chicago's West Loop where he experimented with new ways to handle hair. Alyn also worked as a platform artist while in Chicago. Next stop was London: studying and training at Vidal Sassoon Advanced Academy and Tony and Guy Advanced Academy. Several U.S. salons later, Alyn took a risk and made his way to Los Angeles. Unknown in L.A., he started anew at John Frieda's, then moved on to The Parlour in West Hollywood, and to Jonathan's in Beverly Hills.

Goldmine
Alyn Topper gained his notoriety on Bravo's Hit series, "Blowout", in the seasons of 2004, 2005 and 2006. But it was Alyn's own personal style and personality that won the hearts of the fans. While other stylists were busy with there cut throat and catty comments, it was Alyn who charmed the audience and connected with them. In his seventeen years of hairstyling he has had the honor of working with some of the top celebrities in tinsel-town including Carrie Ann Moss, Maria Bello, Jennifer Coolidge, Cloris Lechman, Gloria Gaynor, Depeche Mode and many others. His work has been featured in television shows such as "Oprah", "Ten Years Younger", and "How do I Look". Editorial pieces include InStyle, Marie Clarie, and Everyday with Rachael Ray, Interior Design, Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. You can also see his work grace the runways of Olympus Fashion week and Los Angeles Fashion week. His styles are very trend setting and contempary and one of his personal talents that coincide with his talent for hair is the gift of making women feel empowered and helping them to fulfill their full beauty potential.

Alyn's Achievements Include:
Styling for commercials (Mikimoto Jewelry)
Styling for the musicians (Depeche Mode (the singles tour); Nina Gordon; Kay Hanely; Michelle Lewis)
Styling for television (Blowout: as cast member of the Bravo Reality Show based in the salon; Good Morning Chicago: regular makeover segments)
Styling for print (Interior Design Magazine and InStyle Magazine)
Oprah – Will Smith Helps Guys Get Dates – February 7, 2005
Olympus Fashion Week 2005 – New York City