Meet Edward Katz

National Hair Journal Interview with Edward Katz
"Meet Edward Katz"

Edward Katz and his wife Ann Marie run Edward Katz International, a non-surgical hair replacement center that counts some of the most famous names in Hollywood among its clientele. We describe him as Hollywood’s "second best kept secret" because Ed keeps a low profile to protect the privacy of his clients. But if the outside world does not know the name Ed Katz, hair-management and fashion professionals certainly do. Time magazine called him, “An undisputed leader of hair replacement" and Vanity Fair told readers "Edward Katz is the Armani of hair replacement." Playboy trumpeted, "His work is unequalled in the world." In fact, over 100 editorials have been written about Edward and he has been featured on CBS, NBC, KTLA and ABC. He also has over 600 films TV shows and theatrical projects to his credit. Edward is sure to raise eyebrows because he uses only synthetic hair for his clients and eschews overseas factories, preferring to personally oversee the production of all his hair systems right here in the United States. To learn more about Edward Katz, the man, the technician and the "Italian fashion designer," we visited him in his studio on Cahuenga Blvd. in Los Angeles.

NHJ: You have a business that would be the envy of any hair replacement professional. Glamorous and powerful people from all over the world seek your services. How did this come about?
EK: I've been in this business for 20 years so I have benefited from a lot of word of mouth. If you take care of your clients, sooner or later they are going to tell a friend about you. I also have personal connections. I've always been a really active tennis player. I would play six days a week every week and, having lived in Hollywood all my life, you can imagine I have met a lot of celebrities. They were part of my social scene. When I started my business, I naturally felt comfortable helping the same people I'd been playing with.
NHJ: Hollywood stars have the best makeup technicians and stylists anywhere on the planet and yet they come here. Why?
EK: Because we know how to make a superior hairpiece. We don't use human hair. It always shocks people when they hear this... they think human hair is the only way a hair replacement can look real, but in reality, I believe synthetic fibers are better.
NHJ: This statement will surprise a lot of readers.
EK: Yes it will. But this has been my experience. My clients are the final judges.
NHJ: Is all man-made hair similar?
EK: Kaneka Corp. makes the finest fibers I've seen so far (Kanekalon). With these fibers we can take any person, whether they have no hair whatsoever or just a fringe, and duplicate their existing hair color and texture in five or more different areas.
NHJ: Explain the five areas.
EK: It's a sophisticated process. We take hair samples from different parts of the client's head to get a perfect match. We blend these existing hair samples with some two hundred different colors to capture all the color variations and highlights. Then, for added realism, we create different shades, with the front being the lightest, the top being a little bit darker and the back being the darkest part.