Known as the celebrity “mani-curist,” Tom Bachik (@tombachik) works with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Kendall Jenner, Heidi Klum, Victoria Beckham and Kerry Washington. The 20-year industry vet’s work has appeared in such notable publications as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, Allure and InStyle, to name a few, as well as campaigns for Chanel, Gucci, Versace and Armani. Once a graphic artist and skateboarder, Bachik sold custom-painted helmets before deciding to attend beauty school and pursue a new career path in nails. See what’s inspiring him now:
1. Café Racers: “I’m totally into motorcycles right now. My son and I both have café racers that I love to work on. There’s a big trend in beauty that what is old is new again. The café racer follows the same principle: Take an old style and reinvent it in a new or modern way. That’s pretty much how I approach designing nail styles.”
2. OPI Lisbon Collection: “I love color, especially fun, high-energy shades. The fact that the inspiration for this OPI collection comes straight from the streets of Lisbon makes it all the cooler.”
3. Music: “I spend an average of four to five hours a day in my car driving to and from clients. I listen to a lot of music from bands like Switchfoot, Hillsong United and MercyMe. Pandora helps keep me inspired—and sane.”
4. Ready Player One: “I love tech and sci-fi, especially when combined. The book and movie are totally different, but both entertaining (I prefer the book). I’m always inspired by stories where you can become anything you want to be, because I believe you can.”
5. Minimalism: “I’m really into the use of color, art and effects in a clean, chic and simplistic way—a unique pop of color on a nude nail, a deliberate but random metallic accent, or the use of a sheer chrome to change the depth and feel of your color to achieve an effect that isn’t possible with color alone.”
What do you think of Tom Bachik’s inspiration? Let us know in the comments below!
[This article was originally published in the July 2018 issue of NAILPRO]