A chat with the owner and mane-whisperer behind LA’s Benjamin with Negin Zand.
British-born Benjamin Mohapi began his career as a stylist at John Frieda, Nicky Clarke and Daniel Galvin before delving deeper into the world fashion, eventually travelling the world to shoot with photographers Rankin, David LaChapelle and the late Herb Ritts, and work on editorials for Vogue, GQ, Marie Claire. After a near decade spent at a London-based hair, beauty, and styling agency he founded, Mohapi crossed the pond to launch Benjamin in LA, and was joined in 2013 by master colourist Negin Zand. Today the team creates red carpet-ready hair on the daily, so we chatted to Ben for his insight and advice on the best mane-tenance.
Who are you and what are you wearing?
I’m Benjamin Mohapi, and my uniform: Clark shoes, Unis pants, oxford shirt, and a hat.
How did you get to where you are now?
28 years of hard work and a good network
Three words to describe your approach to styling?
Simple, Structured, Free
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Stay in the game
24 hours in LA, what are the must-dos?
Hike Griffith Park, lunch at Gjelina, check out the Broad!
Favourite hotel suite / restaurant table / bar perch in WeHo?
Soho House
Favourite smell?
The top of my children’s heads
Style icon?
Violinist Warren EllisThree fantasy clients in your chair, and why?
Will Ferrell – everything he does makes me laugh, Richard Dawkins – so I can memorise every single thing he says and regurgitate it as if it were my own thoughts, and Isabella Rossellini – because there is no one out there who is cooler!
Cuts with Benjamin start at $450 USD for new clients ($330 for regular), and base colour with Negin at $200 USD.
Benjamin with Negin Zand, 8910 Melrose Ave, WeHo, Los Angeles. +1 424 249 3296, salonbenjamin.com
