We were lucky to catch up with Claire Frajnd Kanda recently and have shared our conversation below.

Claire, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

So many of the current trends in the beauty industry echo the changes happening in our social and political climate. The importance of diversity is more evident than ever and beauty standards have shifted to reflect that; from ethnicity, to age, to size, to gender, to culture, the importance of representing all individuals is more sought after and prioritized than ever before. Cosmetic brands are striving to cast a wider net, whether it be partnerships with artists and celebrities, or the shades of their foundations, or the texture focus of their hair products, to name a few. There is a fluidity and acknowledgement of men’s grooming on a level that was never normalized before: men are joining the skincare conversation, wearing more noticeable makeup to express themselves, having their nail color compliment their outfits, etc. These changes have led to celebrities being more open to sharing their glam process, and more supportive of having their glam teams shine and showcase their artistry. Environmentally, there is an emerging focus on clean beauty and reducing waste in packaging. Social media has also created a need for the glam process to be more authentic, and there is more transparency than ever before. All of these advances and opportunities have been a long time coming and should be the new normal; my only concern would be that these “trends” change and we regress to a less inclusive industry, but I am hopeful that won’t be the case.

Claire, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

While attending college at Northeastern University as an English major, French minor, I spent my summers interning for a variety of Entertainment/Beauty/Editorial industry positions. I interned at CurtCo Robb Media, LLC where I worked on the editorial Robb Report, and at Harris Shepard Public Relations where I worked on the O.P.I. and Murad accounts. During this time, I also interned at Exclusive Artists Management, which manages the careers of celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists, stylists, nail artists, and photographers. Upon graduating, the director of Exclusive Artists approached me to join the team. I was hesitant at first since I never really saw myself working at an agency, but then I realized that Exclusive Artists is so much more than that since we creatively pair artists with all aspects of the entertainment industry, whether it be cosmetic companies, editorial, celebrity, film, etc.

I have been with Exclusive Artists since 2007, and I am very proud to have risen from receptionist to assistant, to junior agent, to senior agent to Vice President. I pride myself on having a predominantly female staff that I mentor and encourage to find their own voices and strengths in this business. Exclusive Artists Management was founded in 2002, making us one of the original and longest standing hair and makeup agencies in Los Angeles. We have a strong presence in Los Angeles and New York and various cities across the US, and we work on all of the major film festivals in the world, including Toronto, Sundance, Venice, and Cannes. We provide first-rate hair, makeup, grooming, styling, and photography to our wide array of clientele, whether it be for celebrities, editorial, advertising, fashion, commercials, film, or red carpet events. I, in particular, work closely with cosmetic brands to create authentic and long lasting partnerships with our artists. We pride ourselves on being a premier boutique agency that works as a team, both internally and with our artists.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The covid pandemic is the most challenging experience that I have had within my time in the beauty industry. Our agency and our artists went from working almost every day to not working for months on end. The uncertainty and unprecedented isolation of that time prompted nearly everyone in the industry to question if and when we would ever work again, and forced everyone to contemplate what direction they could pivot in. As an agency, we focused on assuring our artists we would put all our effort into collecting all the outstanding money we were owed on their behalf, and all the agents worked with our accountants diligently to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. We also explored other areas in which our agency connections would be an asset, such as marketing, branding, and consulting. We created safety standards and protocols to send to studios and networks to try to facilitate the fastest and safest ways for our artists to get back to work. Additionally, one of the most important things we did was have weekly zoom meetings and calls with each other and our artists to keep morale up as best we could and remind each other that none of us were in it alone.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

If I had to pinpoint the traits that are most responsible for my success and reputation in this business, it would be my attention to detail and my ability to listen and find common ground with people. This industry has so many nuances, and language, whether it’s in person or in contracts, is so important; my college degree in English has proven to be very useful. We deal with so many different personalities and unconventional situations so being able to hear all sides and make sure nobody feels slighted is so incredibly important as an agent. I have dual citizenship with the US and Sweden and have traveled extensively my entire life which has fostered my appreciation for different cultures and my love for uniting people. I think exploring and getting outside your comfort zone is the single most valuable asset to anyone, both personally and professionally.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eamgmt.com
• Instagram: @clairefkanda and @exclusiveartists