BASIC Magazine Issue 27 Cover: Hollywood’s Sexiest Glam Alive – DIMITRIS GIANNETOS

Photographer VIKTORIJA PASHUTA @viktorija_pashuta

Stylist JAMAR HART @jamar_hart

Creative Director/Cinematographer JOSHUA M. CHÉRIE CHERY @m.cherie._

Grooming ANGELINA PANELLI @angelinapanelli

Production Coordinator CASSIDY COCKE @cassidy.ac

Stylist Assistant IEASHIA FRIEND @eagleeyestylist_

Photo Assistant JATHAN CAMPBELL @jathancphoto

Intern MADELEINE POEL @madeleine.m.p

Location W HOLLYWOOD HOTEL @whollywood

Words by KIMBERLY HADDAD

In the lively city of Thessaloniki, Greece, a young Dimitris Giannetos discovered his flair for hairstyling by experimenting on his mother and sister’s hair. What started as a playful pastime soon ignited a serious ambition, leading him to persuade his father to let him join beauty school at the age of 15. Fast forward to today, Giannetos has become a celebrated Hollywood stylist, having honed his craft in fashion capitals like New York, Milan, and Paris. His bold move to Los Angeles in 2013, with little more than a suitcase and a head full of dreams, marked the beginning of his impressive rise. An introduction by Maria Menounos opened doors to L.A.’s elite, allowing him to style top celebrities like Camila Cabello, Joey King, and Amal Clooney, whom he considers more like family than clients. With signature looks such as “Rich Girl Hair” and “Tequila Silver Hair,” Giannetos is a stylist and trendsetter, named People Magazine’s 2024 “Sexiest Glam Alive” and celebrated by Vogue as a “Glam God.” Divine status might be a stretch, but iconic? Absolutely.

Who is Dimitris Giannetos as a person, beyond his job, and who is he in the industry when the spotlight is on and the stakes are high?
Dimitris is the same person in and out of the spotlight. I come from a small town in Thessaloniki, Greece. I grew up with a family that had nothing to do with the industry or the hair world. My dad was a truck driver and my mom took care of us. I didn’t grow up around hair, celebrities, or the red carpet. Even for those working with celebrities and the biggest names in Hollywood, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing only on success. But remembering where you came from—and staying grounded in that—brings balance. For me, I’m still the same person I was in Greece. And what’s funny is, my mom doesn’t really understand any of this. I remember when I did hair on Maria Menounos for the Oscars for the first time, and Harper’s Bazaar said that I created one of the best looks of the evening. I called my mom to tell her and she asked me what the Oscars were. I was like, oh Lord! I’m definitely balanced and my mom keeps me humble.

Can you share the story behind how you started styling hair for your mother and sister when you were young? What inspired your desire for it and what feelings did you experience during that time?
Honestly, my interest in hairstyling came so naturally to me. When I was a little boy, as my mom tried to put me to bed, I would play with her hair. I would curl it around my fingers. I loved the feeling of it. Then I realized that it was something I wanted to pursue professionally. Thank God I started therapy at such a young age, around 14 years old. Gogo Plakaki was my therapist and she helped me find myself and what I wanted to do in life. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. People who are in therapy tend to be more grounded, becoming better humans and more aware. She helped me during a time when the queer community in Greece was considered taboo. It still is. Being a 15-year-old boy and aspiring to be a hairstylist was a big no-no.

Being a Middle Eastern woman, I faced heavy pressure from my parents to choose a more traditional career path, not only for financial security but also to honor the family’s reputation. I’m interested to know, given your background, did you encounter any resistance from your father when you expressed your dream to become a barber at the age of 15?
Well, my therapist helped me understand what I wanted to do, making my decision much easier. We grow up in a society where everyone is always worried about what the world is going to say or think, but my therapist said, ‘Dimitris, this is your life. If you just think about the world, you’re always going to be unhappy.’ I tried convincing myself that I could be a pastry chef or an interior designer—both of which I love—but my true passion was hair. I had to get creative in terms of how to deliver that news to my dad. I told him that our town didn’t have a barber shop and that I was thinking about going to beauty school. He thought it was a great idea, and soon after, I joined beauty school. Family is everything to me. I left home very young to attend beauty school and pursue my dreams, so I never had much time to spend with my family and really get to know them. I didn’t get to go on vacations with them or ask my mom what she had for breakfast. We live such chaotic lives that it’s easy to take our family for granted, and you start to realize there are many things you don’t know about your parents. My goal is to take two family trips each year. I’ve taken them to Japan, and I also took them to Brazil, where I met my beautiful fiancé, Felipe, who completed my life. I have my family, travel, and career, but I have always felt a big gap in my personal life. Now, for the first time, I feel more balanced. Speaking of family, my mom was my first client. When I was a little boy, we had a lit candle, and I remember accidentally setting her hair on fire. She had these long curls, and I did it without realizing it. Everyone came running to put the fire out, and since then, she has never had long hair. She will always have a Prada Bob!

You ended up making the move to Los Angeles without any connections or English skills. That must have been a pretty nerve-wracking decision to make, stepping so far out of your comfort zone like that. What ultimately pushed you to make the move?
Not speaking the language was definitely one of the biggest challenges of my life, because for me, language is more than just communication; it’s how I express myself and build confidence. Without that, how could I pursue or build a career? I was 29 at the time, too. I always have goals and dreams and constantly think about what’s next, but being from Greece at this age wasn’t easy. I was motivated by the thought that I had nothing to lose. If I didn’t succeed, I could always return to Greece. Also, as a person, I do not take no for an answer. I remember being in Greece, contemplating the move to America while working on my friend’s hair. At the time, I didn’t have the “look” people usually associate with Hollywood. When my friend told a photographer I wanted to move to America, he turned to her and said, ‘Oh, look at him, do you think he’ll ever make it in Hollywood?’ That motivated me to prove myself and show my value to the world. I thought, you know what, I am going to work so hard and show you what I can do. People may try to put labels on us, but they don’t know what we are capable of. We can do anything. You just have to dream, work hard, and own your life.

“When I was a little boy, we had a lit candle, and I remember accidentally setting her hair on fire. She had these long curls, and I did it without realizing it. Everyone came running to put the fire out, and since then, she has never had long hair. She will always have a Prada Bob!”

How was the transition for you?
My initial transition to Los Angeles was very funny. I met Maria Menounos in Greece and did her hair. I was in the process of getting my green card, and she had told me that if I ever came to L.A., she would love to work with me. I had never been to L.A. and I was visiting for the first time for work. I asked around to figure out where to stay because I didn’t know the area, and people told me to stay in West Hollywood. I tried to find hotels for a two-week stay, but everything was so expensive. I found a hotel on Expedia called Alta Cienega Motel and I thought it was a really good deal. When I went to check in, the guy seemed very surprised that I was planning to stay for two weeks. I was like, excuse me? Then I realized the hotel was a sex hotel, and you could book it by the hour. The first night I was sleeping, the people staying next to me were so active and I thought, oh my gosh, what is going on here? This was my very first experience moving to L.A., and I will never forget it! It truly was a beautiful experience. I did my first big shoot in America with Maria. I met my first agent, Charly Shahin, who always believed in me. I also met Steeve Foussard, who is my current agent and soulmate. We create all this magic together. I am forever grateful and feel very supported.

Establishing a client base from the ground up is no walk in the park, particularly in Hollywood. Can you share one of your most significant breakthrough moments as you entered the industry?
Of course, the first moment was when I was going to do a trial for Britney Spears. She was going on tour and needed a new hairstylist. I grew up listening to her and while I was driving to her house in Thousand Oaks, I literally thought to myself, am I really about to pull up to Britney Spears’ house? It was like a dream. Even after I did her hair and left, I still couldn’t believe it. That was the moment I knew I was in Hollywood. The second experience was receiving a call to style Amal Clooney’s hair. I never expected this to happen in my life. This was a woman I have always admired and respected. I never thought she’d ask me to do her hair. When I arrived at her house, George opened the door, and I thought, oh my gosh, George Clooney is standing right in front of me. It was the ultimate Hollywood moment. But at the same time, they are the nicest humans on earth and make you feel like family. Even now, after years of working with them, I feel like they are my family. There was also a time when I was in the south of France last year. I drove with George Clooney to Brad Pitt’s house to style them for a GQ magazine cover. It was surreal. It was so funny, while I was doing their hair, Amal came and whispered to me, ‘tough life.’ It’s something I am going to remember forever. All of these people are in the spotlight so it is assumed they are unapproachable, but they are humans like us. They drink water. I drink water. They are the same people. I think some of the biggest celebrities are the most humble, and from my experience, the ones trying to be, are the ones who are a little more difficult. But we live in a free world and we can choose who we wish to work with. If you don’t vibe with someone, it’s okay.

Being named to People Magazine’s 2024 “Sexiest Glam Alive” list is quite impressive and well-deserved. How do you leverage your personal fashion sense to showcase both yourself and your brand to clients and the industry at large?
Fashion is everything. It’s what defines you as a person and gives you confidence. It’s your whole personality. Growing up in Greece in the ‘90s, I didn’t have an iPhone 15+, TikTok, or Vogue magazine. I didn’t even know what Vogue was at the time. My parents weren’t in the fashion or beauty industry. When I started working on small shoots and being around stylists and photographers, I realized how much I liked it. I fell completely in love when I was on the Guido Palau hair team, traveling around the world. I was doing the biggest fashion shows and working for Dior, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Celine, and Louis Vuitton. That’s when I started finding my own style and vibe. I think I’m finally at the point where I have found exactly who I am as a person in terms of my fashion.

How do you approach creating a custom hairstyle for each client that reflects their individual style and personality?
People often fall into the trap of following trends, but with hair, it really needs to fit the individual needs of the person. Trends are good, and as hairstylists, we have to stay relevant, but they don’t work for everyone. Some people just follow a manual, but that isn’t what hair is about. You have to approach each person differently and create something that makes sense for them. This is so important, not only for the hair but also for the client’s personality. For example, you can’t give someone with a serious demeanor an effortless hairstyle. I cannot do a sexy bedhead style on a lawyer. You can, but you have to read the room and know when the right moment is to execute that. For instance, when working with Demi Moore, she is very hands-on with her hair. She likes to play with it and toss it around. If I give her a perfect, sleek blowout that won’t move, it won’t work.

“Even for those working with celebrities and the biggest names in Hollywood, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing only on success. But remembering where you came from—and staying grounded in that—brings balance. For me, I’m still the same person I was in Greece.”

How do you come up with the names for your hair trends like Rich Girl Hair, Churro Waves, and Prada Bobs? Have you always had a knack for naming styles, or did it develop over time?
It started happening randomly. I remember every time I did my mom’s hair—she was my first client—she would say she loved it and then ask me what the name of the haircut was. But there wasn’t a name; it was just a layered bob. She liked the idea, though, of going to her friends and giving them a specific name of the cut or style. She would say, ‘Oh, yes, Dimitris gave me the Prada Bob.’ Then I realized how much people loved the names, and it started to evolve. Now, I always try to be creative and name all of my styles.

I love this, but now I want to know what Rich Girl Hair is.
Rich Girl Hair is the kind of proper blowout you would do on the Upper East Side of New York. You start with a solid foundation, but then you mess it up a bit. Someone will see it and think she went to a nice salon and got a proper blowout, but she is also the cool girl with a lot of money, and she doesn’t care much. There is always a story, and I have a diverse range of clients from many different backgrounds, including pop stars, lawyers, actors, and supermodels. I am constantly inspired by them, their unique backgrounds, and the worlds they live in. It makes me more creative.

In what ways do you think the fashion industry’s concept of beauty is evolving, and how does that impact your work as a stylist?
We are always going to follow trends, but we are also constantly bringing back trends from previous decades. Fashion is always repeating itself, which is great, but with a modern twist. When I went to do Cindy Crawford’s hair for the first time, I was thrilled because I’m a ‘90s boy and she was the ultimate hair icon. So, when I went to do her hair, I didn’t have to think twice about it. It’s good that we have references from previous decades, but personally, I prefer to follow trends that are more timeless. Sometimes, you follow a hair trend, especially with wild colors or more severe styles, but then you see a picture of yourself in 10 or 20 years and it can be kind of cringe. But if it’s timeless—take Anna Wintour, for instance—she has had this amazing bob for decades. She is a fashion icon. She knows. She chose something timeless.

It’s funny because I’ve had some cringe-worthy hairstyles in my past. My sister is now a hairstylist, and I always ask her how she let me move through life with some of the looks I had. It was so bad!
Trust me, I know! Everyone goes down this path at some point. Now I know how far I am willing to push with a trend.

What advice do you have for aspiring hair stylists looking to make a name for themselves in the industry?
Someone told me once that people don’t succeed in life because they don’t know where they want to go. Sometimes, people get lost and become very vulnerable, just listening to what others say or tell them to do. You have to have a clear vision in life, a clear goal, and know where you want to go. The path isn’t always going to be easy, and you may be taken on different routes, but once you know what you want to do, it gets easier. You also have to work hard. Nothing is going to happen in life if you just rely on others. It’s good to have a team and a support system, but you have to put in the work. The next important thing is to learn how to read a room. This is crucial for me. Wherever you are, try to understand your surroundings, what people want, and when to step back. Also, we grow up in a society where, for some reason, when someone tells us something, we don’t like to listen. We can be stubborn, but this takes us nowhere. Sometimes, I give advice and someone won’t take it, and I wonder why I am wasting my energy. Of course, not everyone will align with what you say, but I would want to listen if someone successful was giving me advice or sharing how they approach life. You will never get anywhere if you think you know everything.

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