A few weeks ago, I twittered with Real New York Housewife Alex McCord and asked her who had been doing her hair lately because it noticeably had zhuzh to it.  She responded: “the fab Brad Johns @RedDoorSpas”. Of course!  I should have guessed!  A color expert and an Icon to the hair and fashion world, Brad’s name is synonymous with the best blondes ever.  His trademark style is hair color that looks like the sun lightened it after a day at the beach.  A pioneer of “bronde”, Johns single handedly made ‘beachy’ en vogue.  Below is my interview with a personal hero, Brad Johns.

Photo by:  PR Photos

• Besides Alex, of all of the Real Housewives, who is your favorite and why? – Even before I did Alex, she has always been my favorite.  Alex (is) voice of reason on that show and completely devoted to her kids.  That’s why I reached out to her.  I love women who have voice of reason on this crazy planet.

• Where were you born and how did you end up in the hair world? – I was born in Pittsburgh.  When I was little I used to color the trolls hair with food coloring because they didn’t have the right hair color.  I didn’t understand how people didn’t know that almost everyone was walking around with the wrong color hair.  I went from coloring the trolls’ hair, to my family, to friends and then to clients.

• When you were a child, what color was your hair? – I’m Italian, Yugoslavian, French and English.  My entire family has hair the color of dark coffee; a deep-warm brown.  I didn’t know any blondes, and now that is a big segment of what I do.

• “Buttery Chunks” and “child at the beach” blonde have made you famous.  What do you think of “bronde”?  Is it a trend or is it forever? – Bronde is great. I love it because it is actually a brunette’s hair color that’s been at the beach.  I don’t love the term, but I’ve been doing it for years. Bronde is really just renaming something that many of us were already doing.  It’s beautiful as long as its multicolored and warm.

• You have colored some of the most famous people in the world (Christy Turlington, Johnny Depp, Vanessa Redgrave).  Is there anyone you haven’t worked on yet that you would like to transform? – I would kill to do Blake Lively, Reese Witherspoon and Joanne Woodward.

• Which current celebrity has great hair color in your opinion? – Reese Witherspoon, but I could make it better.  Her hair is almost too one color right now, she should look more surfer girl.

• What are you inspired by these days? I’m still to this day inspired by children at the beach. I marvel at what the sun can do to a little angel’s hair.

• Recently, you opened a new studio space within the Red Door Spa in NYC, can you tell us about that space? I’ve worked in all the top salons, and this really is the perfect space.  It’s the perfect size, the perfect location, perfect.  I have my hair jewelry that I designed and made, my paintings, it’s my art studio, and everything that goes out the door is a painting  of mine. It’s the perfect studio for someone who has been doing this all his life.

• From one celebrity hairdresser to another, what is your personal philosophy to approaching hair? Even though they bring in pictures of celebs or models that I’ve done it’s more about transforming them to a personalized version based on their own hair and who they are.  Everybody’s hair color should be like their finger print, it should be unique and perfect for them.

• Can you share with our readers a great hair tip? – When you want to change your color, don’t go into the drugstore and pick up a box after a breakup, an argument with your parents or a boyfriend or a few drinks with the girls.  Go to bed, go to sleep and come to us; we will help you in the morning.

Thanks to Red Door Spas and Andrea Betts for making this happen…and Real Housewife Alex McCord for tweeting!!