From Windsor to Paris Fashion Week
Katherine Sims and Maria Huffine are two sisters who redefine creativity. As the proud owners of Elysian Beauty Bar in Windsor, Ontario, each sister brings her distinct talents, blending creativity and passion into everything she does. Katherine is a hairstylist who began her training in Reggio Calabria, Italy with the Seby Staff team. She is also a creative and artistic team lead for REDAVID salon products and a global stage artist, as she trains other hairstylists on stage from around the world. Katherine’s career has taken her from Italy to Toronto, where she worked at World Mastercard Fashion Week, Men’s Fashion Week, and her most recent experience, Paris Fashion Week. Maria is a makeup artist and beautician. She has worked in New York, Toronto, Dubai and Paris. During her most recent Paris experience, she led the entire makeup team for Paris Fashion Week, which she admits was, “such an exciting milestone and honour.”
Growing up in Windsor, Ontario, with parents who embodied entrepreneurship, the sisters were motivated to choose careers that allowed them to chase their dreams. Their mom was a beautician, and their father owned a contracting company. Both parents encouraged their daughters to work hard, be creative and follow their passions. Their love for “watching transformations happen, helping friends with their looks and just seeing the confidence that beauty can bring,” helped them decide on their career path. When the sisters started to make their way into the beauty industry, Maria began as a lash technician in Toronto and Katherine began her hairstyling education at Marvel in Windsor. Several years later, both sisters are proud to say that they have built a beauty business in Windsor that has become a destination for hair, makeup and beauty. Their fearless drive has taken them far. They now specialize in laser treatments, Botox and other injectables, facials, IV drips, lash and brow services, fashion editorials, bridal transformations across Windsor, Detroit and Toronto and special events across the globe.
Their most recent experience in Paris Fashion Week, was by invitation through Katherine’s sponsorship with REDAVID Salon Products. Katherine says they spent seven days “immersed in the world of international fashion.” As head makeup artist, Maria led her team as they worked with eight designers. Katherine, on the other hand, served as an assistant lead for 27 stylists. She participated in a hair couture show, bringing her creative vision to life. In doing so, she selected the model, the clothing and styled the hair.
This type of involvement in Paris Fashion Week, called for early mornings, long hours and a great amount of collaboration with other stylists, models and designers. Katherine described the process as a “whole sensory experience” because she was able to watch hair and makeup come together, while observing lighting, runway and photography at the same time.
Paris Fashion Week was an exceptional learning experience for the sisters. They learned that their hair and makeup teams needed to perform under extremely fast conditions and be able to adjust to last-minute changes. In addition, they learned how the beauty industry in Paris is different from North America. For this reason, Katherine says, “we absorbed the culture of Paris. The aesthetic sensibility, the beauty standards, and how hair and makeup are treated as integral parts of the fashion narrative.” As a result, they returned to Windsor with new ideas, excitement and Paris influence that they plan to share with their clients.
As they look towards the future, the sisters are filled with many plans and possibilities. They will continue to participate in major fashion week events. Maria, in fact, will be returning to Paris Fashion Week for the Fall/Winter collection. She will be accompanied by six local makeup artists and is thrilled that they will all return to Windsor with an abundance of new techniques. In terms of their business, they plan to expand their studio and clientele beyond Windsor. They would like to encompass more high-fashion, editorial and international projects into their work. They are planning to design a signature look and brand identity for their hair and beauty services. In doing so, it will reflect their Windsor roots and meet global standards. On an educational level, they would like to mentor upcoming stylists and makeup artists in the Windsor region and offer masterclasses in hair and beauty. Finally, they have dreams of launching their own product line or signature collection in hair care, or beauty products or styling tools, that reflects who they are. This dynamic duo is sure to make it happen!
