Believe it or not, Marian Newman has worked on nearly 50 Vogue covers – more if you count the international Vogue covers she’s also worked on. That’s why she’s a globally renowned nail technician who is just as at home backstage during fashion week as she is advising nail brands and high-end salons.
Newman is nervous for the launch of her new book, Nailed It: Nails, Fashion, Technique on April 22. “Lots of people don’t know about the personal side of me. I’m the one behind the nails so it feels strange to put myself out there. As most people don’t know about me we made the first bit of the book about my story but it’s great, lots of pictures and very anecdotal,” explains Newman.
Newman continued: “It took over two years to put together. We had to figure out what the story was and what the book was going to be about. And then we had to discuss what should and shouldn’t be in it, finding the pictures we wanted to go in it to tell the journey through 20 plus years of doing media and session work. It’s also a journey through natural nails through colour and celebrity and design and shows. And also a big part of my life is the shows.”
Having a ghost writer helped Newman with her creative process. “I found most of it great to pull together but for some of it, I just didn’t know the answer, but then I didn’t write it, I had a ghost writer which was so helpful because she would ask me things and became a barometer of what was and wasn’t interested,” she explains. “Sometimes I felt I was too connected.”
For Newman, the book deliberately delves into what goes on behind the scenes. “The book will appeal to people who love nails, obviously, because so many people want to do session work,” says Newman. “Session work didn’t exist when I started and getting into fashion was a bit of a slog, which the book explains. But also I hope people that are interested in fashion and what it involves and what designers are like and what happens behind the scenes because there is a lot of that in the book.”
Above all, Newman has a favourite Vogue cover: Kate Moss. “My favourite British Vogue cover has to be my very first, with lovely Kate [Moss],” she says. “Robin Derrick was the art director at the time and he put a little finger between the O and the G of Vogue . It was the first time I met Kate and my first Vogue cover. It was an iconic picture of one of our favourite models of all time.”
When it comes to picking her career highlight, Marian struggles. After all, her career spans more than 20 years. “That’s so hard! All of it! I’ve had the most incredible time, experiencing “pinch myself” moments and I didn’t plan it to go that way. It just happened. Also being asked to write a book and then it actually existing is pretty special. Oh, and the people – I’ve met some wonderful people and made really good friends”. You can’t ask for more.
Catch Marian at the V&A in conversation with Nick Knight on May 10.
Nailed It: Nails, Fashion, Technique, £25, available from Amazon from April 22.
