Her work has appeared on over 50 British Vogue covers, spanned ten years of Dior campaigns, been featured on the catwalks of Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Margiela and on the quilt of Bjork’s Homogenic album. Suffice to say, Marian Newman is the queen of nails. A humble one at that. “I’m not saving lives or changing the world,” she says, “but I do, once in a while make people glad and feel higher about themselves. I’m a small part of wonderful teams that create very beautiful things.”

Entering the industry “by accident,” Marian’s first nail encounter was at a trade show. On the time she was researching the nail industry for the owner of a small chain of beauty salons who was planning on opening a nail treatment centre. It was there she became fascinated and consequently opened one in all the primary nails-only salons within the UK. Her thirty-year profession began within the 80s, when nails were just those things on the top of your fingers. Now, partly in because of influence, nails are an important a part of an overall look. It’s been quite a journey, one which has been lovingly compiled right into a recent book, Nailed It, which launches later this month. In it Marian tells the behind the scenes stories of her life’s work, featuring everyone from Kate Moss to Lady Gaga. We talked with Marian Newman about how she got to where she is.

Tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up.
Marian Newman: I used to be born and grew up in London. My family have lived there for a lot of generations, mostly Clerkenwell, Islington, Shoreditch. All my schools were convents so I used to be taught by nuns. I feel this encouraged a little bit of atheism on my part! My parents were hard staff and instilled that in me together with the message “when you want something enough, work hard, do your best and also you’ll have a great probability of getting it.” I enjoyed each art and science in school. I used to be at all times doing little art projects at home but was never excellent at it. I at all times desired to go down the science route as a job, as I did for a time. That ‘science head’ has definitely helped in my nail profession.

What’s your earliest beauty related memory?
Marian Newman: I feel, like all little girls, my Mum’s make up bag. But I had an additional advantage as I had a sister 16 years older than me. She was very glamorous and delightful with numerous boyfriends (who bought me presents!) This was late 50’s and early 60’s so fashion was very ‘grown up’ with chignons and lipstick and high heels. I feel I’ve stayed there as my pleasing aesthetic. I just can’t wear it.

Growing up, what informed your understanding of beauty and identity and the best way you presented yourself visually?
Marian Newman: I went through many stages. Fashion was a spotlight of mine only in as much as there have been trends that every one teenagers had to maintain up with. I definitely had a phase of being a ‘Mod’ and wore a variety of the early Mary Quant style with mini skirts and white PVC boots with cut-outs and painted on eyelashes. I spent a protracted time as a hippy with the entire ‘flower power’ gig. I developed a ‘look’ within the 80’s that was very much Adam Ant’s Dandy Highwayman. I wore a protracted black frock coat to death at all times with stone colored jodhpurs and a white Stock. (Someone did say I looked like Max Wall though!)

How did you first get into nails?
Marian Newman: It was by accident. I used to be asked to research the nail industry for the owner of a small chain of beauty salons as he desired to open a ‘nail treatment centre.’ I went to a trade show where there have been a number of nail product stands. This was within the ’80s so it was nothing like as popular because it is now. I ‘discovered’ the industry similar to it was back then but nobody had answers to the questions I had on the chemistry and nail anatomy. That was what drew me in. Then I discovered Creative Nail Design (CND now) and my questions were answered. I got hooked and opened one in all the primary nails-only salons within the UK.

Do you remember your first fashion shoot?
Marian Newman: Yes! It was all so recent, I had no idea! I used to be energetic within the skilled industry and a photographer’s producer was searching for someone to do long nails for a shoe campaign with colors that matched the shoes. They found me. I went along not knowing what I used to be stepping into. I had a beautiful day with wonderful individuals who turned out to be Nick Knight and Lucinda Chambers and that was it! I haven’t looked back.

You began working in fashion within the mid-90s. What was the industry like back then?
Marian Newman: Well, it definitely didn’t recognise nails as being relevant to fashion. To a certain extent, it still doesn’t. Nick Knight made them relevant because he’s the ‘high priest’ of the detail. Lucinda Chambers made them relevant because she had some letters of criticism that the model on the quilt of a Vogue issue had grubby nails. My first fashion show was with Alexander McQueen as he had seen what will be created with nails on a Nick Knight shoot so wanted me to create some EXTREME nails. It was a protracted road of the ‘fashion crowd’ not understanding why I used to be even there.  

How has it modified within the years since?
Marian Newman: It has modified loads for essentially the most part. Now it’s perfectly acceptable and usual for a manicurist to be working on a show, editorial, campaign etc. There are various parts of fashion that see manicuring as a detail of fine grooming. I completely get that. There are others that see nails as an adjunct and need a complimentary color to finish the look and the character of the ‘woman’ (or man) wearing the gathering. Then there are others that love a nail design to be as much of a press release as the style (obviously they’re one in all my favourites).

What should nail art bring to a shoot or runway show?
Marian Newman: Well, it should never overshadow the style. As explained above, it might just be good grooming (all within the detail). It could beautifully accessorise an outfit. It could give the model a bit more poise and encourage more interesting hand expressions. For a show, it may well often bring more media coverage. Nails are very fashionable and a great nail on the models at a show can attract attention to the designer identical to the hair and makeup looks. Nails can even finish off the story the designer or stylist is wanting to share. After all, I really like an entire nail story in a beauty editorial. I’ve been lucky enough to have a free reign on a few of these and so they must be a few of my best times.

How do you utilize nails to inform a story or convey emotion?
Marian Newman: There may be at all times a ‘story’ behind my nails even when I don’t get the chance to inform it. I think I’m known by among the beauty press to at all times provide them with a ’story’ or a soundbite backstage even when the nails are yet one more nude! For fashion, I’ll take a look at who the girl wearing the garments really is and these descriptions can go on ceaselessly. Is she chic, disdainful, a rebel, childlike, not trying too hard, a goth, a punk, a 50’s starlet and on and on. Every nail, nonetheless easy or extreme is at all times considered and I even have the story if anyone wants to listen to it.

How did the book come about?
Marian Newman: I used to be invited! I used to be very honoured and humbled to be asked as I didn’t imagine I used to be interesting enough. I used to be assured that I used to be. I actually do imagine in my saying “I’m Marian and I do nails.” I’m not saving lives or changing the world. But I do, once in a while, make people glad and feel higher about themselves. I’m also a small part of wonderful teams that create very beautiful things.

How do you think that our understanding of beauty has shifted with the evolution of technology?
Marian Newman: I feel there’s a bit an excessive amount of ’spin’ where so many are influenced by the unsuitable facts. There may be also a bit an excessive amount of of ’selling a dream,’ guarantees that can’t be realised. But, there’s also a variety of technology that has made many things possible that may help to reinforce beauty. For me, I do nails so when you don’t like them they’ll come off! In saying that I even have at all times had true belief in improving the standard of nails which is definitely done. When working, I am going to great lengths to preserve the condition of models’ nails. On a shoot or show, I’ll not give you the option to enhance the standard but I’ll do all the things I cannot to cause any damage and each one in all my team will do the identical. Unfortunately, there are loads on this industry that don’t hold the identical skilled ethos and I see far too many models with shocking and unnecessary damage.

What advice would you give to young artists hoping to get into the industry?
Marian Newman: Work hard, learn something recent daily, be humble, be nice, be respectful. It is rarely all about ‘you.’ It’s about you working as a part of a team (even when there are others that don’t conform to this belief).

What’s the longer term of beauty?
Marian Newman: Beauty is in the attention of the beholder. I do nails and the ‘beholder’ is YOU. You take a look at your nails daily, all day. They should make you glad and nobody else. I would really like to imagine that that is true for all elements of beauty. Social media has modified things and so many aspire to what others are doing and the way they’re changing their bodies. It isn’t a great direction. I hope it can stop and the longer term is about being glad and healthy and using technology to reinforce wellbeing. (Cloud cuckoo land? Probably).

Nailed it can be available from April 22 and will be pre-ordered here.