MIAMI — Every summer, Miami becomes the epicenter of global swimwear fashion as hundreds of thousands of visitors descend on South Florida for Miami Swim Week.
Runways fill with internationally acclaimed designers, celebrities, influencers, and models — all showcasing the season’s latest looks against the backdrop of South Beach.
Behind many of those polished runway appearances this year was celebrity hairstylist Sean Donaldson, whose decades-long career has taken him from Scotland to some of America’s most stylish cities before ultimately finding a home in South Florida.
Donaldson’s passion for beauty and fashion began early.
“I think my passion for hair came from magazines and what I was seeing in fashion in the mid-to-late ’80s,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of that.”
He launched his career in Scotland, where he trained under some of the industry’s most respected names, including the late Vidal Sassoon. The experience laid the foundation for what would become a successful international beauty career.
Eventually, however, warmer weather — and new opportunities — called.
After working in cities including Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Donaldson relocated to South Florida, where he has spent decades building a reputation as one of the region’s premier hair and makeup artists. Today, he owns two salons, one in Miami Beach and another in Brickell.
Donaldson says Miami’s beauty scene stands apart from anywhere else in the country.
“What I love about Miami and style and beauty is that it is somewhat unique,” he explained. “We have great style, we have great stores. We have everything that everyone else has. We stand alone because we have this more relaxed look, this relaxed vision, this relaxed aesthetic.”
That effortless aesthetic was front and center during Swim Week, where Donaldson and his team created looks inspired by both glamour and the beach lifestyle synonymous with Miami.
“This year, it’s going to be more glassy looks,” Donaldson said. “The skin’s very radiant, slightly sun-kissed, pastel hues.”
For hair, the trend focused less on heavily textured “just out of the ocean” styles and more on softness and shine.
“It’s going to be relaxed, it’s going to be soft, wavy, but well-conditioned,” he said. “In the past there would be a lot of salt-spray looks where the hair would look like it had just stepped out of the ocean.”
Technology also played a role in bringing those visions to life before models even sat in the styling chair. Donaldson highlighted a new app called “Look Beauty,” which allows users to preview different beauty transformations digitally.
“You’ll be able to change your hair color, your texture, your style — everything about your aesthetic,” he said. “(It) even includes your makeup.”
For Donaldson, the real reward comes once hair, makeup, and fashion come together to help clients feel confident and empowered.
“When you couple hair with makeup and then fashion, you create an image for someone that they want to be,” he said. “That to me is exciting, it’s rewarding, it’s empowering. And it’s great to be on that journey with someone.”
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