A diverse creator in the world of wigs
His mission in this life is to beautify, writes Thobile Mazibuko
PATRICK “Pat” Missile, a celebrity stylist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has brought a different and fresh take to the world of male hairstyles.
Coming to South Africa 10 years ago, Missile knew he wanted to be one of the best stylists on the continent.
His career as a hairstylist was launched 13 years ago, when he used to style and advise his sisters on beauty.
“Being a stylist is something I was meant for. I was born in a family with a lot of girls and I loved supporting them in terms of advice about beauty and hairstyles.
“I started practising with them,” says Missile.
After graduating from an art school and having found love in beautifying people, he left the DRC in 2007 and came to start his career in South Africa.
“When I started it was not easy, like any other career, especially here in South Africa. A lot of people didn’t know how a person could look with a certain style.
“I had to familiarise myself with the new environment and learn proper English.
“I then worked at a salon where I started using my beauty skills,” says Missile.
He used to do everything from braids to relaxers and weaves, until he realised that the struggle faced by many women, mainly hairline loss, was a big issue.
“When I sleep at night, sometimes I dream about hairstyles and I wake up and try to re-create them. I noticed that a lot of women suffer from hair loss and I came up with my wig collection. I design and create new styles for ladies and guys.”
Missile designs wigs for males that look so natural that one would think they are made of real hair.
“I started making male extensions when I was approached by Sello Maake ka-ncube (currently in The Queen), who came up and said to me: ‘Patrick, I want something to hide my hair. I still need my dreadlocks but I want an Afro. Can you just make me something natural. I want to have an Afro but still keep my locks underneath.’
“I then thought: ‘Wow! That’s another deal now.’ I was so excited and agreed to try it. I did it, and then an Indian guy came to me and I also did a nice wig for him. It then became an in thing, although it is a bit late here in Africa because other parts of the world have been doing it, but it’s a trend now,” says Missile.
Before doing the wig, he usually suggests that people let their side hair grow, and only fill the middle to make it look as real as possible. “For the middle I look for a good texture of hair that will correspond properly with their natural hair.
“And for those with short hair, I use their hair as support so the scalp can still breathe. Male extensions are very strong and one can even swim with them,” he says.
Missile does male wigs for local celebrities such as KO and Theo of Boom Shaka (both musicians), just to name two.
Not just a wig designer, he also makes beards, eyebrows and moustaches.
“As a wig designer, I design wigs from scratch. Anything regarding hair, I design. I design beards, eyebrows, moustaches, all those things.
“My dream is not only here at salons, but to go so far as creating looks that people have never seen before. I now depend on clients’ requests. If a client comes in and says: ‘Patrick, I want my eyebrows to look like those of the Chinese, I make it happen,” he says.
The idea to design eyebrows is inspired by the shaving of eyebrows. Some women shave off their eyebrows, only to draw them back later.
He encourages people to be open to trying out new styles, especially those in casting, because many are denied great opportunities because of their hair, which he believes can be solved because anyone can have extensions.
Missile dreams of opening a training centre for young people who wish to be like him. He will soon be opening branches in Sandton and Menlyn.