Do you know Urban Decay? Of course you do now — but back in 1999, they were just beginning to build what would become a beauty empire. That’s when I did my first shoot with them.
It happened because of my bestie, the insanely talented makeup artist Mitzi Spallas. She recommended me to the owner at the time, Wende Zomnir — and that introduction changed everything.
I had never shot for a cosmetics company before, and I loved it immediately. Urban Decay wasn’t soft and safe. It was edgy. It had attitude. It felt rock ’n’ roll. The colors popped. The shimmer sparkled. The whole vibe was bold and unapologetic — right up my alley.
Over the next couple years, I ended up doing more than a dozen shoots with them. Every one was fun. Every one pushed me creatively.
Mitzi was (and still is) the best. Wende was beyond kind and always encouraged me to elevate my game. Working with the team, the models, and those products was electric. I loved playing with texture, glitter, shine, and color. It was beauty with edge — not beauty by the rules.
They’re bigger than ever now, and that doesn’t surprise me at all. The brand is solid. The product is strong. They knew exactly who they were from day one. I sometimes wish I was still shooting for them — but that was another lifetime ago. A great chapter. A loud chapter.
And I’ll always be grateful to Mitzi for that introduction. It led to some incredible shoots, unforgettable collaborations, and a whole new lane in my career.
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