Candace Talks Candidly About Styling The Hair of RGIII. Admits She Didn’t Know Who He Was.

By now you know the name.  By now you know the story.

What you may not know is that Candace Hargrove, a stylist at The Beauty Bar in Richmond, VA, didn’t initially know the client she was asked to style last week.  She was unaware that the "humble" young man who walked in the shop where she worked was the quarterback for the Washington Redskins.

“I treated him like a regular client, I didn’t know who he was”, she admitted.

She wasn't alone.

When Griffin walked into the shop only two visitors and the salon owner’s son (who described Griffin as “the god of football”) knew who he was.

Candace Hargrove (far left) poses with Ingrid Riley (far right) co-owner of The Beauty Bar,
client Niquay (in purple), and the salon's apprentice.  Photo CD Brown.

So, just how did the hair stylist who didn’t know who the most talked about quarterback in the NFL is end up styling his hair?

We asked her how the chance meeting came about.

“I received a text message from one of our clients. She asked me if I could cornrow a gentleman’s hair, and I said "Yes, that’s fine.” 

That 'client' is friends with Tony Wyllie, the Redskins Vice President of Communications and Public Relations.

Candace poses with RGIII.  Photo courtesy of The Beauty Bar for DC UrbanSports.

“He was just so down to earth”, said Ingrid Riley, co-owner of The Beauty Bar, a new salon that will celebrate its two-year anniversary on September 1^st.  

Griffin’s visit has already increased exposure for the salon which Riley thinks is “awesome.”

Before his appointment that day Griffin, who brought along his family, had already taken out the signature braids fans have become accustomed to.  When he walked into the salon he was ready to be served.

 “We greeted each other and he introduced himself and I did the same, and he went straight to the first shampoo bar”, explained Candace on meeting RGIII.

RGIII poses with wife, niece, and parents at The Beauty Bar. 
Photo courtesy of The Beauty Bar for DC UrbanSports.

Candace, a stylist for nearly nine years, was given full creative rights telling us Griffin said the style was “up to her”.  The stylist used Free Limix on Griffin’s hair, a hair care line from Italy that uses natural botanical ingredients. 

[Click here to see RGIII's new look].

Admitting she’s not a football fan, she really didn’t get too excited over Griffin’s visit.

“I was excited, but I just did what I had to do, and that was my job", she said.

While she may not have known who Griffin was at the time, Candace admitted that she would indeed get excited if her favorite musical popstar came into the shop.

 “The only person I'd really get excited for is Lady Gaga. I’m a fan.”