Blazing the Trail

Istifan styling hair for a fashion show at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit.

Atheer Istifan leads the way for Chaldean-American immigrants

By Cal Abbo

When Atheer Istifan arrived in the United States more than 20 years ago, above all, he felt safe.

Before coming to the U.S., Istifan spent five years in Spain with a few of his siblings. He attended cosmetology school and even perfected his Spanish – his third fluent language – but his journey was not yet finished. Although Spain was beautiful, it was not a place he could call home.

This feeling brought Istifan to America. He is blessed to have his whole family and the support of the Chaldean community in Detroit. That’s why he feels safe, and why he chose to settle here.

Though Detroit is his home, Istifan regularly travels for his work. He is a hair stylist who has been called into action by countless celebrities. Istifan attributes his success to the grace of God, his own hard work, the community that supports him, and what he calls the “land of opportunity.”

An Immigrant’s Story

Istifan’s resume already extends beyond what many consider possible for a Chaldean born in Baghdad. As he was coming upon military age, he didn’t want to fight in the wars brewing in the Middle East.

His family suffered through a particularly tragic time when they lived in Baghdad. “I lost a brother when I was 12. He drowned,” Istifan said. A year later, his biological mother passed away.

“Thankfully, my dad remarried. I love my mom; I was so lucky. I would die for her,” he said, thanking God for giving him another mother at the age of 14. “She made me who I am.”

Growing up, Istifan found a hobby in styling his sister’s hair and chose to pursue that as his life’s work.

Istifan’s time in Spain only solidified his desire to come to the United States, train as a hair stylist, and become the best. “You can be anything you want in this country,” he said. “It’s up to you, it’s up to me, it’s up to everybody. You can follow your dream.”

Istifan and his client, Miss Michigan.

Once in the U.S., Istifan had to learn English from scratch, which amounts to his fourth fluent language.

“It’s not similar,” he said, comparing the U.S. to Spain. “You feel safe here, you feel established. You feel settled down. In Spain, it was beautiful, a great experience, but I was always looking forward to my destination.”

Istifan spent his first 20 years here with a green card, but he wanted the full experience and benefits of citizenship. He got an attorney to help him through the process. He completed the required paperwork but didn’t hear back for a year and a half. One day, his attorney called him and said he got his interview, but Istifan didn’t have long to prepare, and he didn’t feel ready.

Dan Moen, one of his clients, works at the Chaldean Community Foundation as the brand coordinator. Istifan said he drove by the CCF many times but had no idea what went on inside until he asked Dan, who told him they run citizenship classes, among many other programs.

Istifan joined a class in April taught by Salam Sesi, who manages the citizenship program at the CCF. For six weeks, he came morning and night to finish the class and learn all the relevant content for his exam. “Salam is very professional,” he said. “She taught me the details of the language as it relates to the test. Words, letters, the rhythm of how to speak in the interview.”

Last month, Istifan passed his citizenship exam. Now, he waits for an opportunity to take his oath and become a new American citizen.

A World-Class Hair Stylist

Istifan worked in various salons for over ten years once he came to the United States. Five years ago, he opened his own salon in Rochester Hills. Last year, he moved his location to Troy. Since then, he’s been very busy, and sees clients from around the world. “My community built me up,” he said. “They gave me the foundation I needed.”

Istifan’s clients include local professional athletes, models, fashion show and pageant contestants, and much more. He stays heavily involved with the Chaldean community, working a mother-daughter fashion show at Shenandoah Country Club, as well as his Detroit community, where he did hair for a fashion show at the Charles H. Wright Museum.

For the last seven years, Istifan has done hair for Miss Michigan. While a lot of his work with high-end clients is very serious, he remains a bright and funny personality. “I even have a Ph.D.,” he says. “Professional Hair Dresser.”

Istifan placed third representing the U.S. at the hair world cup in 2016.

His success with Miss Michigan brought him lots of opportunities. He started doing hair for Mrs. Michigan, a similar pageant but for married women, and finally advanced to styling for the Miss USA pageant.

This month, in July, he’s going to Omaha, Nebraska to style hair for five candidates for Miss World. “I’m very happy about it,” he said. “It’s like a dream to me.”

In addition to celebrities, Istifan also does hair for lower-profile clients as well. He does virtually every type of hairstyle on the planet, and he invites anyone who wants to know more about him to come sit in his chair and experience his creativity and passion.

Like many Chaldeans and immigrants, Istifan places heavy importance on education. He travels regularly to other states and countries to learn about new styles, colors, and techniques. Before COVID-19, he also taught his own class. One of his long-term goals is to open his own school, teach the next generation of stylists, and leave a legacy.

Although Istifan is a humble man, he won’t hesitate to list his own accomplishments, magazine features, and celebrity clients. It comes off as pure excitement and joy. “Some people call me the hair whisperer. Some people call me a superstar.”

Even superstars have dreams.

Istifan’s dream is to dress the hair of the first lady. “Any first lady,” he said. “That’s my dream. I’m going to get there. But it will take time.” Istifan has been spreading the word and getting his name out there, hoping the right person will read his story.

So far, Istifan has put his life into his career, but he does enjoy himself outside of work. His family and community are very important to him, so he regularly volunteers his time. At some local high schools, he styles hair for plays at no charge and volunteers elsewhere with his family.

In his free time, he watches movies, goes shopping, and eats at nice restaurants. His favorite movie is The Great Gatsby (2013), though he might be a little biased, as he played a part in making the film. Istifan was one of the movie’s hair stylists.

That opportunity propelled him into the spotlight and he got noticed by some of the right people. Just three years later, he was called on to represent the U.S. in the world hair competition, which he described as the “world cup for hair stylists.” He traveled to South Korea for the competition and received third place.

For other immigrants or Americans in general, Istifan’s advice is to stay positive and focused. “Follow your dream, believe in yourself, be humble, be creative, be happy every single day,” he said. “You’ll get to your goals. There’s so much for everyone here.”