Editorial hairstylist michael baker has passed away

Editorial hairstylist and Neill creative director Michael Baker passed away on the morning of 27 November at the age of 59. A four-time nominee for the North American Hairstylist Awards (NOHA), Michael was also the creative director of Neill, an Aveda distributor and beauty industry innovator based in Hammond, Louisiana, USA. Baker was known for educating young stylists, most notably in the Aveda Institutes. He was the creator of 5x5: The Stage, an educational experience to help stylists perform at work, and was the inventor of the DeBulker, a texturizing trimmer. He also founded the Second Hand Scissor Project, which passes on tools to the next generation of stylists. Writing on its official Instagram page, the US distributor Neill writes: "“Baker” – as he is known to many in the beauty industry – had been battling depression for most of his life, and last night he lost that fight by taking his own life." They continued: "Michael’s wife Debra, his son Myles, step-children Garrison and Paris, grandchildren Camden and Damon, and the entire Neill family ask that friends and colleagues allow them some time as they plan the next steps to honor Baker." https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Yj7uNg3dE/