Ama Quashie is a nail artist and salon founder whose work has spanned editorial, global fashion weeks and advertising campaigns, from the cover of Vogue to the Alexander McQueen runway.
Born to a British mother and Ghanian father in London, Quashie studied media, art and cultural studies in college. She worked at ITV, Sky and Channel 4 while in school, and landed a full-time position at a newspaper after earning her degree. But Quashie was yearning for a more creative outlet, and discovered nail artistry after enrolling in nail art and jewellery-making courses at Central Saint Martins. Soon after, she began working as a session manicurist for local photo and music video shoots.
As awareness of her talent spread in the fashion, music and editorial industries, she began receiving bigger bookings for a growing number of magazines. When she was laid off from her day job while doing nail art for a British Vogue shoot, she turned her side project into a calling.
In addition to Vogue, Quashie’s nail looks have appeared on the covers of W, Document, i-D, Dazed and Pop. She has been a top go-to nail artist for Loewe, Lanvin, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chanel, Jimmy Choo and Prada. Cara Delevingne , Tilda Swinton and Solange Knowles are among the celebrities that have been seen with her manicures.
In 2018, she opened her first nail salon, AMA, in Brixton, where she grew up, with an emphasis on natural nail looks and clean ingredients. A second location later debuted at the Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square. Despite her luxury credentials, Quashie has said that she does not want her nail salons to feel exclusive, and is focused on engaging with the Brixton community.
