Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton has admitted that his previously stated top fee of $100,000 was not accurate, revealing that he actually once charged $200,000.
Speaking on the “Great Company with Jamie Long” podcast this week, Appleton, 42, confessed he downplayed the figure out of fear of public reaction.
“It was $200,000,” he said. “But I said 100 because I was afraid of what everyone would say. I said it, and then I was scared.”
Appleton also defended the high price tag, noting that his earnings vary widely depending on the project. “There’s plenty of times I do work for free. There’s plenty of times I don’t get paid that amount of money,” he explained.
Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist has revealed that he has charged as much as $200,000 for his services at the high end of his career.
Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist previously said his highest fee was $100,000, but he has since clarified that he has actually charged up to $200,000 for his services.
Appleton, who styled hair at the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar party, broke down the figure while explaining the scope of the work involved.
“It was a lot of traveling, and it was a whole commitment,” he said. “So when you break it down, it’s not as much. Also, 50 percent tax in America — that’s half. And then your agent takes 20 percent, and your business manager takes five.”
He gave a similar explanation earlier in January on the “U Up?” podcast, noting that his earnings are significantly reduced once taxes, agency fees, and management costs are deducted.
Appleton added that his work doesn’t always come with a high price tag, noting that there are occasions when he doesn’t charge anything at all for his services.
Appleton also noted that his fee accounts for travel and other expenses, explaining that the cost reflects the full scale of the job rather than just the styling itself.
Chris Appleton, who has worked on major red-carpet moments including styling Kim Kardashian for the Met Gala, also found himself at the center of renewed attention after Kardashian revisited a past look in which she wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress and debuted a platinum blonde hairstyle.
In a vlog covering this year’s final fitting, the 45-year-old reality star reflected on that 2022 Met Gala appearance and didn’t hold back in her critique of the team’s preparation, which also included makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic.
“We had too much going on. You were doing every family member,” she said, referring to Appleton and Dedivanovic. “We weren’t focused.”
Looking back at photos from the event, Kardashian added bluntly, “Everyone f—ked up here. Let’s just say that.
As Appleton and makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic jokingly revisited some of their creative choices—from eyeliner decisions to hairstyle execution—Kardashian also shared her own strong opinion on the result.
“It was all about the hair. I’ll fight you on that until the day I die,” she said. “I think about it once a week,” the reality star admitted.
At the time, however, Appleton was enthusiastic about the transformation. Speaking to E! News, he praised the blonde switch-up, saying, “I love a blonde Kim. I think it’s so interesting how a color can change the colors of the clothes you wear and it really changes your makeup. You can really reinvent things.”
