Artist Spotlight: Q&A with Jasmin Rhee, founder of The Jekyll & Hyde Bridal Collective

As founder of The Jekyll & Hyde Bridal Collective, Jasmin Rhee built a team of artists she'd trust with her own wedding. These artists understand that glam is deeply personal and, as the name “Jekyll & Hyde” suggests, they want to celebrate all parts of you. Their diverse team serves a wide range of clients across the Philadelphia area, including the local Asian community.

In this Q&A, Jasmin takes us through her journey, from growing up as an artistic child of Korean immigrant parents, to founding an artist collective rooted in community and care.

Q: How did you find your passion for hair and makeup?

A: Since childhood! I was always that kid cutting and styling Barbie hair (even ruining my Spice Girls collection with Sebastian Gel, while attempting to preserve their styles), designing Barbie clothes out of socks and super glue, and doodling makeup on magazine images with ballpoint pens. My career goal in my fifth-grade yearbook was “hairdresser”. Being the product of college-educated Korean immigrant parents, I attempted to study art in college but dropped out when my Design 1 professor told me to pursue hair instead. Best advice ever.

Q: How does your identity shape the way you work with clients or run your business?

A: My identity shapes the way I work because I’ve often felt like the “black sheep” in many environments. Early on, I realized it was easier, and more honest, to be myself rather than conform.

That perspective became the foundation of my business. Instead of forcing a client’s features, textures, or natural characteristics to become something they’re not, we work with them. We use their pain points as direction, creating bespoke looks that feel authentic, comfortable, and easier to maintain.

These principles are taught throughout our collective of independent artists. While each artist has their own unique artistry, our approach remains consistent: listen closely, honor individuality, and enhance what is already there. With that, I proudly lead a diverse team of artists who can serve a diverse range of clients. This has helped us become one of the leading bridal beauty groups serving our local Asian demographic, while ensuring every client feels understood, represented, and confident in their own skin.

Q: Many brides tell us they’re not used to being in the glam chair and don’t know what to ask for. What advice would you give them so their bridal look feels true to who they are?

A: Bring inspo images, even if you’re not sure they’re “perfect.” Many brides have a hard time articulating what they want, especially if they’re not used to being in the glam chair.

Honestly, even as creatives, we sometimes need visuals to fully communicate a feeling, shape, softness, or level of glam. Because hair and makeup are visual art forms, references help us understand what you’re drawn to and what you want to avoid. They also help us identify patterns in your preferences, from skin finish and lash shape to hair texture, volume, and overall mood. As much as we have mixed feelings about AI, it has become a helpful tool for brides with specific features, concerns, or underrepresented beauty needs to show us something closer to what they’re envisioning.

When I first started, there was almost no representation for monolid clients. Many arrived with little faith in their artists because they hadn’t seen relatable or desirable references. Inspo images help bridge that gap, build trust, and give us a clearer starting point to create something personal to you. 

Additionally, make sure that your values align with your artist’s. And most importantly, you've got to love yourself before you can love your glam. 

Q: Beyond the chair, how did you decide to build an artist collective?

A: COVID changed everything from an operational perspective, and we knew we had to evolve. I always knew my time behind the chair would eventually need to shift as the business grew. Like many entrepreneurs, the responsibilities kept expanding, and trying to manage everything while still actively servicing clients became increasingly unsustainable.

At one point, it felt like complete chaos, in both good and challenging ways, and I realized I couldn’t properly lead the business from behind the chair. That’s when I decided to trust in God’s direction and stop attempting to be a one-man band. I finally leaned into my role as founder and creative director. I began building a collective of artists I would trust with my own wedding, then trained them to serve our community with the same care, intention, and attention to detail. We went from 30+ weddings a year to a mere 8 by 2025. 

This year, I am proud to say that with the help of our talented artists, we have surpassed our goal of 24 weddings for 2026, and as of this morning, we are at 26 weddings and counting (we’re not even halfway through the year yet)! The collective was built to create more than beautiful hair and makeup. It was built to inspire our artists, support our clients, and create a pathway for future talent.

Q: What inspired you to give back through Room 323, a nonprofit initiative to train aspiring beauty artists?

A: My love language is service. Everything I’m paid to do is everything that I’d do for free if money weren’t a concern. Room 323 is still in the early stages of development, but the inspiration behind it is simple: life. I wasn’t especially great in traditional school settings, so I wanted to create a classroom and safe space for alternative thinkers like myself and most creatives. A place where creativity, good intention, and lived experience are valued, especially for those trying to break into an industry that can often feel like a jungle.

I had my son at a young age, and that experience gave me motivation, resilience, and discipline. His father introduced me to barbering while I was still in cosmetology school, but never got to pursue the craft the way he wanted to due to circumstance, environment, and lack of opportunity. He passed before he could fully see what might have grown from his own gifts. That full-circle moment is part of what keeps Room 323 so meaningful.

Much like the number itself, the initiative holds a kind of paradox: aspiring to inspire, while being continually inspired by the lives, lessons, and people that brought us here. My hope is to show others that opportunity exists, guidance is available, and their gifts can become something meaningful enough to pay forward. Sure, the grass may be greener on the other side, but the grass you water can be equally as green, if not greener :)

Book The Jekyll & Hyde Bridal Collective for Your Wedding

We loved getting to know Jasmin and the community she's built. If you're interested in working with an artist from The Jekyll & Hyde Bridal Collective, you can find more about them here.