'Fashion Queens' Derek J Is a Master Hairdresser

For a guy with such a short coif, Derek J has certainly built an empire from his hairstyling business. Best known for doing the 'dos of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Derek also stars on Fashion Queens , Bravo's answer to that other style-centered talk show, Fashion Police. What else is there to know about Derek J? The host has his hands in nearly every aspect of the hair and fashion industries, and his presence in these markets is only growing. So let's find out what other projects Derek has going on, before he blows up.

Fashion Queens has given the stylist a larger platform to share his takes on celebrities, fashion, and the entire beauty industry. But he doesn't just comment from the outside. Like one of his co-hosts, Miss Lawrence, Derek frequently wears women's clothing and makeup, giving him a unique perspective on fashion. The show, which is about to debut its third season on Nov. 9, is getting more popular each year. So expect Derek, Miss Lawrence, and Bevy Smith to all up their games this time around. In the video below, the Atlanta native explains how he got started wearing women's shoes, and why they continue to be a part of his everyday look.

So, we all now know that Derek would rather buy high heels than just put on a shorter pair of pants. But there's more to this hair guru than what he wears. Let's learn some more about Derek J.

He's Had His Own Show Before

Derek first became well-known on a national level when he started appearing on Real Housewives of Atlanta. But he wasn't content to just stop there. So he created his own reality show, Hair Battle Spectacular, on Oxygen. The competition introduced the audience to the world of competitive hair shows, in which stylists create huge, elaborate sculptures out of their models' locks, which are then paraded down a runway. In addition to Hair Battle Spectacular, which ran for two seasons from 2010 to 2011, Derek has also appeared in the Chris Rock documentary Good Hair.

He Has Serious Styling Credentials

Speaking of hair shows, the Fashion Queens star himself still participates in the top tier of these styling competitions, though now he hosts the shows, rather than creating new designs. According to his Bravo bio, he has hosted Bronner Bros. International Hair Shows, one of the premier hair shows in the world. Oh, and he also won that show in the past.

Hair Still Comes First

Despite all his success in television and competitions, Derek still makes time to do what he loves: cut hair. He continues to run his own salon in Atlanta, called The J Spot. This is one classy joint. According to the Salon's website, "The only thing The J Spot maintains better than client privacy — and their silky smooth 45-minute wash and set — is the shine on Derek J's high-heeled boots." Sounds good to me.

Images: Alex Martinez/Bravo; Getty (2)