How Jin Soon Choi became fashion’s most trusted nail artist

Backstage at top fashion week shows, there are a few names, aside from the designer, that stay with the audience. Chief among them is Jin Soon Choi, celebrity manicurist and founder of the Jinsoon nail polish line and luxury spas.

The Korean immigrant, who moved to New York City in the ’90s, has become a staple behind the scenes for designers like Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, and Prada. But her path into fashion’s inner circle—and into entrepreneurship—didn’t start with much fanfare. Choi said she arrived in New York with no money and no English.

“That was my biggest challenge, and like many Korean immigrants, because I didn’t speak English, I decided to follow their footsteps,” Choi told Retail Brew.

She worked odd jobs at grocery stores, nail salons, and Korean spas, but the rushed pace never felt right. “I could not keep up, because I’m more meticulous,” she said. “I’m very detail-oriented. I knew right away that was not for me.”

Choi eventually built early client connections, visiting people’s homes for nail services—earning the nickname “Bicycle Jin” after riding to appointments on a gifted bike with a backpack.

A few years later, she booked magazine photo shoots with top photographers. With help from her then-boyfriend (now husband) and a nonprofit executive supporting minority women in business, she opened her now-defunct East Village salon.

Today, the beauty veteran—now synonymous with luxury nail art—owns multiple spas across the city. Choi spoke with Retail Brew and reflected on her journey, the biases manicurists face, and her advice for young women of color pursuing careers in beauty.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Did you always want to have a beauty brand or a line of salons?

I didn’t. I had zero ambition. I just wanted to go to school, so I came to New York. Actually, my family lives in Washington state, so I was there for three months, and [I thought], “Oh my God, why do people live so slow?” I came from Seoul, and everything goes so fast, and here, like Washington state, Olympia, people even drive even for one block. They don’t even walk. I didn’t like that kind of energy. I like a little bit more fast and energetic energy. So I decided to come to New York City…I don’t know why I picked New York City. I heard it’s a very artsy city. I didn’t even pick LA, because a lot of Korean people had been living in LA. I just right away [said], “OK, I’m going to New York. Let me see who I can find from Korea.”

How has the industry changed over the years?

The industry has changed majorly. Even the demographic of the runway has changed because people there had a kind of fantasy of watching the runway or waiting for “OK, what’s gonna be the next collection?” But now, because of social media, we live in a digital era. Everything just comes right away, and in an instant, so that is a big change. That’s why marketing is a totally different game now. Physical magazines disappeared, and everything became digitalized.

I actually like the old way, because we couldn’t expect anything. It was like, “Oh my God, I cannot wait to see this one.” That expectation and that waiting for some beautiful things to come up, but now fashion shows are different. Everything is about social media. It’s like digital versus analog. Sometimes I like analog and also classic ways.

What barriers continue to exist for WoC?

Actually, for women of color…it’s better now than before. [Everyone that came before us] did all the work, and now the new generations are taking those benefits. It’s kind of the same thing for the nail industry as well. When I started working, I was not treated well. They treated me like not even an assistant. So…I had to be determined, and be like, “OK, I’m gonna get through this.”

But I went through it with patience. Don’t show your fear to people as women of color. Don’t shrink yourself. Be confident. That changed my attitude. Before, I just said hi before I did nails. But now I’m like, “Hi, my name is Jin.” You say your name and listen to your own voice. Confidence for me is the most important thing for WoC.Also, have good ideas. We already work hard, so that part I don’t have to repeat, because you want to be noticed. You need to show them you are there. You are not some kind of hidden creature.