Celebrity hair and makeup stylist Paul Venoit is used to being at the top of fashion.

So when he started receiving nasty e-mails about his trademark cowboy hat (apparently he needs to call 1995 because it wants its hat back) he was perplexed.

How could he have been so wrong?

Well, he says, it turns out he was right after all -- a discovering he made when he stepped off his flight in Calgary Thursday night.

"Everyone here has cowboy hats on -- I love it. I knew it was cool," he says from his downtown hotel room, perfectly situated to watch the parade yesterday morning.

"I'm going to buy a bunch more while I'm here and wear them everywhere," he says.

Venoit, who has a huge roster of film, music and fashion star clients including Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Tom Hanks, should know what's hot and what's not.

A staple on the Canadian fashion scene, he has amassed numerous credits, including the development and on-air hosting of MuchStyl'n on MuchMusic and Star!'s Look-a-like.

So what's it like to work for the rich and famous?

Venoit says a lot easier than most people would think.

"I find people who have succeeded are very friendly.

"They are the easiest people to deal with," he says, adding he has had some bad experiences with the not-as-famous.

"The biggest divas are often the people who are trying to work their way to the top. I guess they just assume it's part of the gig, but it really isn't."

While Venoit, who grew up in New Brunswick, has achieved incredible success in his career, it is his new position as judge of Canada's Next Top Model that's made him instantly recognizable in this country.

"I got involved with it because I thought it was an interesting look at our industry ... every week these girls have these lessons to learn, and if they don't, they can't stay in the game.

"The girls who listened and paid attention went far, and they are not necessarily the ones who everyone agrees are the prettiest.

"But this is not a beauty pageant -- it's a modelling competition, and the face of beauty in fashion is not necessarily the face of beauty on a school yard."

Venoit admits even he is surprised by which girls -- Sisi, Brandi, Andrea and Alanna -- have made it to the final four, but assures viewers they are the most deserving.

"Being a judge on this show, we don't have access to any of the footage that goes on inside the house. We judge them solely on the judging nights, their pictures, their progress and if they are able to give some variation to their look.

"There have been several beautiful girls we have sent home who didn't have what it took to be a top model."

While Calgary's Dawn Buggins was eliminated during the second episode for being too shy, Venoit says he's now having second thoughts about sending her packing.

"I saw her on a television program and her energy had changed so much. She was so outspoken and she was so confident in front of the camera.

"She's someone who will definitely have a career in this industry should she decide to move forward with that desire."

Canada's Next Top Model airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Citytv.