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When Errol And STIL Hit Shanghai

When Errol And STIL Hit Shanghai

When Errol And STIL Hit Shanghai

by KELSEY | CREATIVE PROJECTS

The creative sparks flew!

Every year, thousands (around 40,000, to be exact) of hairdressers from China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and beyond descend upon Shanghai for the Asian Hairdesigner Festival. This incredible three-day event, a riot of shows, seminars, shopping and feasting, is organised by the Asian Hairdesigner Association (AHA) as a showcase of the new hair trends and techniques from amongst its illustrious members. Alsoring featu in this year’s line-up, as guests of AHA founder Eric Zhao, were Errol Douglas MBE, plus colourist Christel Barron-Hough and her photographer husband Alex, co-owners of Chelsea salon STIL. Both teams delivered a seminar and show that injected a shot of London cool into the mix. Creative HEAD was in the audience…

 

STIL

The Concept

What made you accept an invitation to appear at the AHF in Shanghai?

Alex: This was an opportunity for Christel and me to come together to create something specifically for STIL – a photographic collection and a film that would then feed into a seminar at the AHF. It felt very different to when we both work for other brands, and we have to work to their brief. This was a blank canvas for us to get creative and push our boundaries.

You created an incredible photographic collection and film for your trip, which featured a collaboration with session stylist Nick Irwin. How did you incorporate his ideas into your work?

Christel: I’m inspired by Scandinavian film-making and the interplay between light and dark, which directors such as Ingmar Bergman use for dramatic effect. I wanted the collection to play around with shadow and blurring, so it reflected that landscape. Nick was very excited by the looks we wanted to create and added his spin by making things a bit more editorial, not-so-perfect looking, so the wigs were placed so they obviously looked like wigs, for example.

The Prep

While in Shanghai you had to rely on a team of assistants you’d never met before. How did this impact on your prep?

Christel: Often when you work on shows abroad these days you will inherit a local support team and sometimes the language barrier can be a challenge. But the beauty with hairdressing is that we all speak the same language when it comes to creating looks and styles. The team in Shanghai were absolutely fantastic – talented, lots of attention to detail and incredibly hardworking, which made our experience very pleasant and enjoyable.

STIL models

The Seminar

Talk us through the looks you showcased during your seminar…

Christel: I chose to do one look that was quite creative and inspired by fashion and another that was more commercial but that also had personality through creative colour. We do a lot of Scandi-bobs in the salon because they’re so wearable, but the creative placement of the fuchsia shades brought out a more playful side and hopefully gave inspiration to the audience. My second look, featuring a mesh that I melded onto the head, is something I’ve seen Eugene Souleiman create a version of, but I had watched a documentary about hat-making and I found it interesting because they were talking about silhouette and sculpting. So that’s what inspired me to show something that played around with different textures, with the top super-sleek and the hair a bit more deconstructed at the back and a mesh in different colours sculpted onto the head to keep everything super-tight. But this was also about colour placement because I wanted to continue the theme from our photo-collection of things working but also not working at the same time, so I left the roots, kept the ends really bright and chose the red to contrast with the pink and yellow of the mesh.

The Show

And then came the show… It brought the house down!

Christel: The show was driven by the original creative shoot that was shot in London. We presented a total of five models and the concept was highly focused on personality and colour, which was complemented by the content playing on the screens.

Alex: We knew the film was going to play out on a series of enormous, curved screens on the night of the show, so we decided to showcase each look as if it were a portrait. We filmed each model in really slow motion because we wanted the audience to think that each portrait was a still image before realising that tiny details were moving. We wanted the film really to draw people in and create a more immersive experience. And it was also a feast of colour because we had different models on different screens – there was stuff that was yellow, stuff that was orange, there was colour everywhere. Opening your brand up to new territories and markets is always positive, especially to your peers and the trade press. It’s important for to share our concept and vision for our brand outside of the UK. With our backgrounds in education and production/image making this is a great platform to bring it all together and share what inspires us at STIL.

Errol

Shanghai is a long way from London! Why did you make the trip?

 When I got the invitation from Eric Zhao, I didn’t hesitate. The AHF is one of the most successful gatherings of hairdressers in this region, it’s been going since 2006 so it has a really successful heritage. Even though I have lots of clients who come from China, and I know a lot of hairdressers in the country, I’d never been before. When the chance came up, it was a ‘Hell yes!’

How did you go about deciding on the theme and content for your seminar and show? What ideas did you want to share with the audience?

 My show was called Motions and is loosely based on my most recent photographic collection – Frame. We pushed the ideas that were born in Frame to the extreme, so they had maximum impact on the stage, translating the hair looks I’d created and reinventing them for a live show.

 

Errol Douglas
Errol Douglas

You used some incredible outfits on your models. How did this come about and how important is it that every detail reflects your brand?

It’s impossible to separate hair from fashion when you’re creating a show. Every detail reflects an overall look and it’s so important to make sure every element is totally cohesive. I wouldn’t necessarily say the Errol Douglas brand has a definitive ‘look’ because for us, it’s about always evolving and adapting, reacting to trends and interpreting them in our own unique vision. For this show, I worked with Christina Davies, a highly acclaimed designer from Central St Martins who I’ve been collaborating with recently. She’s really going places. Her instinct for fabric, fluidity and texture brought to life with body-sculpting clothes and knitwear has a real contemporary feel.

Talk us through the looks you showcased during your seminar…

During the seminar, I wanted to demonstrate two of the looks I’d be presenting in my show and how I bring those very futuristic, avant-garde concepts to life. It’s important for me as an educator to make sure people can see and understand my vision. Step one is the foundations of the looks, so before anything, I talk through the structure needed to hold the hair. The starting point for the seminar was right back to basics, demonstrating how you create a corn roll that forms the base to sew in the hair. I worked intricately with hair pieces, which were made specially for the show and included hours of pre-show work. The main way I make the hair maintain a realistic edge is I don’t use too many pins, choosing instead to mainly weave or sew the pieces together. Also in the seminar, I taught how visually to create a shape, plus the importance of pre-planning and always stepping away from your model to check the shape is coming together how you want it. You should never create a hairstyle that just gets placed on without thinking how it suits the model and you also have to make sure you’re using appropriate products for the prep.

… And the looks for the show…

During the seminar, I’d already demonstrated the techniques of two of the looks, which we then recreated in a bolder, stronger way and stepped things up a notch to create drama and a spectacular vision for the evening gala show. Overall, I was really pleased with how it all came together. The looks were super dramatic, incorporating extreme flowing lengths and bold, eye-catching colours in crushed pink and a striking azure blue. You have to be super careful with placements when you’re doing colour fades. It’s not easy to do and all the hair pieces were sewn in by hand.

Which part of the show/seminar gave you personally the most creative satisfaction? Was it a particular moment, or did you find the whole process creatively satisfying?

There’s definitely something satisfying about the whole process of designing and staging a show. Bringing a small, creative vision to life on a huge stage to a global audience is hard to beat. There’s not really a moment to sit back and enjoy the show yourself as it’s so busy backstage getting the models prepped and out on the runway, but it is a great feeling when you take to the stage yourself at the end, seeing the happy faces and soaking up the applause. For me too, it’s a great buzz when you know your models feel amazing – you can see it in their faces and how they walk. That satisfaction of ‘it’s done’ and knowing that we’d executed the show beautifully  without a foot wrong, was my highlight.

How do appearances like this help build the Errol Douglas brand?

They help massively. Errol Douglas is an international brand and I’ve always been dedicated to sharing the amazing reputation of UK hairdressing around the world. This year alone I’ve taken part in major shows in Australia, Portugal and Korea. Each country I’ve ever visited has its own take on their homegrown industry and I love learning and taking elements away with each new experience, in turn sharing my experiences and knowledge too. Being curious and interested is the secret to staying power, it’s a big world out there and there’s so much to learn from it.

“This Is More Than Just A Salon; It Is A Beautiful Place That We Look Forward To Being In Every Day” – Ursula Moore On Bond’s New Location

“This Is More Than Just A Salon; It Is A Beautiful Place That We Look Forward To Being In Every Day” – Ursula Moore On Bond’s New Location

“This Is More Than Just A Salon; It Is A Beautiful Place That We Look Forward To Being In Every Day” – Ursula Moore On Bond’s New Location

The founder of Bond shares all about the larger space, designed with both the team and clients in mind.

by  | CREATIVE PROJECTS

Located in the heart of Shoreditch in the serene and picturesque Arnold Circus you’ll find the new Bond salon space. An upgrade in size from the previous iteration, founder Ursula Moore felt it was time to expand and offer clients something new. “I had noticed this location a few years ago and always envisioned it as an ideal spot for a hair salon,” she shares. Packed with unique charm away from the bustling Shoreditch High Street, it gives clients a fresh hairdressing destination that stands out from the crowd.

The first salon, designed by Jenny at Milk Design, featured a modern deco aesthetic that was both minimalistic and warm. When considering the new interior, Ursula knew it was crucial to carry over this design ethos to the new location, as it is integral to the brand identity. “The colour scheme throughout is feminine with a strength to it, striking a perfect balance between elegance and resilience,” she comments. She opted for timeless, durable elements such as oak wood furniture, alongside timeless classics, such as The Adria II styling chair from Takara Belmont. The inclusion of black worktops, fixtures, and fittings throughout adds an edgy sophistication.

The lie-down wash beds, designed in collaboration with Max Woodall, are also a highlight of the salon and unsurprisingly have gone down a storm with clients. “It was important to us that the hair wash experience is something to look forward to,” Ursula explains. “Additionally, I had the backwash area elevated slightly so that taller individuals, like me, do not have to crane over while shampooing, making the process more comfortable for both clients and stylists.”

Spanning three floors, the new location also offers an abundance of natural light, especially on the top floor, which is used for styling. It features two large skylights and windows running the full length of one side of the room with a beautiful view of the park opposite.

To deliver a calm environment for both team and clients, Bond specialises in personalised one-on-one services with longer appointment times. This ensures that when working on a client’s hair, stylists dedicate their full attention exclusively to the client, even during hair colour processing. This also reduces wait times, delivering a totally serene experience.

“I aimed to create an environment that would be enjoyable not only for our clients but also for our team,” Ursula says. “This is more than just a salon; it is a beautiful place that we look forward to being in every day.”

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“You can just turn up and shoot” – Say hello to Grid Studios

“You can just turn up and shoot” – Say hello to Grid Studios

“You can just turn up and shoot” – Say hello to Grid Studios

The new content creation space for hair stylists that’s obsessed with perfecting your light.

Located in the heart of London’s Old Street you’ll find new Grid Studios, specifically designed for hair and beauty creatives. It’s run by Danny Mendoza-Hall and Ben Ottewell, hair content creators par excellence… and they’ve even worked with Jordanna Cobella to access her in-depth knowledge of the industry to ensure it was spot-on for the modern stylist.

This 100 sq m-plus studio boasts 3.5m high ceilings, an outside courtyard and a banging coffee bar. There are six fully equipped styling stations and a backwash unit with 360-degree access, perfect for every angle when filming. Yes, you’ll find everything you would expect to see in any top salon, but it’s all the extra touches that the social media savvy stylist needs today that impresses. There’s a shower room for capturing wet looks and products, multiple backdrops, materials, polyboards and all the A/V equipment you could need to host events and education. 

Plenty of natural light pours into the space, thanks to the 14m of south-facing windows. But the stand-out element might just be the custom-built lighting system. Hair creatives are always keen to show their work in the best light, and Grid Studio’s lighting system gives an even balanced daylight throughout the space. Its custom system automatically changes the colour temperature of the lighting to match the colour temperature of the daylight, so wherever you are in the space, the lighting and colour is perfect. The lights in the mirrors also change temperature! “We have put this lighting system in place so you can just turn up and shoot without the need to rent additional equipment, meaning you can significantly cut down on the costs of creating high-end content,” says Danny.

There’s also an own in-house production team – Grid Productions – that’s been creating hair content for years, working with some of the industry’s biggest brands. “Our goal was to make high-end content creation accessible both to brands and to hairdressers and beauty professionals,” he adds.

What’s on offer? First, there’s single chair rental, which works in a similar way to a freelance salon – you can rent a chair for the day, bring in your models and use the lighting, equipment and shoot area to create content. Alternatively, the entire studio is available to rent – that comes with all six stations, the backwash and the shoot area, just right for creating branded content and campaigns.

“We created this space to solve the problems we come up against when shooting both in salons and in studios,” says Danny. “Salons often don’t have the ceiling height, they have mismatched lighting, and are busy and noisy. We usually need to bring in loads of additional lighting, and shoot in cramped conditions. Studios don’t generally have styling stations or backwashes, which means you can’t properly capture the creation process. Again, you still need to bring in additional lighting, which is very expensive, making it unachievable for your average freelancer.”

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Untethered Talent Can Create Anywhere – Even On A Half-Pipe

Untethered Talent Can Create Anywhere – Even On A Half-Pipe

UNTETHERED TALENT CAN CREATE ANYWHERE – EVEN ON A HALF-PIPE

We hit the skate park with Syd Hayes and crew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3u6Opdkrvg
Heart-pumping, sheer drops, the wind in your face… the freedom a set of wheels can give you is exhilarating. From boards to skates to bikes, they can take you where you need to go, where you want to go, where you must go next. Captured on a summer’s day at Harrow skatepark in 2021, with genuine skate park regulars modelling the hair looks, this Creative HEAD shoot in partnership with BaByliss PRO is a celebration of freedom and a showcase of pure talent.
 

 

MEET THE MENTORS

Syd Hayes
Sam Burnett
Jody Taylor
Paula McCash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLMQ7F0yxio
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021 stylists
Syd Hayes BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49vBrr_Lav8

 

 

MEET THE MENTEES

Arif Arikan
Georgia Freeman
Exaucè Imbo
Annabel Payne

“It’s amazing to be able to work outside, in a skate park” – Syd Hayes on the BaByliss cordless tools

Exaucè Imbo BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021

MEET EX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VchuYrWQtU
 

 

“I like having clean cuts. Very precise, very detailed, very unique
Exaucè Imbo

MEET ANNABEL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7H7IZeoL2U
 

 

“I love the idea of doing sessions styling, I think it gives you a chance to take something back to your clients in the salon”
– Annabel Payne

BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021
Syd Hayes BaByliss PRO BTS cover shoot 2021
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021 BTS
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021 models
BaByliss PRO cover shoot 2021 mentors

“We’ve kinda given them a little bit of guidance and help and support and showing them that actually, this is something that is achievable”
– Jody Taylor

MEET ARIF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPX7iZ5iPlE
 

“I wanted to do hairdressing from a really young age, it was always a passion, I was always running around with a comb and a brush”
– Arif Arikan

MEET GEORGIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9wsKjZ-jeo
 

“Normally I like creating a very natural textured look, but that’s what I’ve loved about today, it’s really pushed me out of my comfort zone”
– Georgia Freeman


CREDITS: A Creative HEAD shoot in partnership with BaByliss PRO
Hair: Sam Burnett, Paula McCash, Jody Taylor, Arif Arikan, Georgia Freeman, Exaucè Imbo, Annabel Payne (with Ellie’s cut and colour by Ernie Mažonatie at Hare & Bone). Led by Syd Hayes 
Make-up: Elin Jones, Manabu Nobuoka 
Models: Alex (@alex.rennick), Ali (@nazgotroach), Ash (@ashdouglasbmx), Ellie (@elliefelicityclarkson), Elly (@pirate.quinn), Karan (@karan_official1), Kurtis (@kurtis0connor), Robyn (@ robn_roll), Rocco(@roccobrivati) and Rose (@jensenroro), at Autumn Jensen Casting 
Portraits and action photography: Jared Beck 
Photography assistants: Pierre Lequeux, Morgan Shaw 
Behind the scenes and Polaroid photography: Harvey Williams-Fairley 
Digital technician: Brian Clever 
Production: The Creative Partnerships division at Creative HEAD 

Shot on location at Harrow skatepark 

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