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WHY WE CAMPAIGNED TO GET A VAT CUT FOR HAIRDRESSING – AND LOST

WHY WE CAMPAIGNED TO GET A VAT CUT FOR HAIRDRESSING – AND LOST

Mar 6, 2024 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

WHY WE CAMPAIGNED TO GET A VAT CUT FOR HAIRDRESSING – AND LOST

Toby Dicker of the Salon Employers Association took the fight to Government. 

 Toby Dicker

As a salon owner employing 70-plus staff within his five-salon group, The Chapel, Toby Dicker understands full well the financial pressures of operating a hairdressing business on the British high street. Since launching 26 years ago, he calculates he’s seen Employers National Insurance go up by 37 per cent, Value Added Tax (VAT) rise by 33 per cent, and his business subsequently squeezed to almost zero margin.

According to Toby, the hair industry is taxed like no other business on the high street. He claims that around 35p in every £1 is paid in tax by salons employing their teams on PAYE, while other retailers on the high street pay as little as 12p*. With the current VAT rate of 20 per cent triggered once turnover reaches £85,000, some hairdressing businesses deliberately stay below the threshold, either by non-reporting or by stunting further growth. Avoiding the costs and inconveniences associated with VAT means those businesses have the potential to cut their prices by at least 20 per cent, compared to VAT-paying salons. 

And that, says Toby, has created an existential crisis that threatens the very future of the sector: “Budget-squeezed salons are reducing the number of apprentices they take on, while non-VAT registered salons, like ‘rent-a-chair’ models, home and mobile hairdressers, don’t take on apprentices at all,” he says. “Because only PAYE employed salons can run apprenticeship programmes, numbers have dropped to the lowest level ever, to 5,000 intakes per annum. PAYE salons taking on apprentices invest up to £50,000 in salary and training costs per apprentice over two years, yet they receive little Government support in return.” 

In 2020 Toby co-founded the Salon Employers Association (SEA) to campaign for reform on fiscal and tax matters directly affecting VAT-registered and PAYE salons. Almost 1,500 businesses signed up, including high-profile salons like Brooks & Brooks, Errol Douglas, Sally Montague, Daniel Galvin and Barrie Stephens. A survey conducted by the SEA received over 600 responses, revealing that more than 50 per cent of salon owners were considering closing their business. “That’s over 5,500 businesses and 44,000 jobs,” says Toby, “many of them occupying spaces on our struggling high streets, helping to drive millions of customers into cities, town centres and villages each week.” 

The figures are right in front of our eyes: in 2022 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were 11,170 VAT-registered hair and beauty businesses – the majority of those on high streets. Fast forward to today and the landscape looks very different. New ONS data shows that the number of businesses in our sector turning over more than £100,000 – and therefore definitively VAT-registered – has dropped by 17 per cent in the last year alone.  

Feisty stuff! Watch Toby and the NHBF’s Caroline Larissey discuss VAT in an Instagram Live hosted by Creative HEAD.

“The situation is dire and the Government and HMRC are forcing honest businesses to go bust,” says Toby. “Salons add almost all value through labour, rather than product, and we estimate that our business model is hit up to six times harder than other retail outlets because nearly all our costs are labour. We have more people working in salons versus other retailers, so any employment related costs hit us much harder.  

“The industry is close to breaking point,” he continues, “and there is one simple solution: a change in VAT law, which could level the playing field.” Tax breaks in our sector are not unknown: in Ireland, salons were temporarily allowed to pay 9 per cent on services and 23 per cent on retail sales. The Netherlands lowered VAT to 6 per cent in the 2000s for labour-intensive services, resulting in the creation of 4,000 jobs. 

Spearheaded by Toby, the SEA began campaigning for the Government to reduce VAT to 10 per cent for the hair and beauty industry, arguing that the reduction was necessary to ensure salons’ survival on the high street. “It would also align our industry with other essential services like hospitality, providing immediate relief and boosting competitiveness,” he says. “It is a proactive step that aligns with economic recovery goals and

Plenty rallied to the call, with The Hair & Barber Council, the Freelance Hairdressers Association, the Fellowship for British Hairdressing and the Men’s Hairdressing Federation all supporting the cause (together with the SEA they now operate together as the British Hairdressing Consortium) and salon owners up and down the country writing to their MPs using template letters available from the SEA’s Instagram channel. However, the Government’s Autumn Budget came and went without the hoped-for tax break. 

Undeterred, Toby carried on, and as the Government’s 2024 Spring Budget approached, campaigning took on a new sense of urgency. “This is a last chance saloon,” said Toby. “We have to call for something and this is the thing that will make the biggest difference right now. We could argue for the next 10 years about different taxes and whether they’re fair or not, on apprenticeship costs and training and a multitude of other things. We don’t think it’s the solution, we think it’s an emergency and they need to take this now, like they did in COVID with hospitality.” 

With financial support from salon software company Phorest (HQ’d in Ireland, chief executive Ronan Perceval was a big fan of the tax breaks that had been afforded to Irish salons), Toby approached a PR company specialising in business media, armed with his survey and a load of industry stats. A press release was written – and the story exploded. Toby appeared on over 20 TV and radio stations, including BBC Breakfast, GB News and a host of ITV regional stations, while the story was also picked up in high-profile newspapers including The Sun and The Times.  

But did it work? Unfortunately, it did not. On 6 March the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt raised the VAT threshold to £90,000 and cut the National Insurance Contributions (NIC) for the self-employed from 8 per cent to 6 per cent but did not cut NIC for employers. On 1 April the National Minimum Wage will rise again, putting additional pressure on employment costs.  

“It’s fantastic that individuals get more in their pay packet and that the National Minimum Wage has been increased,” says Toby, “but these measures are paid for by small businesses, not by Government, and with no support in the form of levelling the tax playing field many of these employers will be forced out of business.

“This budget just made the scales tip further away from level, by increasing the VAT threshold to £90,000, and we’ll now be thinking about perhaps changing our strategy and our businesses as things go forward as PAYE and VAT-paying salon owners clearly don’t matter to this Government.” 

Toby knows the Government wants industry representatives to speak with one voice, so that issues can be clearly identified and addressed. While the SEA were campaigning to reduce VAT to 10 per cent, the National Hair & Beauty Federation published a report suggesting sliding scales of VAT thresholds could be the answer to the industry’s troubles. Meanwhile, the British Beauty Council’s Value of Beauty 2023 report reported “positive growth” within the sector. According to Toby, these mixed messages undermined the SEA campaign and hampered its chances of success. 

“We are an angry and divided industry at the moment,” he says. “Not having unity clouds everything, and not having all industry bodies share our discussions has been unhelpful.” 

But Toby’s not giving up. He has further meetings planned with HMRC and next item on the agenda is compliance – and particularly around the subject of disguised employment, where a worker functions as an employee but is not classified as one.  

“Our industry is being destroyed by flouting of HMRC payments and tax avoidance,” says Toby.  “The fraud is largely hidden from the Government and HMRC radar but those caught breaking the law are facing severe legal and financial penalties…. Meanwhile, those following it are seeing their profession fall apart and are penalised for doing the right thing. 

We want to help spread the word to get salon owners and stylists to read up on the rules, comply and help us all turn the tide now. 

“A question we need to ask is whether we want this industry to survive,” he concludes. “And if you want sustainable growth in our sector, then we need to balance the playing field.” 

*Information available @salonemployersassociation

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WHY GOING GREY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

WHY GOING GREY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Mar 3, 2024 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

SILVER LINING

For decades, we’ve been taught to cover grey. Now we should help clients embrace it, says colourist Nancy Stripe – it could be the best thing you’ve done for your business in years.

Nancy Stripe

When it comes to grey hair, real change is afoot. In 2024, it’s a statement of confidence and intent. Whether on the red carpet (Emma Thompson, Lady Gaga, Andie McDowell); among the fashion crowd (British Vogue’s Sarah Harris, Erin O’Connor, Jan de Villeneuve); or even on the world stage (Christine Lagarde and Princess Caroline), women of all ages are embracing a hair colour that for many years was seen as a sign of “letting yourself go”.

Leading the charge here in the UK is colourist Nancy Stripe (owner of Stripe Studio in Handforth, near Manchester), whose interest in grey was piqued when several of her clients who worked in and around fashion (30-, 40- and 50-year-olds) said they’d had enough of their male counterparts being labelled Silver Foxes and decided to wear their Silver Vixen crown. Stripe’s decision actively to market to grey conversion clients has not only been lucrative for her business (clients have been known to spend £600+ in a single appointment), it’s also led to a new education course, Embrace the Grey, that’s rolling out this year in partnership with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris.

So, when is it time to have a conversation about going grey? “As early as possible,” says Nancy, “because if you start blending the grey earlier, the eye gets used to seeing the grey in the hair. When women wait until they have a more solid amount of grey, they go from looking like they’ve got solidly warm colour hair to maybe being fully grey, and that jump is too much. It makes them feel old.” Clues to look out for that a client might be ready and willing? “When they say they’re sick of coming to the salon every three to four weeks, or they’ve got a white band around the hairline. But lots of clients are still worried about what others might think, so you’ve got to be ready with the support and encouragement.”

Transitioning to grey is a long and winding road – you’re looking at around a year, with some challenging moments along the way – so that initial consultation is absolutely vital. Says Nancy: “Key questions to ask include, How much grey are they comfortable seeing? Do they want a more fashionable grey placement? Are they willing to consider a different – possibly edgier – haircut, or will they look to retain their youthfulness through sharper clothes and make-up? Grey hair is naturally coarser, so you will also need to assess the condition properly before going ahead with any lightening methods, and also how much lift the hair can take because that will determine how many sessions will be needed to achieve the finished result. It’s vital you give your client realistic expectations.”

Is it going to be expensive? Yes, it is. But as Stripe argues, it’s highly likely these clients are already investing in expertly applied Botox and fillers (subtle enhancements being the order of the day), so cost tends not to be a deterrent. “I am very strict with my clients. I let them know there will need to be treatment plans, specialist products and if you don’t think you can do it, we can always go back to full coverage.  But it’s usually three to four appointments down the line where they think, Okay, here we are. Bingo!”

Stripe has identified four distinct client types, each with a different attitude to embracing grey, and each, therefore, requiring a different approach in her chair.

• The Embracer (role model, the actress Andie MacDowell) is excited to explore their natural grey patterns and wants to keep as much of the natural as possible. She will be looking to get maximum longevity from the colour. You’ll mainly be using babylights and balayage with this client, with powerful lighteners (where the hair can take it) and glossing.

• The Blender (à la Jennifer Aniston) wants to work with her natural grey to create a new canvas of blonde and balayage through her hair. She wants to retain a definite coloured look and will be back in the salon every three months for top-ups. High-level lifting will be required, with lots of coverage but easy to grow out.

• The Illusionist (as illustrated by actress Sarah Jessica Parker) wants to look as close to her darker base as possible, but with a softer grow-out She’ll be back in the salon within eight weeks, like a global application would be, but with a gentler blend. She’ll mainly need coverage in foils, but perhaps also some lightening and glossing.

• And finally, there’s The Bold (think, model Erin O’Connor). She may want an edgier look, such as a solid piece of her natural grey in the hairline and the rest of her hair kept darker.

Potential problems to look out for? Clients will feel their hair is too light, as they are so used to being a brunette. In this case, darken only with low lights and leave grey placement. Highlights may go too warm so there is too much contrast against the grey. In this case, use the strongest lightener possible and in fine sections for maximum lift, alongside a treatment plan (Stripe swears by L’Oréal Professionnel Paris’s Absolut Repair Molecular). And if the tint used for coverage in lowlights is fading too warm against the natural, then it’s causing too much of a shift in the undercoat, so go with a cool reflect for a truer tone and a softer fade.

For decades, colourists have been conditioned to cover grey. Now, it turns out that helping your clients transition to grey is not only an impressive showcase of your technical skills, it may also provide you with incredible job satisfaction. Says Stripe: “I’m 40 next year and as you age, things change. You change, your clients change. My 20-year-old self would have thought having an older client base would be so boring. But now I know what great people these clients are to have in your life. The conversations we have are brilliant and quite exciting, actually!”

GOING GREY

 

  1. The start of Michelle’s journey and her two-week dreaded regrowth that made her re-think her approach to coverage.
  2. After starting to go lighter, she still felt like the regrowth line was too severe and wanted a much more natural grow-out.
  3. Session 2 of grey blending and we can see the grey is starting to become part of the fabric of her hair. Object today was to lighten the face frame and melt the colour together to create more depth and dimension.
  4. The result from session 2.
  5. L’Oréal photo-shoot day. Now very established in the grey blending technique, Michelle is getting four months in between salon visits. Today we got to try the new Dia Color shades as it offers up to 70 per cent coverage.
  6. Our stunning result. What a difference from when we first started!

Book the course:

Navigating Grey with Nancy Stripe

£220 per person

Leeds – 3 June 2024

Cardiff – 24 June 2024

London  – 12 August 2024

Edinburgh –  9 September 2024

Register

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DUFFY – THE PERFECTION OF IMPERFECTION

DUFFY – THE PERFECTION OF IMPERFECTION

Feb 27, 2024 | DOCUMENTS

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

DUFFY - THE PERFECTION OF IMPERFECTION

Crowned Most Wanted Hair Icon 2023, session legend Duffy was left “shellshocked” by such validation from his peers and the industry. The go-to hair lead for labels such as Alaïa, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, he tells Creative HEAD Editorial Director Amanda Nottage about about his early days as an apprentice at Vidal Sassoon, and how in the 
ever-evolving and fast-paced world of fashion, his team is vital to his collaborative process.

,

Duffy, photographed by Josh Olins

How did your career in hair begin?

At the age of 12 I got a job on a Saturday at a local barber shop next to the bookies that my dad used to go to. £10 a day to sweep up, a 12-hour day. Then I needed to sort work experience and I was like, ‘Five days of work experience means 50 quid, happy days!’ And my mum said: “Not a chance! You’re going to London.” I applied to Vidal Sassoon and got a week’s work experience, so got the train up to London when I was 13. And it was quite a mad salon that one on Floral Street, there was Joseph, Agnes B. It was lively, and it just made sense to me. Why would I want to go back to school? At Vidal Sassoon I was treated like an adult, I was expected to behave like an adult. I had to achieve every day, and that for me is not just hairdressing, that’s apprenticeships across the board. 

Duffy, photographed by Josh Olins

How did your career in hair begin?

At the age of 12 I got a job on a Saturday at a local barber shop next to the bookies that my dad used to go to. £10 a day to sweep up, a 12-hour day. Then I needed to sort work experience and I was like, ‘Five days of work experience means 50 quid, happy days!’ And my mum said: “Not a chance! You’re going to London.” I applied to Vidal Sassoon and got a week’s work experience, so got the train up to London when I was 13. And it was quite a mad salon that one on Floral Street, there was Joseph, Agnes B. It was lively, and it just made sense to me. Why would I want to go back to school? At Vidal Sassoon I was treated like an adult, I was expected to behave like an adult. I had to achieve every day, and that for me is not just hairdressing, that’s apprenticeships across the board.

You’re taught a work ethic, and that your effort reaps rewards. When I left school at 15, my first pay cheque at Vidal Sassoon as a full-time assistant was £40 a week for four days in-salon and a day in the training school. And my train from Surrey was £48 a week, so my parents helped me and I worked odd jobs. I did four days of greeting clients, sweeping the floor, cleaning the toilets, washing the bowls, taking the laundry out… but the reward was I got to watch these incredible hairdressers cut hair. And then one day a week, I got to learn a skill.

How did that kid working at Sassoon start his adventure into session?

I met Eugene Souleiman – he was in my friend’s clothes shop in Covent Garden buying some expensive Japanese denim – and he opened the door to a whole other world of hairdressing. “What do you mean you live in New York and you fly here?” – I had no idea what he did, but he was this incredibly alive character.

I was at the Seven Dials branch of Sassoon, and Beverly Streeter [from the agency Streeters] rang the front desk. They said it was my mum! “Duffy darling, it’s Beverly. Eugene told me to call, he’s got a show.” I phoned in sick! The show was Hussein Chalayan, and I specifically remember this crazy Frenchman with a Mohican or something, standing on a chair with a clipboard and a stopwatch around his neck. He gave this speech to all the models on how to walk, how to embrace the energy of the show. Everybody cheered and the show started…

So that was it – a session career awaited?

Well, I finished my apprenticeship and thought, ‘hang on, there’s got to be more to this’. I was cutting old ladies’ hair, making 600 quid a month. So, I left hairdressing and London. I thought that it just wasn’t for me. I got in a van and I drove around Europe for two years snowboarding. I came back and was working in my best mate’s mum’s cheese factory in Camberwell, and on the weekends I was driving a van for an antique store. It was the best time, skating every night with a couple of cans of beer with my mates. And then a friend rang, “I’m opening a barber shop, we’re looking for staff…”

An old friend of mine came into the barber shop and asked me to cut some guy’s hair for a picture for GQ. They wanted a Nike ‘swoosh’ in the side. I was like, ‘oh, interesting’. Then I did a couple of other little things with him, and I’d met a few people, kind of East London, cool, i-D, Dazed crowd. Then my girlfriend started working as a styling assistant, and I was like, ‘Let’s just give this a go’.

How seriously did you take it this time? Could you see a career unfolding?

I was maybe 20 or 21, and I ran into Eugene. He was living in New York still, his assistant had just left and he asked me to come to New York, to work with him. I thought it was cool, and asked him to book the tickets. He said: “No, you book the ticket, you move to New York. And once you’re here, you can work on the team.” So I said, “I’m not doing that!” But six months later, he asked me to join him again, this time in Italy. I asked: “Can I bring a mate because your team’s really scary?!” They were the best hairdressers in the world – Angelo Seminara, Rudi Lewis, Raphael Salley, Johnny Sarpong, Martin Cullen – they’re legends!

These were the people that I was able to learn from under Eugene’s team and so James Rowe and I took our skateboards, booked some EasyJet flights and flew to Milan! We didn’t sleep for two weeks. And if we did sleep, James and I were sharing a bed or sleeping on the floor of a friend, skating between shows because we couldn’t afford cabs. Incredible times, I learnt so much.

Fast forward to last September… how did it feel when your name was called out as the 2023 Most Wanted Hair Icon at Tate Modern?

I didn’t know what to say. I’d like to think I don’t have an ego. I for sure do, sadly. It felt like I’d achieved something. To have an industry say, ‘Congratulations, you’ve done pretty well’, was quite mega. Us session hairdressers wake up every day and you’re your own boss, you go to work and you try to forge your own path in what you do. Or you just turn up, which is what I’ve pretty much done for the last 20 years, turn up and see what the day brings you. But to understand that people are paying attention, that I’m doing something right, was amazing. And my son’s really proud. He took the trophy to school!

You made a point of saying a big thank you to your team…

Oh, it’s all about the team, particularly Lukas Tralmer, who’s now going out on his own; Dale Delaporte; Paddy McDougall and Laurence Walker. I can turn up to a show, be the best hairdresser in the business, but if I’ve got 75 or 85 models in Milan as I did for Bottega Veneta, and each one of them needs the nuance of that personality, I need my team. And if my team aren’t happy, if they don’t feel appreciated or acknowledged, if they don’t feel like they have a voice, then there’s no point in me trying to continue doing the job I’m doing.

The last season that I worked with Eugene, I think we did 29 shows in three cities, and you turned up and you did that show. Now, the expectation is huge. They have a lookbook being shot backstage. They have first looks, they have TikTok, they have Instagram, they have video. And shows are becoming more adventurous. You might have four hours, and the rehearsal ends up being two hours. So, then you’ve got to get four kids through each chair in two hours. 

How would you describe your aesthetic? And which environment speaks to you more – the live show, the set?

I’ve built my career through mishaps and mistakes in a way. The perfection of imperfection is an incredible thing. On my journey to find perfection, I found something else I loved, which was imperfection in classicism. You’re trying to achieve something incredibly beautiful and classic, but once you get there, you’ve seen it already. It’s not new, it’s not evolved. So, the evolution came in either making something perfect, and taking it apart afterwards, or the journey there.

You can make a perfect silhouette, then as you’re undoing it in front of the camera, you suddenly see something like a shape that is so abstract. So let’s explore that. Let’s take a couple of frames, let me put a bit of wind in it, pull it apart a bit more. Let’s capture those moments because a show is instantaneous. But at a show, you’re presenting the reality, in three dimensions. If they’re wearing wigs and the audience is sitting on the floor, they’re looking up under the hairline – you’ve got to take it all into consideration. But when you’re in a studio working two dimensionally, there’s so much fakery that you can build and create. That is where that personal joy comes from. You can do the same silhouette on three different people, and you get a completely different result.

Backstage at Haider Ackermann, A/W20. Photography by Max Hoell
Backstage at Sies Marjan, A/W20. Photography by Max Hoell
Prada A/W22 campaign. Photography by David Sims
Raf Simons, S/S23. Photography by Goldie Williams

How would you describe your aesthetic? And which environment speaks to you more – the live show, the set?

I’ve built my career through mishaps and mistakes in a way. The perfection of imperfection is an incredible thing. On my journey to find perfection, I found something else I loved, which was imperfection in classicism. You’re trying to achieve something incredibly beautiful and classic, but once you get there, you’ve seen it already. It’s not new, it’s not evolved. So, the evolution came in either making something perfect, and taking it apart afterwards, or the journey there.

You can make a perfect silhouette, then as you’re undoing it in front of the camera, you suddenly see something like a shape that is so abstract. So let’s explore that. Let’s take a couple of frames, let me put a bit of wind in it, pull it apart a bit more. Let’s capture those moments because a show is instantaneous. But at a show, you’re presenting the reality, in three dimensions. If they’re wearing wigs and the audience is sitting on the floor, they’re looking up under the hairline – you’ve got to take it all into consideration. But when you’re in a studio working two dimensionally, there’s so much fakery that you can build and create. That is where that personal joy comes from. You can do the same silhouette on three different people, and you get a completely different result.

How do you keep yourself firing on all cylinders?

I can’t tell you there’s a super-rare book I look at in those times. My inspiration comes from my team, and from the creative environment, the creative team. They all bring something to the table and it’s my job and their job individually to puzzle it together. Anthony Turner said in i-D magazine, and I’ll probably misquote him: “After craft, it becomes only about taste”.

That hit the nail on the head. We can all be the best technical hairdresser – and everyone should try and be able to do those things – but after that point, what sets you apart is down to taste. And taste is evolving, my taste changes all the time.

I don’t think the hair I do now is anything like the hair I did 20 years ago, when I didn’t have a team to do everything. I look back at some of those pictures and they’re brilliant, but they’re totally different. We naturally evolve as creative people, so we do lose and gain clients. Sometimes we have lulls and it’s the same for me – because at the level that we are all aspiring to work at it, it becomes about taste.

It can be a punishing schedule in session. Do you still enjoy it all?

I feel incredibly blessed to have been given so many opportunities. I’ve seen the world by the age of 45, I’ve met every person I could ever wish to meet. The world that this industry has offered me is unlike any other world I could have ever imagined. So yes, I enjoy it. Maybe sometimes not as much because it can be exhausting. It can be monotonous sometimes – flight, car, hotel, studio, hotel, car, hotel – but that’s also part of the game.

But like Guido said, and I might misquote him too: “I still feel nervous going to work every day”. And that is the most important thing. The day I stop feeling nervous walking into a studio is the day when all the other stuff that goes with it doesn’t really make sense anymore. Because if I’m not pushing myself and my team, and I’m just taking a pay cheque and having supper in a nice hotel, it doesn’t add up. There’s something wrong.

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How K18 Changed The Way We Think About Hair

How K18 Changed The Way We Think About Hair

Suveen Sahib had no experience in the haircare industry, but he was curious. And that’s how he came to create K18, the biotech ‘miracle’ product line that’s paving the way for the future of haircare

GARY GILL – A MODERN TRAILBLAZER

GARY GILL – A MODERN TRAILBLAZER

Feb 27, 2024 | DOCUMENTS

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

GARY GILL - A MODERN TRAILBLAZER

The acclaimed session stylist may occasionally reference his troubled past in his work, but the results are always spectacularly forward-thinking. Gary Gill attributes his irreverent approach to hairstyling to the years he spent as a teenager in Brighton’s punk community. His work is artistic, sculptural and anti-establishment, stamped with the codes of counter-culture he was obsessed with while growing up. His aesthetic has been called anti-glamour (he particularly loves that description).

Gary Gill

Relatively late in life, the former salon owner and Wella educator has reached an elite level in the world of session styling that only a select few ever achieve. He is called upon to generate looks for Balenciaga, Y Project, Dries Van Noten, Acne Studios, Martine Rose, Diesel and plenty of other labels seeking to balance their collections with his signature clean, artful styling. In 2019 he was voted into the BoF 500, a global index of hand- selected professionals shaping the fashion industry.

But what’s equally impressive – and possibly also a large part of the reason for his success – is his meticulous approach to work, his calm demeanour and his kindness to others. “How to work with people and how to be within large groups of people I learned the most from my mum, who was a hairdresser herself,” he says. “She was a really good teacher but only later in life

I realised what a great mentor she was. From being a young, arrogant hairdresser who thought he knew it all, I became a mature person within the industry. She always used to say that 90 per cent of success is having a good attitude. It was the most valuable lesson for me in how to get on in the industry. At hairdressing events people would always say, “Hi Gary, how is your mum?” It’s made me realise how good she was with people and how important that is.” 

Gary Gill

Relatively late in life, the former salon owner and Wella educator has reached an elite level in the world of session styling that only a select few ever achieve. He is called upon to generate looks for Balenciaga, Y Project, Dries Van Noten, Acne Studios, Martine Rose, Diesel and plenty of other labels seeking to balance their collections with his signature clean, artful styling. In 2019 he was voted into the BoF 500, a global index of hand- selected professionals shaping the fashion industry.

But what’s equally impressive – and possibly also a large part of the reason for his success – is his meticulous approach to work, his calm demeanour and his kindness to others. “How to work with people and how to be within large groups of people I learned the most from my mum, who was a hairdresser herself,” he says. “She was a really good teacher but only later in life

I realised what a great mentor she was. From being a young, arrogant hairdresser who thought he knew it all, I became a mature person within the industry. She always used to say that 90 per cent of success is having a good attitude. It was the most valuable lesson for me in how to get on in the industry. At hairdressing events people would always say, “Hi Gary, how is your mum?” It’s made me realise how good she was with people and how important that is.” 

Gary, we don’t get to see you very often nowadays but we hear a lot about you – especially from the new generation of stylists. It seems like everybody who’s ever won an It List award wants to work with you!

I’ve always been very interested in our industry. I feel a lot of session stylistsforget where they came from, but for me it’s so important. I always say to my team, ‘You are the future, and I’m currently living my future!’ I’ve had two or three careers already, so I’m very positive about supporting them, and very pro them understanding where they came from, and how important it is to remember that they came from salon backgrounds, where they were doing 10 clients a day and had all that incredible training. I’m always really keen to connect with the industry, it’s just that my time has become so limited because of my session career. So, to do interviews has always been a good way for me to say how I feel, and tell my story a little bit, you know? It’s not an ‘all about me’ thing. I’m very passionate about younger hairdressers doing well and feeling that they’re worthy of being who they are as a hairdresser. It’s about inspiring them, to say ‘you can go on and do many things’, whether as an educator, a platform artist, a session stylist or a salon owner. And so much of what I do now is stuff that I learnt when I was a salon owner.

How did you find your way into hairdressing?

I grew up in Brighton and I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I was very wild as a youngster. I was rebellious, always wanting to do my own thing. On the plus side, being involved with different gangs gave me an insight into youth culture and its tribalism, which, in turn, led me to music, fashion and style. Back then, in the ’70s and ’80s, hair was intrinsic to youth culture, and it was a way for me to be able to express myself. Changing the way I looked, changing my hair or connecting to punk, ska, goth or the rave scene was a way for me to be rebellious, to say something and to have a point of view, without having to put it into words.

Moving from Brighton to London, I didn’t really have any direction and I felt a bit lost. I actually started hairdressing to make my parents feel a bit more proud of me. I trained in a little salon only a few miles from where I live now, in southwest London. The day I walked into that salon, I felt like I had found my home. There was something about it that made me think, ‘I love this’. And I got a very good training with an excellent teacher, who really put herself out for me. We’d do extra training nights and enter competitions, which was a really great discipline, and I was so enthusiastic about it and so into doing hair that within three years I decided to get my own salon – I’d only just finished my apprenticeship!

My mum came to work with me and I learnt a lot from her – not necessarily about hair, but more about how to run a day-to-day salon business because she’d had her own salon for about 10 years. My dad was a very good businessman, too; both my parents really were guiding lights for me, I was so lucky.

So, that was in 1985, I was 21 years old. And of course, I thought I knew everything, then quickly realised I knew nothing and made a million mistakes. But my mum was a great mentor and I had a great business partner, Kay Bolton, and it ended up being very successful. We expanded into the shop next door, we employed 25 people… And then it just got to the point where my mum wanted to retire, my business partner had a baby – and it seemed the right time to call it a day.

But it’s quite a leap, going from salon owner to session stylist. So, how – and why – did you make that happen?

I was 39, coming up to 40 and I remember thinking, ‘If I’m not careful, I’m just going to end up in this little office, in my salon, all on my own. Maybe I’ve got something else in me’. So, we collectively decided to sell the salon to a bigger company, which had a chain of salons and an academy, and I ended up staying on with them for 10 years as a consultant. But it was only one day a week, and that allowed me to discover myself as a session hairdresser.

When you first started out, how confident were you with your session hairdressing skills?

I would read magazines like i-D, The Face and Dazed and I would think, ‘I can do that’. But then when I started doing it, I realised it’s actually really hard. It was quite a shock to me when I started working in fashion to discover I just didn’t have the skills that were needed. So, I had to get some experience through working with other artists on shows and shoots. It was maybe easier for me because I was a bit older and more confident, and people seemed to respect and accept me. I worked on teams alongside Eugene Souleiman and Duffy, and stylists like Harris Elliot and Elgar Johnson, while photographers like Gerald Jenkins and Jamie Hawkesworth gave me some great opportunities. I learnt so much from these people.

Aged 40, it was really funny becoming an assistant, but it was so liberating, it was lovely. I shed all the responsibilities of being a salon owner, I could just do hair. I started doing some of my own shows in London – smaller ones at Men’s Fashion Week – and then I started doing a few in Paris and it snowballed from there, resulting in Paris Vogue labelling me ‘one of the four best hair and make-up geniuses’ in a feature on the next big names in beauty. But it was meeting the Russian stylist Lotta Volkova and designer/photographer Gosha Rubchinskiy that really catapulted me into the limelight. Vetements had started street casting, using more interesting-looking people.

And I’d been through that whole ’70s and ’80s thing in the salon, doing the haircuts and the really bright colours, and so I’d go to the tests in Paris with Lotta and Demna [Gvasalia, Vetements co-founder], and there was an authenticity to what I was doing. And I guess I was lucky – I was in the right place at the right time, with the right skill set for the right kind of job. And that really helped me. And from there, Demna went to Balenciaga, and the rest is history…

Martine Rose – London S/S24
Molly Goddard – London S/S24
Diesel – Milan S/S24
Diesel – Milan S/S24

It seems that as well as getting this experience, it was important for you to be authentic, and to develop something unique to you?

When I started out in session, I remember thinking, ‘I just don’t know if I’m going to be happy in this environment’. I just didn’t feel like it was going to fit with me. So, I made a conscious decision about how my work was going to be, what kind of aesthetic I was going to promote, to create a point of difference and get away from what I suppose you would call the ‘glamorous’ side of fashion. That was really important to me. To feel confident, I have to understand what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.

My advice to anybody who wants to work in fashion is to hone your craft. If you don’t develop good skills, this will become apparent very quickly. This world is all about reputation and it’s about making sure that you can do the work. If you develop strong skills you then have the power to subvert them, and having this foundation means you can have good ideas very quickly, which is demanded of you as a session stylist.

Those technical skills from your days in the salon have obviously helped you create your niche, but there’s another side – the mentoring of your team, how you educate them, teach them new skills – that surely also links back to your time as an employer?

To a certain extent, but I think I’ve improved on it even more. We just did a show for Balenciaga, where we had more than 100 models and a five-day prep, and I had two or three teams in different places at different times. And the management of every single one of those people, whether they’re there as part of my core team, or just packing the kit, it matters to me that everyone feels valued. It’s impossible for me to do my job without my team, and it’s virtually impossible to do it without a team that is motivated and excited.

I can have all the ideas in the world, I can do all the client meetings in the world, but I can’t do all the work. It’s just not possible to turn out that many high quality models without a very strong team. And I’m not just talking about doing hair, I also have [my agency] Streeters, which is phenomenal.

It’s just a massive team effort. And I genuinely believe that if people want to work for you because of what you’re bringing in terms of values and ethos, you can do anything. I don’t want people to come to work and feel fear, I want them to feel comfortable – people do really good work when they feel comfortable. I mean, I am strict, and I do have quite a rigid regime, but on the other hand I give people space to do good work.

My previous first assistant, Tom Wright, worked for me for 10 years and he left this year. He had been so integral to what I have done and created to this point, I will miss him but we planned his departure, it was a kind of a slow process to ensure he was secure with his move. I also would be doing him a disservice if I didn’t help him on his way to pursue his own career. The way I structure my team gives me strength and depth and all the people who were working next in line have all moved up and filled in the gap and are offering me something new.

 

Vetements – Paris A/W20
Acne Studios – Paris S/S23
Vetements – Paris A/W20
Martine Rose – London S/S20

Your work is very distinctive. How do you retain that point of difference?

I got to a point where I thought, ‘Right, I know what I want my work to look like.
I know I have good ideas. I’ve developed my skills – now I need to make sure I’m working with people who share my vibe’. I think carefully about who I work with, there’s got to be a mutual understanding.

Clients look at different portfolios and think, ‘Who is the right person for this job?’ and I think it can hold you back if you do a lot of everything. If your work changes from shoot to shoot, it’s harder for a client to understand what you’re about and if you are right for the job. I see people who join agencies and they’re not being managed as well as they could be. If they are pressured to do all the jobs that are offered to them, their career can end up snowballing into nothing. It’s better to have no content than the wrong content.

So, the individual aesthetic is everything. Is this something you help your team to develop?

It’s crucial to have your own point of view. This could be a style, a quality or a message. Then, you need to work with people who will enable you to elevate what you do and who give you a platform on which you are able to be your best. To do this, you need to educate yourself about photographers, about stylists, about brands. Do your research so that you can make good decisions about who you work with, rather than being seduced by the name of a brand. Don’t fall for that.

I think a lot of people do because they think it is going to get them to a certain place, but it doesn’t always. Develop a strong strategy about where you’re going and who you are going to be. Really research your ideas and make sure they are strong, and you are not too influenced by other people’s opinions. And practice hard. Even now if there is something I am not certain I understand how to do, or know how to use, I will practice it until I feel completely confident with it.

You were contributing editor at Dazed for several years, and now you’re a ‘dream maker’ at Beauty Papers. What does that entail? I’ve always had a very strong relationship with Beauty Papers. The founders, Maxine Leonard and Valerie Wickes, have been very supportive of my career and given me a lot of space to do interesting work that other people maybe wouldn’t have let me do. It’s a role that I’m sharing with Eugene and Holli Smith, so the three of us are the hair dream makers. I guess that means we’re contributing beauty editors, taste-makers within the world of hair and make-up.

It’s great that hairdressers are being recognised in that way, isn’t it?

Yes, absolutely. I think it’s really inspirational for younger hairdressers. And it’s funny, my team come from all over the world and we were chatting the other day and I told them that when I was young, you only did hair if you were kind of considered a bit daft, or not academically good enough to do another type of job. And they all said it was exactly the same where they were from, even at their age, which is mid-20s to early 30s. Hairdressing is such a stigmatised industry and yet creatively hairdressers are on the same level as designers and so many people have made great businesses out of beauty and hair. So I hope that one day it will finally be recognised as an industry that can have some respect.

Do you think you could use your voice in the industry to help change things?

Hairdressing saved my life on several occasions, and I’m very grateful for that. In the summer, I did the Summer Club. It’s where you go and spend a day with some inner-city kids who are considering working in a fashion-based creative environment. And it was a lovely thing to work in that environment, and to try and show that no matter where you’re from, and what you’re doing, there’s opportunity in a creative field. It was the first time I’ve done something like that, and I got a lot from it. I actually ended up having four young people from the Summer Club come and work on one of my shows in London. A couple of them were doing video and photography, one of them worked with my producer and one of them wanted to do hair. I was trying to show there’s lots to do in and around our environment, rather than just the work we do.

And for the past two years a production company has been filming a documentary about me. I was a bit apprehensive at first but then I decided I would do it because I wanted to tell my story and make it inspirational for people who are coming from areas where they can’t get a job, or they can’t see any future in school, or they’re running into problems with crime or drugs. I want to show that you can still do something, that there’s still a way forward. I feel like I’ve been stigmatised a lot because of being a hairdresser and this film is a way for me to say, ‘Actually, you have to be pretty smart to be able to get through this world that I work in’. Because it’s not easy. You have got to have many skill sets, emotional intelligence, production skills, people skills, and then you’ve got to do your job on top. And yet sadly, sometimes when I’m dealing with things outside of my industry, I tend to take my signature, which says hairdresser, off my email.

So I just really feel really passionate about making people understand what a positive job it is and the employment opportunities that exist.

Rebecca Chang is Gary’s new first assistant (Creative HEAD readers may also remember her as the 2017 It List It Girl winner). So, what’s it like to hold such an important role within the team?

“When Gary asked me to become his first assistant I felt like everything I have worked for in the past 10 years had come true. It was perfect timing because I understand now how much and what it takes to be a first assistant – how to handle situations under high pressure and perform your best, even when obstacles come your way.

“Gary is a perfectionist and there is always a reason why he does something. He has taught me that ‘Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance’ and I swear by that, even in my personal life.

“But he is also very open-minded and encourages us to contribute creatively on shoots and how we can improve our system. I don’t feel like I am ‘working for’ Gary; I am ‘working with’ him. He is always asking our (the core team’s) opinion about everything from the hair creative to which hotel we should stay in. We are very transparent in our communication and I believe that’s what makes our team a family.

“Gary is my mentor – that’s how he stands out from other session stylists I have worked for. He has shaped me to become a stronger artist, both technically and mentally. He encourages me to do my own shoots when the opportunity arises, and is so supportive
of me building my portfolio and clientele. He is like a father figure, moulding and guiding me at work and outside work. He’s taught me how to be the best version of myself and I will forever be thankful to him.”

Related

THE TOP TRENDS SPOTTED AT LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W24

THE TOP TRENDS SPOTTED AT LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W24

Feb 27, 2024 | DOCUMENTS

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

THE TOP TRENDS SPOTTED AT LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W24

Get the lowdown on the key hair trends spotted on the catwalks at London Fashion Week A/W24 shows

Backstage at Mithridate A/W24

As London Fashion Week concludes, we’re reflecting on the biggest trends spotted on the catwalks at the A/W24 shows. A melting pot of creativity, this season saw a number of stand out styles, including metallic foiling, the return of the deep side parting and a celebration of natural texture. Here’s the looks which will be setting social media ablaze come A/W24…

A touch of metallic

At New York Fashion Week the use of gold foil was seen at Christian Siriano, with Lacy Redway adorning models with foiling on buns and at the roots. Not be to be outdone by our American counterparts, the session world in London also embraced the intricate foiling technique this season, with both gold and silver details appearing across the weekend.

At Mithridate, Johanna Cree Brown was inspired by statues of ancient Buddhas in the jungles of Asia and the gold patina weathered with moss and slight decay. Using L’Oréal Professionnel Paris products, we saw gold leaf applied in broken pieces to reflect the patina on ancient statues. Using a brush and bowl, Tecni.ART Fix Max gel was applied to the centre parting, before pieces of gold leaf were added at the parting to catch the light, using the handle of a tail comb to press into place. The hair was finished off with Ellnet Spray to keep everything in place.

Photography by Rebecca Maynes at Chet Lo A/W24

Meanwhile at Chet Lo, it was silver leaf in the spotlight. Hair lead Anna Cofone worked with Authentic Beauty Concept products to add silver leaf to the hair as a nod to the collection. It was a genius way of referencing the concept of clothes becoming armour, which is also reflected in the slicked-back spiked graphic shapes created. “My relationship with Chet has spanned more than three seasons and it’s one that I really treasure, as there is absolute creative trust and a genuine authenticity within the design process,” Anna said. “It was amazing to have the support of Authentic beauty Concept, the products worked perfectly for what we needed to achieve.”

The return of the side parting

It’s an age old debate between generations as to what parting is ‘cooler’ but if this season’s shows are anything to go by, the side parting is back on top for A/W24.

Spotted on the catwalk of Harris Reed A/W24 was a more subtle take from Ali Pirzadeh, crafted using Dyson Professional tools. In harmony with the sweeping drapes and billowing volume in the garments, Ali introduced a structured side parting with an ‘S’ shape lift at the hairline, and a healthier looking, high shine blow-dry finish, created using the new Dyson Supersonic r professional hair dryer. The graphic take on a classic up-do incorporates a sense of masculinity, nodding to Harris’s fluid approach to gender.

Images: Backstage at Harris Reed A/W24, model at Eudon Choi

Over at Eudon Choi, hair lead Adam Garland also used a sweeping side parting as a core detail. “The overall look is designed to have no hard lines,” Adam explained. After creating an irregular parting on the left, Airy Texture Spray from Authentic Beauty Concept was used to create a dry, dusty texture. Next, a ponytail was created at the nape area. “We then created texture on the right-hand side by rubbing a balloon up and down the hair shaft to create static, using a light mist of Working Hairspray then repeating to lock in the new texture,” he added. To complete the look, hair was placed over the right side of the face and random pieces were tucked to create a veil over the face.

Likewise, a sweeping site parting and low ponytail were core details seen at KNWLS, with hair lead Mustafa Yanaz using Session Label from Schwarzkopf Professional to achieve the lived-in finish. “Imagine a New York, Upper East Side girl with beautiful hair. She goes to a second party and ties the hair in a knot,” Mustafa explained. “She looks like she partied already, but the hair still looks healthy and shiny.”

Images: Photography by Alex Barron-Hough backstage at KNWLS A/W24 

Nature’s touch

While some shows and presentations offered statement styles, with others a ‘less is more’ approach was seen, as hair teams looked to enhance the model’s own natural texture. At Supriya Lele, Syd Hayes created “freshly washed and brushed out, beautiful hair.” Syd and his team worked with a  centre partings on all of the girls, with freshly washed hair dried flat using the new BaByliss PRO Falco dryer and nozzle attachment, and brushed to create fluffiness and texture to ensure the look of real-life lived-in hair. To finish the look and add some movement, Syd used the 25mm Titanium Expression Curling Tong to add a very slight bend to the front sections of the hair to frame and open up the face.

Images: Supriya Lele A/W24, 16Arlington A/W24

Similarly, at the 16Arlington show, Sam McKnight and his team delivered a look which personified natural, Cool Girls. It was Inspired by the beautiful models walking in fresh off the street. Some models had their hair de-frizzed and de-fluffed with Happy Endings or Dressed to Kill, smoothing through where needed. Other models had a soft wave added to the front, using a straightening iron. An S shape was created with the section, before gently tapping with the straightener to create texture.

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MALCOLM EDWARDS – THE SUPER SCOT IS BACK

MALCOLM EDWARDS – THE SUPER SCOT IS BACK

Feb 3, 2024 | DOCUMENTS

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

MALCOLM EDWARDS - BACK ON IT

Session stylist Malcolm Edwards is a mass of contradictions. He’s heavily pierced and tattooed, yet his hair work is whimsical, romantic and inspired by nature. Despite looking after multiple supermodels and A-list celebrities, he’s completely unbothered by fame. And although a loner as a child, he’s known as the ultimate team player on set, a brilliant communicator who puts everyone at ease. Everybody loves Malcolm. And, let’s face it, there’s a lot about him to love. Now, after taking several lengthy career breaks due to serious illness, Malcolm is back and working at fashion’s highest level once again – Dior, Gucci and Saint Laurent, to name but a few And this time, he’s doing it on his own terms, as Creative HEAD discovered…

Malcolm Edwards @ LGA Management

Malcolm, we love this comment on your Instagram: “I lived in a very urban new town, I was very tall, very chubby, very ginger and everybody knew I was kind of looking like I was going to be gay. So it was all going against me. Then I started looking at magazines and because my reality wasn’t that good where I was, I loved the fantasy. London was exploding with creativity, so I was like, that’s my tribe. I don’t care what it’s like here, that’s where I belong.” So, did London live up to expectations? And how important was it in your career as a session hairdresser?

I grew up in a town called Irvine, about 20 miles south of Glasgow. I was freakishly tall – I’m 6’2” now and I haven’t grown since I was 11 – and I had a mohawk that I used to dye all sorts of colours. It caused me a lot of problems at school because I was going around like a peacock. But it was my way of going, ‘Piss off everybody. I’m not like you and I don’t want to be like you.’ I spent most of the time in corridors at school because I was always in detention.

I used to model for the local salon when I was 13. I kind of got into hair from then. I used to love photography and movies – I was mad for Sofia Loren and Breakfast at Tiffany’s and all those classics – and that’s when I noticed how hair made a character. But I had no idea about the session world. I just thought, well, I’m going to give hairdressing a go.

Malcolm Edwards @ LGA Management

Malcolm, we love this comment on your Instagram: “I lived in a very urban new town, I was very tall, very chubby, very ginger and everybody knew I was kind of looking like I was going to be gay. So it was all going against me. Then I started looking at magazines and because my reality wasn’t that good where I was, I loved the fantasy. London was exploding with creativity, so I was like, that’s my tribe. I don’t care what it’s like here, that’s where I belong.” So, did London live up to expectations? And how important was it in your career as a session hairdresser?

I grew up in a town called Irvine, about 20 miles south of Glasgow. I was freakishly tall – I’m 6’2” now and I haven’t grown since I was 11 – and I had a mohawk that I used to dye all sorts of colours. It caused me a lot of problems at school because I was going around like a peacock. But it was my way of going, ‘Piss off everybody. I’m not like you and I don’t want to be like you.’ I spent most of the time in corridors at school because I was always in detention.

I used to model for the local salon when I was 13. I kind of got into hair from then. I used to love photography and movies – I was mad for Sofia Loren and Breakfast at Tiffany’s and all those classics – and that’s when I noticed how hair made a character. But I had no idea about the session world. I just thought, well, I’m going to give hairdressing a go.

So, I worked for a couple of local salons, and then I moved to Glasgow, where I worked for Alan Edwards for a couple of years. The salon was a big L’Oréal client, so I did Colour Trophy, lots of shoots and shows, and I was good at it. Eventually, Alan wanted me to be a partner in the business because I was a real grafter. But then I thought, ‘If I don’t go now, I’m never gonna go. I’m gonna get stuck.’ My friend June had gone to work for TONI&GUY in London, so I called her and asked her if she could get me an interview and the next day I got the train down.

I was in my interview with Anthony Mascolo, who knew me from the stuff I’d done with Alan, and at the time Guido was selling his credits to TONI&GUY. I said, “You’re great Anthony, but I really want to do session work,” and I think he was quite taken aback by that. But to his credit, he said, “Okay, but you will still need to do your vardering.” And that was the deal. I was vardering but I was assisting Guido at the same time.

I worked for Guido for a couple of years, until 1996. He loved how fast I worked, and he took me to jobs all across Europe, and the supermodels were on the go at the time, so it was amazing. But there came a point when I thought, I’m going to pack it all in and go travelling.

So, you nearly gave up hairdressing for backpacking?

Yes, but then Lee [Alexander] McQueen was doing his Dante show, the one with the spines, and I knew [McQueen stylist] Katy England really well, and she asked me to come and assist. And the looks were really intricate but I was working so fast and focused, and it turns out I was in [make-up artist] Val Garland’s eye-line. Val used to be a hairdresser, she had a really successful career in Australia, and she came up to me after the show, and said, “Who are you? I’ve not seen you before. You’re very good, you’re very quick, you should be talking to my agent.” And I was like, ‘Oh, right!’ So Val talked me out of going travelling, and after multiple meetings with her agent I thought, I’m going to give this a go. I’ll just do it my own way and steer clear of all the dramas. And things went fairly quickly after that. All of a sudden I was doing loads of magazines and spending all my money on my kit and hair pieces!

Why do you think you became so successful so quickly?

[Laughs] Well, there were fewer session stylists back then! But okay, I’m a real team player. And I’m a good communicator and I come well prepared. My poor assistants, though, I would have eight bags of kit! It’s since turned out I’ve got ADHD [Edwards got the diagnosis during lockdown], and I wish I’d known back then that’s what it was.

Your work is described as romantic, whimsical and inspired by nature. That’s quite incongruous, coming from a guy who’s so heavily pierced and tattooed…

I was a real loner as a kid. We lived in a massive housing development, but it was right near a river and across the river was a farm where I was allowed to play with the lambs and the calves and I would just take myself off into little fantasy lands, listening to Kate Bush and the Cocteau Twins. It was pretty grim where I was, so in my head I would always be popping off someplace else. I love nature, I think Mother Nature is amazing.

One of your key collaborators is the photographer Tim Walker. He creates fantasy worlds that require you really to push the boundaries of your art. How did you meet and what’s it like to be part of his circle?

The first time I met Tim, as I’m constantly reminded by [set designer and long-term Walker collaborator] Shona Heath, it was when I was living in New York and I was doing the walk of shame wearing a smoky eye and a pair of leather chaps and I ended up crashing Tim’s birthday party! But as soon as we started working together, we just kind of clicked. We did so many shoots at Eglingham Hall up in Northumberland and those are my fondest memories of my whole career. Because it’s a kind of faded grandeur, falling-to-pieces country house and it was just so magical – that house and the people I met through that whole experience were just gorgeous.

The V&A did a show, Wonderful Things, that celebrated Tim and his work – and you were part of that…

That’s typical of Tim, wanting to make sure everyone gets recognised. To have my hair pieces and wigs as part of the exhibit was so amazing – the proudest moment of my whole career. What’s unique about Tim’s creative process is that it’s actually as enchanting as a lot of the pictures. It’s quite a family, he has a circle of people he works with, but we all know each other really well and everybody’s even. That’s what’s nice about having a good relationship with a photographer, because you really get into all the nooks and crannies of how they work. Like, Tim uses fisheye lenses a lot, so that’s when I know I’ll have to create something that’s double the size because when he puts that lens on it, it’s going to shrink.

Photography by Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce

Talking about creative process, how do you like to work?

The main thing for me is communication. I like to get as much information from the photographer about the brief, the concept, how many models and so on. I speak to the casting director, the stylist and when I’m working with Tim, I speak to the set designer – usually Shona Heath – because that’s an integral part of how he works. Some people like to do all that on the day, but for my process, I like to gain as much info as possible before the job before I even start prepping. I do as much as I can to save time on the day. I like to prep the hair as much as possible before the job – prepping extensions, preparing wigs, etc. But you still have to remain open to change and to change quickly. You can’t ever get too caught up in what your ideas were. Being fluid is super-important.

You had to take a leave of absence from hairdressing for quite some time – firstly, due to illness and then to Covid. That must have been tough.

So, 15 years ago I was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer. And I had a trial chemo that was really, really aggressive, where they fuse three different types of chemo and give it to you for seven days of each month, 24/7. Your body gets absolutely blitzed. I was lucky because it worked for me, but most of the other people on the trial passed away, sadly. I am still in remission but one of the side effects has been bone degeneration. I’ve had a lot of time off because I’ve needed so many operations on my shoulders and after Covid so many of those operations have been cancelled.

Photography by Marcus Schaefer/Trunk Archive
Photography by Benjamin Vnuk
Photography by Tim Walker Studio
Photography by Tim Walker Studio

Were you scared?

The cancer episode was so full-on and so quick, I’m quite robust with stuff like that, you know? I take each day as it comes. But the cancellations have had a bigger impact, because you take time off for the operation and then it doesn’t happen. As a freelancer it means you’ve missed out on opportunities. And to have that happen 15 times… that has been a big deal. But it is what it is. You’ve just got to dust yourself down and get over yourself.

What did you learn about yourself during that time?

I felt very humbled by the people who looked after me. The doctors and nurses care for you when you’re at your worst, so it gave me a new appreciation for what they do. In fashion we get paid to play dress-up compared with what medical staff have to deal with. And then when lockdown happened, well, that was like a juggernaut caught up with me because fashion is such a fast-paced world. You’re constantly on a plane. I mean, I used to love it, but I did it a lot. So lockdown brought a completely different sense of awareness. What really stuck with me was how quickly Mother Nature repaired herself. It really blew me away. Nature is amazing. Humans are a huge problem. And Nature will prevail – that’s the bottom line. So, it did make me think about the way we jump around the world. There are a lot of flippant decisions made in fashion that are not at all eco-friendly. Covid just made me stop and reflect a little bit on what I was doing and I definitely don’t want to be going back to that same rhythm.

You’re still friends with Katy England, you hang out with former Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. Do you feel like you’re part of a crowd that is really influential and opinion-forming?

I’ve known Edward for years, since I was assisting Guido, and we are so comfortable with each other. I’m really pleased for him and the success he’s had. It’s really good that people are starting to think about things and be more inclusive, because of him.

You seem very chilled about your career. You seem more interested in working with people you chime with creatively, rather than racking up credits, in order to impress.

At the end of the day, it’s a game. Have you seen the documentary, The Price of Everything? It’s about how art became a commodity. It’s really interesting. I did a lot of music videos back in the day and we’d hear all these conversations about how the music was going to be released and what it was going up against. There was a whole labyrinth of gameplay going on there that blew me away.

There’s a lot of those elements at play in fashion as well. And I’m not that kind of player. I’d rather just work with people that I like.

Photography by Tim Walker Studio

Photography by Tim Walker Studio

You did the hair for Vogue’s December 2023 front cover, Great Britain, featuring personalities including Tilda Swinton and Eddie Izzard. Do you like working with celebrities?

Sometimes. It depends on the celebrity! I mean, it can be cool getting to meet some of your heroes that you’ve loved in movies but I’m not a star-struck kind of person, to be fair. I know it carries a lot of currency for some people, but I’ll very rarely be doing a selfie unless we’ve got on really well and had a laugh together. It’s funny, working with actors and actresses, they’re so used to playing a character that when they’re just themselves they can be very vulnerable. And I do have the ability to pick people up, to lift the mood. It’s nice to be able to make people feel safe and make them feel good about themselves. And I’ve got the cheeky banter to distract them…

But that is what’s great about you, Malcolm: this big, scary-looking guy is actually a bit of a softy!

I love contradictions! It’s a big part of how I work creatively – there’s always a little twist, you know. I remember once and I was working with one of my assistants, who’d come from Nicky Clarke, and the model was Stella Tennant and we were doing this demented pompadour thing. I’d made these translucent rolls and while I was wrapping them I put a really big wrong one at the front of Stella’s head. And he’s like, “Why did you do that?” It was the complete antithesis of what he was used to at Nicky Clarke. I mean, I love gorgeous, luxurious hair but I love wrongness, as well.

Not everyone knows how to do the wrongness, though.

No, that’s true. You have to get the right right and the wrong right! Gary Gill is a great example of someone who gets the wrong right, because he’s really open to stuff like that. We’re similar ages and we both grew up in the 1980s when there was that whole mishmash of culture, art and music. Nowadays, we’re so swamped in data, we absorb and digest information differently and express ourselves differently as a result. There are pros and cons with technology. I mean, I love that you can be in the middle of nowhere, like I was growing up, and you can go on YouTube and feel connected to people all around the world.

You stopped doing the shows about 10 years ago. Why was that?

There are a lot of reasons. First, there were a lot of times where we weren’t getting paid enough. I mean, if you don’t have the money to do a show, then don’t do a show! Find a new way to present what you’re doing! And then there was the issue of me stopping and starting because of my health and my parents’ health. Because you’re only as good as your team, and it takes time to build up a team again – you have to have that momentum. I just I got really tired of the stopping and starting and it taking so much energy to get my team up to the point where it’s a machine and it can just flow. So after my mother passed away, I was just like, “You know what, I’m tapping out.”

Looking back on your career, what would you say would have been pivotal moments?

Doing Pirelli with Tim Walker was amazing. I used to look through Pirelli books when I was young, they were iconic. Getting the chance to work with [renowned filmmaker] Baz Luhrmann at Chanel was phenomenal because he’s an amazing communicator. Being on a project with him and seeing how he navigates his way through a team of hundreds was fantastic. And I remember the first time I worked with [photographer] Paolo Roversi, I was so excited and I’d spent every penny I had on hair. But it was before the Eurostar, so I had taken a Sunday flight and BA lost my bags. And Paris is closed on a Sunday evening. I eventually found a pound shop and bought a plastic doll’s beauty kit and a ball of string. That’s all I had. And when I got to the studio it turned out Guido had been working there the day before and had left half a can of hairspray and some mousse.

Thank god for Guido’s scraps!

I know! [Laughs] I’m so grateful to him for that. And it really was a pivotal moment for me because I really had to improvise. I remember it was a Kenzo special for and the models were Russian twins dressed in these vintage kimonos. And the idea was to have ivory skinned girls with punky Geisha hair. And that’s what they got – and I created it with a doll’s hair kit!

What are your five go-to products/tools on a shoot?

That would be a ball of elastic, my comb brush, a water spray, Kirby grips and my Diva Atmos dryer

Is your brain always buzzing, thinking about things to do with hair?

I’m actually going through a stage in my life where I’m trying to slow my brain down! Having loads of ideas can be a plus and it can also be a negative – there’s no point in having all that creativity, if you can’t focus. And sometimes you’ll have all the ideas and then you get on the job and things change, or the thing that you thought you were going to do is just not right. And it doesn’t matter how good the idea was, if it’s not right, you have to put it to one side and maybe it will find its place another day. So it’s about being objective and being fluid, as well being able to change.

What does 2024 hold for you, Malcolm?

I’m looking forward to starting afresh. With everything I’ve learnt about myself and my ADHD diagnosis, it’s like a new me. No, not a new me, a new awareness of myself. I can look back to when I was at school, I would drift off constantly. I would just be looking at the window and then I’d look down at the page and it might as well have been hieroglyphs. That all makes sense now, but I guess they didn’t understand things back then. So I’m not going to be like super-bare but I’m not going to be as complex as I once was. Let’s say that. I feel like this is a new chapter in my life and I’m looking forward to getting back to work with all this new-found knowledge I have.

Malcolm Edwards is represented by LGA Management

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