Just one per cent of all UK salons are serving the 10 per cent of the population with kinky-curly and multi-textured hair. This isn’t good enough, says session stylist and founder of WIG London, Lisa Farrall…
“It’s so important for stylists to train in all hair textures as it’s invaluable to be able to offer these services to your clients. We shouldn’t be turning clients away for having a texture of hair we don’t understand. This is why I’m spreading #TEXTUREEQUALITY with WIG London.
“I’ve travelled the world and I found there was a massive lack in education in salons on different textured hair. If you have afro hair, you go to an afro salon. If you have European hair, you walk up the high street and go into a European salon. Even salons offering multi-textured services were dependent on certain stylists being in certain salons and the visibility in marketing campaigns never showed equality. Getting your hair done is something you want to bond over with your friends and your salon can soon become part of your family, but what happens if the salon you choose only does ‘your hair’ or says ‘sorry, we don’t do your friend’s hair’. HELLLLL NO.
“When working at Fashion Week, I would often be given all the models with afro hair in a corner and I would see darker skin models bringing their own foundation so the make-up artist could do their skin using the right shade. I don’t take my own shoes into Christian Louboutin and ask the shop to paint the soles red. To me, this is unacceptable. Knowledge is key.
“I believe all NVQ courses should include every hair type as mandatory and from speaking to new and existing hairdressers most wish they had learned all hair types or are wanting to now educate themselves in this area. If you have a qualification that says ‘hairdresser’, then we have an obligation to be able to do everyone’s hair. We are the experts, so let’s learn every hair type! We also train educators in colleges, despite having our own WIG Academy, as we don’t want to keep this to ourselves – we are about the bigger picture. HAIR EQUALITY FOR ALL.
Credits:
HAIR and CONCEPT: LISA FARRALL for WIG LONDON
PHOTOGRAPHY: LUKE NUGENT
MAKE-UP: LAUREN KAY for WIG LONDON
STYLING: AC STUDIO
“SO THE CHALLENGE BEGAN… LET’S MAKE SALONS EQUAL… LET’S EDUCATE NEW HAIRDRESSERS… LET’S EDUCATE SALONS… LET’S EDUCATE THE WORLD.”
“My mission is for us to walk in every salon together, hand in hand and get our weaves done well, our blow-dries just right, to not be priced on our gender or texture, but by the service carried out and the time taken. In a world where we eat , sleep and live together, why is it okay for our hair salons to separate us? It’s not. My aim is to teach new hairdressers this and to educate current stylists how to open their column to every client. We train in salons and we build confidence in every texture of hair. And let’s not forget that by becoming a texture equality salon, you’ve opened up a massive opportunity for you to grow your clientele and revenue.
“I’m on a mission to make the industry texture neutral and that’s why I created my academy WIG London. I have created courses specifically for hairdressers to learn how to work with textured hair in the salon. Our educators come to your salon and show you how to increase clients coming through your door and, most importantly, educate you on how to conquer Afro and mixed hair because we all want hair equality, right?!”
“BECAUSE EVERY STYLIST SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO EVERY HAIR TYPE.”
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