DAY TWO – MAINSTAGE (part 1) #salonsmart18

After a short introduction from Creative HEAD publisher Catherine Handcock, the final day of Salon Smart 2018 began with some Monday motivation from Simon Tickler, managing director of Salon Success.

In a segment titled ‘Tomorrow’s World’, Simon shared his predictions for the future and described how salons can adapt to the world around them. “How people buy things today is different to even two years ago, and I see a change in the tide – there will be winners and loser through this,” he revealed. And to succeed during these testing times, Simon recommends less stores and more stories – it’s time to ask yourself how your brand is making a positive impact. “It’s less about stuff, and more about experiences,” said Simon. “If we are just churning out haircuts, we are missing opportunities. It’s about the quality, but it’s also about how you package it.”

With perhaps the most talked about salon in the beauty press in the last 12 months, Larry King dropped into Salon Smart before hotfooting it to Heathrow to get yet another flight for a top session job. He’s now one of the biggest names in editorial hairdressing, thanks to a start with leading male models requesting his services on shoots. But while he might count David Gandy as one of his best friends, the beauty of #LarrysWorld (check out his Instagram) is that he treats ALL his clients just like any celebrity he’s called to work with, often rushing back from 12 hour flights to work a full column in his South Kensington salon – and illustrating the different sides of hairdressing to his followers, too. But how was it that he won over so many A-listers? “I always try to be the court jester on shoots,” he smiled. “You have to occupy the model, be the joker and keep the atmosphere right.”

Alongside his wife and business partner, Laura, Larry has crafted a salon that is a social hangout, a place where everyone can just ‘be’… and its mix of stunning decor (including the ‘Loo with a View’) makes it utterly Instagrammable (all organic advertising, thank you very much!). But while he makes his clients’ hair fantasies a reality, he is also laser-focused in making his team’s dreams come true; that way, they’ll be positive and happy. And Larry encouraged the audience to work with other brands back in their home towns; his collaborative approach with names such as Dyson Supersonic, Redken, Bentley and Copper Dog whiskey has driven his business and offered incredible opportunities, such as making a video with hair icon, Jen Atkin. Phew!

Following Mr King, BRANDstand Communications director Sarah Guild provided an insight into the world of retail – the trends, the spending patterns and online vs in-store shopping. Sarah looked at what made a brand great to retail, pinpointing veganism, diversity, natural ingredients and being design-led as key factors when considering retail options. “You also need to gain trust through transparency,” she advised. “And it is the return of the expert – you have the authority, so use it.”

After a quick refuel with tea, coffee and cake, it was over to Skyler McDonald to talk about her bold new salon concept. It was a huge leap of faith to open the first colour-only salon in the UK, but Skyler is a big believer that “if you want to make something really different, it will always involve a risk”. Skyler London was three years in the making, with Skyler admitting to standing in the aisles of pharmacies to quiz women about their colouring habits and better understand the industry.

The finished salon is full of unique touches, ensuring that every colour client is catered for. There are unlimited colour subscriptions, optional blow-dries, standardised training and even a slide, making the experience perfectly tailored to every guest. “We have a fear of over-promising and under-delivering, so communication is so important,” she explained. Skyler’s mantra? “The one thing that can’t be copied is how we make people feel”.

A panel discussion then followed on the hot topic of barbering and men’s grooming. Chaired by Creative HEAD Editor Amanda Nottage, Most Wanted 2017 Male Grooming Specialist Jonathan Andrew; Matt Robinson from Mister Robinson’s Barbershop; founder of The Lion’s Barber Collective Tom Chapman and Ruffians’ Andrew Cannon joined her on stage to debate the issues surrounding the men’s side of the hair industry.

The first topic up for discussion? ‘How does the current men’s landscape compare to the pre-boom era?’ “It’s not much of a comparison at all,” Matt admitted. “We’ve left our comfort zone.”

“I trained at Toni&Guy where it used to be that using clippers was considered cheating, but now they have training in barbering,” Tom agreed. “Barbering is now very exciting and hairdressers want to train in it now.”

“But where is the standard?” Said Matt after Amanda asked how barbers being the second biggest startup on the high street (after vape shops) has affected the industry. “There has to be a level set. Although, these unregulated barbers make us busy because we get the repair work!”

“There are independent barbering academies where you can train for 12 weeks to shop floor,” added Tom. “Anyone can now open up a shop.”

When talk switched to trends, Jonathan admitted they aren’t really on his radar. “I don’t think trends really exist now – look at fashion week, how many clients will actually wear those looks? But they will look at celebrities on Instagram. “Barbering is cool again,” he added, “and hairdressers have the opportunity to catch that market too. People want an experience – that’s as important as any trend.”

Andrew – the only member of the panel not with a hairdressing or barbering background – then explained how he created the Ruffians brand and turned the barbershops into lifestyle destinations.

“I don’t cut hair so I had to think about what would I want and ask myself: ‘What would my mates want?’ I get inspiration from places like restaurants,” he continued, “you have to focus on the customer.” “We do events like whiskey tastings and cinema nights. But you also can’t forget the whole thing is about service day to day. Clients still want to walk out with a great hair cut.”

How do you justify your prices compared to the £6 barbers down the road?” Amanda asked. “Well, our clients’ expectations are higher,” said Andrew. “They’re not just looking for a fantastic haircut – that’s expected – but an experience. We offer them somewhere they can go where they can talk to like-minded people while having confidence in us that we will provide them with a great haircut.”

Jonathan added that he felt that men’s hair is still an untapped market when it comes to unisex salons and that he had to think about how to capture men’s attention from a hairdressing perspective. “I saw the male market starting to take off, but realised hairdressing wasn’t talking about the mens’ side, it was just that some people cut mens’ hair,” he explained.

“It’s always been my dream to go to Savile row for a tailored suit and I adopted this approach to hair cuts. I think about bone structure and face shape – giving the client a bespoke look to really suit them.”

As the conversation shifted to the future of barbering, Tom spoke about his Lion’s Barber Collective initiative (now a registered charity), and the potential within the industry to make an impact beyond cutting hair.

“We’re in a very privileged position as barbers,” he told the audience. “You get to know people and gain their trust – this provides an amazing opportunity to talk to them about issues such as mental health. “We’re almost like counsellors,” he added, “providing a safe space for men to talk. This is what Lions Barber Collective is about and we want to build awareness about men’s mental health and suicide prevention.”