Videography by Brendon Ryall
Percy & Reed’s latest collection celebrates London street style, with a focus on authenticity, wearability and unity. We caught up with the salon’s new art director, Emma Vickery, to chat about her inspiration, why shooting with street-cast models was so important to the Percy & Reed team, and why the collection’s vibe was integral to the finished results.
“We wanted to produce a type of collection that is not normally seen in the industry,” said Emma. “The goal was for it to come across as more of a lifestyle shoot rather than taking the in-studio ‘look book’ approach, which is more typical for hairdressing.
“We also wanted to create something that was more relatable for our client base. To convey a feeling of togetherness (especially after the last 18 months) and to create a vibe of a group of friends just being out, having fun and enjoying themselves. This is the reason we named the collection ‘TRIBE’, as it is all about different people coming together as one.”
“We made the decision to street cast as we wanted a group of individuals rather than agency models with a defined look, and I personally think that as an industry, we don’t take inspiration from the streets enough. I feel that scouting individuals who were out and about in the capital also helped to more genuinely reflect the eclectic style that we see in London, and again, it links back to the ‘tribe’ theme, where people with different styles and tastes are brought together as one.
“Of course, colour and haircuts were part of our mood board preparation, but both Paul (Percival) and I agree that the hair look always has to feel authentic on the person,” Emma explained. “It’s about crafting hair to fit the character, not characters to fit the hair. This is a crucial part of casting for our collections.”
“The atmosphere on the shoot was absolutely amazing. We had three days of blue skies and beautiful sunshine on the coast, and everyone was having a great time.
“There was a part of the shoot where we shot in a broad-walk tunnel, right next to the beach. Paul put the speakers on, Fleetwood Mac was playing, and everything just clicked. We also shot some videos on an old Super 8 camera, which I love. They brought the whole concept together, mimicking those casually-shot summer memories that you look back on, and helped capture the warmth of feeling that we wanted to achieve.”
“Percy & Reed clients are a great mix of people,” Emma added. “No two appointments are ever the same! We have always been a destination salon for creative talent and excellent salon service, and we always consider the client’s lifestyle along with the hair options that will really suit them when creating a new look.
“As for our team, they are a very talented bunch. It’s like a family, and we have a lot of respect for each other. In my experience that is rare to find, so I feel very lucky that I am a part of that. There are lots of super-exciting things in the pipeline for us and plenty that are already happening. Our recent collaboration with Redken has been a huge success, and Paul is currently relaunching the Percy & Reed brand as a whole, which I’m loving being a part of.
“In 2022, there will be another collection launching in March/April time. It’s really all about continually pushing our work and maintaining our ethos to be at the forefront of what we do. We are also expanding our team, so I look forward to getting to know some new talented stylists, and getting them involved in the exciting projects that lay ahead for Percy & Reed!”
Check out all the images from the shoot >
Related Articles
The Power of Three
Behind the scenes on a BaByliss PRO shoot
‘Canvas’ by Jordan Massarella
A Hockney-inspired palette on hair
‘Architectural Elements’ by Silas Tsang
Balanced patterns and fluid movements echo architectural structures
