Angelo Seminara has made a brilliant name for himself by blending his outstanding technical skills with a poetic vision infused with nature. We spoke him after his breathtaking show during Davines World Wide Hair Tour 2016 in L.A.
Salon Magazine: How do you feel after the show today?
Angelo Seminara: I feel very lucky because I love what I do. In life, you have to do what you are meant to do. If you have something to share, it’s very important that you devote yourself to it.
SM: What aspect of the industry really drives you?
AS: For me, it’s only one thing: the passion I feel as a hairstylists about the industry in general. I wake up in the morning feeling very motivated. So many people go to work unmotivated. I remember working 24 hours non-stop. No sleeping, no food, nothing! As an artist, I want to achieve great beauty—it’s a thirst I have.
SM: You are the artistic director for Davines. What is it like to work for this brand?
AS: I feel it’s like the right family, the right company to do something with, because they respect me and they let me do what I feel is right. If you’re just doing something to make money, it’s not the right motivation. I started by working on all the Davines products together with the team and then, one day, we decided to focus on a new line. And this is how we came to create Your Hair Assistant.
SM: You apprenticed with Trevor Sorbie, who happens to think that you’re one of the world’s most accomplished hairstylists. Tell me about this symbiotic relationship.
AS: Trevor is like the dad I never had in England. He always took care of me, and we have the most amazing relationship. He is one of my best friends and we even spend our Christmases together. We have immense respect for each other’s creativity. We’ve been travelling the world together doing the most amazing shows. For me, Trevor is just unbelievable.
SM: Your work is highly technical, but it always looks so fresh, easy and elegant. It’s a very fine line. How do you achieve such a delicate balance?
AS: It’s very simple. If you have an idea, it has to be one idea. It can’t be two ideas. In the hairdressing world, people always seem to have more than one idea and that doesn’t work because it’s just a little bit too much and then things start crushing against each other. The human side, the beauty, the makeup…and then it becomes too heavy. I always keep this in mind.
SM: What about avant-garde?
AS: Avant-garde is something you should be able to wear. It doesn’t need to be big, or outrageous, or too colourful. Avant-garde means “unseen”. It’s something that you see for the first time.
SM: What are the challenges for an icon like yourself to stay relevant in today’s world when there is so much noise?
AS: You can only do one thing: Be yourself. Just do what your heart tells you. It sounds simple, but it’s actually very complicated. As an individual and an artist, you need focus, and you need to do something you believe in. If you don’t, you’re just a replica. The only thing you can do is something you feel strongly about. There’s no secret, really.
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