How did it feel to have the Essential Looks presentation debut at the virtual Contessas this year?
Having the Essential Looks presentation debut at the virtual Contessas this year which was definitely a year of change, was amazing! It was great to see the Essential Looks collection being shown to so many hairstylists in the beauty industry. Essential Looks is a collection that is created every season where we tap into global fashion to discover, define and to share trends that we believe will be strong in the upcoming year. Essential Looks F/W 2020 is something magical that we found in the air; inspiration is from the runway, social media and across the creative community.
Essential Looks is about inspiring the hairdresser. There are three trends to help our community reconnect with our passion, rediscover the thrill of making people feel beautiful and build stronger connections between us all.
I know the Essential Looks team was showcasing the autumn/winter 2020 collection VivID – what was some of the inspiration behind this collection?
The three trends that were created are: Once Upon A Time—which tells a tale of past and future; a nostalgia repurposed for today, Everyday Decadence—which celebrates structure, form and gender fluidity with comfort in cuts and opulence in the finish, and Dark Romance—which weaves a magical world of bewitchment and illusion, with strength in fragility, richness in embellishment, mystery in transparency and beauty in everything.
This collection wanted to place an emphasis on gender fluid cuts. Why do you think this is something important to focus on?
Gender fluid cuts were shown in our one trend called “Everyday Decadence.” Gender fluidity is about thinking outside the box, and not being pigeonholed. We are free to be whoever we want to be in this new age of understatement!
Why is the collection titled VivID?
The VivID collection is about celebrating love, life, passion and identity.
How did working on this collection compare to other Essential Looks collections?
VivID was created with pure dedication for the Essential Looks brand, especially in the time of Covid. There was loads of communication beforehand to plan out this collection. Thank goodness for technology, zoom meetings and any platform to converse to make sure the collection was created without a hitch. This year was different in many ways. Most years when we are planning our collections, the entire team works together; where we thrive off the energy of one another to create magic. We still showed creativity and inspiration to help renew our focus and now we want our community to share their passion and creativity that we all have communicated as a family!
What surprised you when creating this presentation? Were there any challenges related to COVID?
Most years, delegates from across the world come together and we present the collection to them all and do a hands-on segment. Here, the delegates from each country go back to their homes and train their trainers to spread the word of Essential Looks. This year with the lockdown, Schwarzkopf Professional decided to go live and do their first-ever digital education across the globe. Unfortunately, I could not be with the global team to show my work and my looks. With lots of meetings and rehearsals we were able to have myself on the education team from my home to showcase the looks that I created. This is an entirely different way of educating but honestly it worked out beautifully. I am forever grateful to be part something so spectacular—something that I will never forget!
As the North American Colour Director for Schwarzkopf and an Essential Looks ambassador, what does this collection mean to you?
This collection means the world to me. Not only because of the lockdowns and feeling lost in the loop of our beauty industry but this collection truly inspired me as well! I hope the VivID collection inspires everyone else in our beauty industry. This collection was launched at a perfect time. I know myself and I believe that many of us all felt the same way—lost, confused and feeling like we are losing our creativity.
This collection shared hope, passion and energy that we all needed. The VivID collection is the perfect combination of new trends, colours and cuts that we can use in our everyday business. If we are inspired, we inspire our clients!
You and Schwarzkopf have presented at the Contessa Awards before. What do you most enjoy about it?
Schwarzkopf Professional and I have presented at the Contessa Awards a few times before and honestly it’s a lot of work but I love it! It is a platform to show your creativity, your team, and to me the best part is having my team deliver their creativity and letting each one of them shine! We are family; family stands behind one another and are super proud of each other’s accomplishments. It really is about following your dreams.
As a master of hair colour, how do the looks and trends featured in this collection inspire other salon professionals and stylists to take their skills to the next level?
Looks and trends featured in this collection inspire other salon professionals and stylists to take their skills to the next level, with simple, perfected techniques that take the approach of “less is more.” Think outside the box on how you apply colour, or what colour combinations to use. By keeping an open mind and not overthinking; you can create beautiful modern looks.
To watch the Essential Looks “VivID” presentation from Contessa 2021, click here.
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