DAY ONE: AN EVENING OF INSPIRATION #salonsmart18
Following a packed Sunday afternoon schedule and a buzzing and bubbly-filled Meet & Mix soirée, it was time to dine.
Delegates were first treated to a blindingly good show by members of the Paul Mitchell art team, who showed off the versatility of the brand’s new Neuro Liquid thermal protection range. Models strutted out with gorgeously glossy styles and striking LED belts, which blinked along as they encouraged the audience to ‘get wavy!’
Then, after three delectable courses, it was time for the final session of the day: a fun and frank look back at the epic styling careers of Brooks and Brooks legends Sally and Jamie Brooks, plus an insight into the future of both their team and their brand. The multiple Most Wanted award winners chatted openly with Creative HEAD editor Amanda Nottage, doling out anecdotal (and post-divorce!) advice as they walked the audience through their personal journey from Trevor Sorbie team members to the very forefront of the industry.
Throughout, guests also witnessed the pair’s astounding skill, as they showed off a series of mood boards and key model looks that covered their extensive artistic and commercial portfolio.
Grace, Darcie and Sam
Sally and Jamie then handed the stage over to a number of junior members of their team, who each showcased their passion for hairdressing and their individual skill sets in a segment entitled ‘This Is Me’. Called up first was former L’Oréal Colour Trophy STAR Award champion Grace Dalgleish, who walked the audience through her family’s dedication to hairdressing across multiple generations and shared her sources of inspiration since moving to London in her teens.
Olli Hull
After presenting models sporting looks from her latest colour collection, Grace introduced her protege Olli, an apprentice who she had taken under her wing. In his first ever on-stage appearance, he explained how the Brooks and Brooks inspiring, nurturing, and mentoring approach had seen him rapidly grow as a hairdresser, even in his fledgling career.
Marlon Hawkins
Marlon Hawkins then guided the guests through his career so far, sharing how the Brooks and Brooks philosophy of practicing techniques until they become second nature has transformed him into a braid master. A particularly tricky set of scalp-braided styles at the L’Oréal International Colour Trophy set him on a path towards the look he presented on stage – intricate swirling plaits, sculpted into tendrils and wrapped in elastic.
The final models came courtesy of apprentice Sam Ashcroft (who had created a distorted silhouette with an elaborate, sleek updo) and It List 2017 Rising Star Darcie Harvey, who had recently passed her classic cutting exams. With her final assessments just weeks away, Darcie confidently presented an intricate woven style, with flashes of colour peeking through twisting braids.
As talk turned to the future, delegates heard Sally and Jamie gush about their plans to keep pushing the artistic heart of the brand forward, with a large focus on the up and coming generation. With one final on-stage flourish, the entire model line up stood alongside the team for a passionate, awe-filled and genuinely appreciative standing ovation.
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