Estetica Magazine UK (1/2018)

Seamless backstage
work means creating
a harmonious team
back in the salon,” says Kieron.
“So leave any ego at the door and
accept being a dogsbody for quite a
while, doing lots of lowly tasks, just
get on with what you’re asked to do
and be the perfect assistant until
you’re trusted to slowly take on
more responsibility. While working
your way up, you have good and
bad days and take some knocks,
but you must keep going.
“Watch and study those in charge,
learn all the techniques – such as
braiding, hair up, natural-looking
hair – which looks so easy but is
actually very hard to get right.
And practice, practice, practice.
Understand trends and shoot some
of your own work to create a
portfolio so you have some visual
references. You’ll need this to prove
your capability to others when they
ask to see your work,” says Kieron.
“I love working backstage and
aspire to one day be like a Guido or
Eugene and head my own team.”
After a few years’ break, it was the
Lulu Guinness LFW show which
encouraged Zoe Irwin to return
backstage. “I’m such a Lulu
Guinness fan, I jumped at the
chance,” says Zoe, ghd’s UK
Ambassador. “She’s a woman I
admire hugely; I’ve brought the
bags, read her interviews and it’s
great to be part of the all-female
team on this show. It’s a new
collaboration and it’s so important I
have someone on my team I’ve
worked with for a long time, trust
implicitly, is calm and totally on the
ball. Kelly is my right-hand girl for
this show, she’s doing the hair test
with me and is my second pair of
eyes to ensure all looks align on the
day,” says Zoe.
“When creating the hair, including
a different element makes it look
fresh. Something like a new take on
a braid or twisting up the hair in a
different way, playing with texture
and combining two things that
wouldn’t normally go together. It’s
so important to play with new ideas
which help to get hair noticed by
the beauty directors – it all leads to
more media coverage. It doesn’t
have to be the big idea, just a little
nuance; think like a beauty
director, what would they pick up
for their readers? Looking at the
hair through their eyes really helps
bring about a fresh feel.
“Work-wise I wouldn’t go
anywhere without my ghd gold
styler and ghd root lift spray – I use
it as a base for everything,” says
Zoe. “Great elastic is also essential
– I use it instead of pins and sew it
in to the hair to give detail and I
collect hair accessories from
markets all over the world. I’m
known for collecting string and
Brand Collaborator Sid
Sottung worked with the
Fudge Professional team
for the AW18 Liam
Hodges and Christopher
Raeburn shows.
Chris Raeburn AW18; Hair by Fudge Professional