Creative HEAD UK April 2020

THE IT GUY
JAMIE BENNY
HARE & BONE
#TheItList
FOR HARE & BONE artistic director Jamie Benny,
winning The It Guy was a long-time ambition come true.
“It has always been a dream for me as I would love to
be a bigger part of the Creative HEAD world, share my
experiences and network with like-minded people who
share the same passion as me,” he wrote in his winning
entry. Now, he’s living that reality.
Jamie’s session CV lists editorial work for publications
including Vogue Thailand, Vogue Germany and Glamour,
and he’s also assisted at fashion shows from Ashish to
Erdem and Bora Aksu. He leads the hair team for Tom
Ford sales campaigns and is UK ambassador for KMS.
“I believe that imperfection is true beauty,” Jamie says
of his signature style. “A classic, refined look slightly
deconstructed is what I love the most.”
And you’d be hard pushed to find a young hairdresser
as adored as Jamie Benny. Sam Burnett describes him
as “one in a million, with infectious energy and passion”,
while Adam Reed claims that “Jamie is one of the loveliest
and most talented young hairdressers of our time”. Errol
Douglas MBE sums him up as a “new creative force”.
But despite the glowing praise from the leaders of the
hairdressing industry, Jamie hasn’t let success go to his
head. In fact, he describes day-to-day life behind the
chair in Hare & Bone as his true passion. “It’s what I
would describe as our industry’s bread and butter, but I
absolutely love being a stylist and helping people,” he says.
“Listening, engaging and creating a strong connection with
my clients is really important to me, to identify their needs,
empathise with their wants but most importantly strive to
make them feel their very best.”
Jamie’s roles have always combined education with
teamwork, having moved from the RUSH Artistic Team to
his current position as artistic director at Hare & Bone, and
working on the FAME, ID Artist and L’Oréal Edit Education
teams. “Education is a key part of being a leader,” he says.
“Being passionate about learning and education is the
foundation for a strong confident art director, and there are
no limits. If one person on your team falls, you all
help to pick them up.”
And winning big at The It List Awards has
given Jamie the chance to slow down and
reflect on his success so far, before planning the
next steps. “I am the type of person who thinks:
‘okay, what shall I do next?’ But I want to breathe
and choose my direction. So far, the award has
gained me respect in the industry but most
importantly has given me more self confidence in
my work – I have more belief in my style and that
I am going in the right direction!”
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