Creative HEAD UK August 2020

LEVEL THE
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS HAVE RAISED SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT REPRESENTATION IN
THE UK HAIR INDUSTRY – HOW IS IT THAT IN 2020 HAIRDRESSERS ARE STILL HAVING TO CAMPAIGN FOR
EDUCATION IN ALL HAIR TYPES? CREATIVE HEAD LOOKS AT THE REALITY OF LIFE AS A BAME STYLIST
ERROL DOUGLAS MBE
ERROL DOUGLAS LONDON
Errol knows that this conversation is nothing new – but
it’s one that he hopes will now create real change
“When we first set up in Knightsbridge we had a lot of
opposition. We got the lease, obviously, but there were a few
frowns. People ask me all the time: ‘Are you Errol?’ when I’m
standing in my shop, underneath my name. You can’t come
out and say it, but it’s there, all the time. If I just dwelled on
everything I would be a broken man, but that’s not my ethos.
“I won’t let anybody hold me back because if you think like
that it stops you from breathing. We’ve educated hundreds of
people at Errol Douglas London over 22 years and
always encompassed everyone – Afro hair,
European hair, Arabic hair, Indian hair –
that’s how everyone should be taught.
“It shouldn’t be happening but you
can only educate as much as people
want to hear. People are people; they
don’t shock me because I’ve been
around long enough to know it’s
not going to hold me down. I’m
a businessman, a mentor and
a teacher – so I have to show
resolve all the time.”
JUNE FORBES
FREELANCE HAIRDRESSER AND INDUSTRY CONSULTANT
It’s only by discussing and exposing the diffi cult truths that
we can move forward together, says June
“Sadly, what we are seeing is a reflection of attitudes to
physical difference that have permeated throughout society
for centuries. Some behaviours are so ingrained that they
have become internalised and normalised by both the
perpetrators and the victims. To talk openly about it is
uncomfortable, because it often reveals many unacceptable
truths. Yet the dialogue is necessary to bring about change.
“One of the hard but sad truths is that while most trained
hairdressers of BAME heritage have always been ready and
able to deal with any hair type, if a hairdresser who does
European hair is able to style Afro-Caribbean hair, they
are often hailed as having a particular talent. However, the
same is not said of myself or many other stylists from my
community for whom styling any hair type is often standard.
“Salons can push for and implement change by insisting
that training establishments employ universally
experienced tutors. Salon owners also have a
responsibility to recruit more diversely and
encourage the sharing of skills. This would
lead to a wider distribution of skills and
opportunity for everyone.”
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CREATIVE HEAD