Estetica Magazine UK (3/2021)

Akin Konizi, HOB Academy
To celebrate its heritage, the Fellowship for British Hairdressing has put together a special glossy, coffee
table Yearbook, celebrating the last 75 years of the Fellowship and the British hairdressing industry, as
well as looking to what the future holds. We asked a few hairdressers for their memories from the last
75 years:
“I truly believe the Fellowship has played a pivotal role in my hairdressing career. Ever since being selected as a member of their F.A.M.E. Team
way back in 1994, I’ve made it my life plan to ensure that like-minded individuals continue to benefit from their membership. The Fellowship is
unmatchable – it’s like a member’s club but totally non-exclusive – there is something for everyone and everyone is welcome. It has always been
totally appropriate when it comes to the needs of the hairdresser, from both an educational and business level and the camaraderie and support to
everyone from salon groups to individuals is second to none.” Errol Douglas MBE
“Both the Fellowship and Estetica magazine have been with me throughout my whole career. I won Fellowship Image of the Year in 2005, the
same time I was entering other competitions and starting to make my mark in the industry and Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year in 2007. It’s
important that, as a hairdressing community, we come together to share ideas and inspiration, share our stories and journeys and support one
another both in business and through our creativity.” Akin Konizi, HOB Salons
“My tenure has been full of challenges but it’s been hugely rewarding and productive. Our mantra has always been about creativity and opportunity
which is the cog for everything we do. The past 18 months has given us lots of opportunity to re-evaluate what we do, and ensure we are creative,
diverse and inclusive for all. It’s humbling to be on the list with some incredible past Presidents and Presidents yet to come and I will cherish my time
with the fellowship forever. It’s been hard work and draining but I don’t want to give it up! We have had a chance to shape the future of the industry
and a social responsibility to do just that. That’s what makes the Fellowship so unique.” Ken Picton, President of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing
“I invited Vidal Sassoon as my guest of honour to the President’s Night Dinner at Claridges. He was living in California so I invited him more
out of courtesy than expectation. But I was delighted when he wrote back to say Ronnie and him would be delighted to accept. On the night Liz
and I met them when they arrived and Vidal said. “Oh, I only came to see you your dad, now where is he” and off he went. Early on in their
careers they competed against each other on the competition circuit and both joined the Fellowship in 1950. It was a wonderful to hear them both
chatting away all evening and catching up with all their stories from the Fellowship’s early days.” Andrew Collinge
“The boys of today are the men of tomorrow and the Fellowship takes the seeds and helps everyone grow. I wanted to be part of that and have been
a member for 33 years. The 1980s was a great time to be in hairdressing as there was so much creative energy and so many new possibilities and
during this decade I was made a Patron of the Fellowship. When I accepted my medal, I said once upon a time British hairdressing was number
one and there was a big gap between the rest of the world, but now the gap has closed up. My job and my responsibility is to widen that gap again
because the talent we have is capable of being number one. We must always strive to be top dog, not think we are top dog.” Trevor Sorbie MBE
“The Fellowship for British Hairdressing and Estetica have always been a constant since I entered the industry as a young, eager student.
One of my favourite events was the Fellowship Hair & Vision a few years ago with Indira Schauwecker – we sat and talked through our
inspirations, our goals and our visions and had some great feedback from the audience. It was a really intimate and relaxed event and was great
fun. It’s important we all share our visions and experiences to help each other and keep creativity alive.” Cos Sakkas, TONI&GUY
“I was shocked when I won Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year in 2019, I really wasn’t expecting it. Everyone did a very good job at keeping it
a secret! It’s always been a great award, and after I won it I --had calls and messages from people I hadn’t seen or spoken to for years.
The Fellowship is great at bringing people and the industry together.” Sally Brooks, Brooks & Brooks, London
The Fellowship Yearbook is now available to order:
visit www.fellowshiphair.com
anniversary
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