Headfirst

Short Story

Short Story

01/10/10

Today was one of the most amazing days of my life. I went to Paris to reveal Melody Gardot’s new image and after a motorbike whisked me to the hotel to get there on time, I knew it was going to be a fun day.

I’ve worked with Melody for some time now, and we wanted to have a completely new look. As you can see by the images below I’ve changed her image a lot. As an artist it’s important for her to express herself, and other than the music, hair is one of the most powerful and easy ways to do this.

So here is Melody’s new image! A beautifully sexy crop, revealed on the front row Lanvin S/S11. She took the press by storm as she made a huge fashion statement. Melody has the most amazing face structure and I wanted to show it by cutting the hair into this edgy but super-feminine crop.

As I watched the show, the press was in shock that it was indeed Melody, as they all know her with her long blonde hair. She is one of the most talented and wonderful artists I’ve ever met, so to be part of creating her image is a real expression of my art. She has become my muse!

The Lanvin show was unbelievably exciting. Being on the front row instead of back stage was a very different experience. The clothes were amazing and with thanks to Albers slick tailoring and fluid silhouettes S/S11 is looking mighty fine.

With Dita von Teese sitting next to me and Anna Wintour opposite, I really had one of those wow moments.

Miss Melody

Miss Melody

24/09/10

This is why I love to work with this woman. She is an inspiration. It’s rare to meet someone with so much talent, passion and knowledge, but who is still humble, warm and kind. May I introduce Miss Melody Gardot…

Rocking out a new lo

Rocking out a new look for her next TV show…

23/09/10

There’s back-to-back TV today so it’s important that Melody’s image changes for each show. I’ve worked with the outfit, a very dark blue Lanvin dress that’s simple but cheeky. With the hair, I wanted to keep with the new edgy look Melody is showing, working with the asymmetric feeling and adding a Hermès scarf, makes it cute but still with sex appeal. My top tip for this look is to backcomb and clamp the irons on every section. It takes away the work of getting the volume and saves time.

Guten Tag

Guten tag

22/09/10

Wow what a week! I have been working at London Fashion Week with the amazing Malcolm Edwards team and it has been such a blast. But there was no rest for me yesterday as I flew to Berlin to begin Melody Gardot’s tour. I’ll be travelling around Germany, looking after Melody’s hair for shows, TV appearances and press events. It’s amazing, but being on tour is a lot of hard work. I arrived at midnight last night and did not get to sleep as I was up prepping hair.

The pictures below are from German breakfast television, where Melody performed. The feeling for the hair was very Helena Bonham Carter meets Vogue – strong but sexy. The dress by Lanvin really set the scene.

Happy birthday Creat

Happy birthday Creative HEAD

03/09/10

I cannot begin to say how proud I was to be asked to do a shoot for Creative HEAD. This excitement was tripled when I learnt that the September issue is the Collector’s Edition in celebration of Creative HEAD’s 10th birthday! It was about showcasing young and fresh talent, which I know publisher Catherine Handcock and the guys at the magazine are so passionate about. The shoot also celebrated the launch of L’Oréal Professionnel’s Série Nature range.

The team was amazing, with my good friend Carly Alpin and Jonathan Soons involved we soon set to work. We were all focused on giving the shoot a real kick of youth. The hair brief was all about movement, having a beautiful commercial image that people would look at and say: “Wow, I want that hair.” With photographer Dan Smith involved, the room was electric and it was captured in the pictures – the man is a legend.

The whole day was an immense collaboration of creativity and passion.
I cannot wait for you to see it when it lands on Monday!

I heart fashion week

I heart fashion week

01/09/10

My favourite time of the year is back! Can you believe it’s Fashion Week time again? I have been meeting the team I’ll be in to work with the amazing Malcolm Edwards. I’ve looked at his work for years for inspiration, so to be on the team is great and we have some major shows in which to rock out some brilliant hair.

One thing Malcolm was really passionate about was being a team that all pulled together. Which I think is one of the most valuable lessons when you’re doing shows back-to-back. It’s set to be a very, fast and furious Fashion Week – taking no prisoners. So I’ll keep you updated from the world of fashion as it happens. The shows start on the 17 September, and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for S/S11.

Here are a couple of looks we played with in preparation for a show. Sent from my iPad!

Britpop

Britpop

01/09/10

Check out the latest issue of POP. It has the one thing I thought we would never see again – Britney in a wedding dress. The amazing pictures are by Takashi Murakami, the iconic Japanese artist who is often referred to as the Andy Warhol of our time. The shoot took high-end fashion and mixed it with Japanese Manga, complete with a schoolgirl backpack, Hello Kitty mobile and ankle socks. Welcome back Britney.

Miss whiplash

Miss whiplash

24/08/10

Last weekend I was working on a shoot for our A/W salon magazine with the George’s Hairdressing art-team, creating six hot looks for the A/W blowdry bar. This is one of my favourite hair looks from the shoot. It’s so powerful, sexy and strong, yet it is one of the simplest looks to do. When the ponytail is positioned in the right way, it tells a story.

I was looking through the latest edition of i-D magazine and saw this amazing shoot with Kate Moss sharing a similar pose, so it was nice to see we are on the right track. Session master Eamonn Hughes created this look for Kate. I love it.

The hair that I created was inspired by the Lanvin A/W advertising campaign – I wanted it too be super sharp and have that real whiplash feeling. So I followed the eye line and positioned the ponytail on the crown section of the models head. This positioning creates the strength of the ponytail, the higher you lift the hair the harder it looks. I secured the hair with hat elastic (a must) and continued this through the ponytail to make it lift off the head.  
It’s going to be a hard winter!

High impact

High Impact

23/08/10

The power of the woman’s heel. I love this picture featuring the classic Christian Louboutin shoe. “Nothing is sexier than the red sole of a Christian Louboutin heel,” says Lindsay Lohan and I agree, heels create impact and really make a woven look powerful. Mr Louboutin himself said: “Shoes are more than just an accessory, they are an extension of a woman.”

So celebritys love them but I wanted to know what the average woman thought of high heels – pleasure or pain? I asked a close friend, who I rarely see in anything other than six-inch heels, whether they really give you that wow factor or are they just a pain? By the way, she literally squealed when I showed her this pair of Christian Louboutins, so this may give the answer away! 
I put together her top five statements on why heels make all the difference.

1. They make you look taller. Although petite can be cute, a lot of shorter women feel the need to add a bit of height. High heels are an instant way to form a lengthy, supermodel stature. What’s more, by slipping on a pair, your legs will look shapelier.

2. High heels make you look slimmer. To maximise the effect go higher, and the thinner you will look.

3. A pair can turn an outfit from average to fabulous. Team your favourite jeans and t-shirt with a pair of killer high heels, it is the perfect way to turn a casual look into something sexy and trendy.

4. You will look more curvaceous and gain a sexier posture by wearing high heels. Putting on a pair makes calf muscles shapelier and pushes out the buttocks and breasts – a much cheaper and less painful alternative to cosmetic surgery!

5. Finally, high heels are for life and not just for Christmas! So there you have it, though admittedly from a confessed shoeaholic. What’s your view?

Quoth the raven

Quoth the raven

22/08/10

Check out the Tom Ford eyewear campaign for A/W10. It’s spectacular, and consists of the beautiful Freja Beha Erichsen and the handsome Nicholas Hoult. The shoot has a real gothic glamour feel to it. Photographed by Mr Ford himself, using glossy black ravens and some old school Hollywood ‘feel’ clothes – black organza, bow ties and velvet. And OMG, I love the shocking moment as one crow bites Freja’s nipple! Ooh la la Monsieur Ford, you go for it!

Click on the thumbnails to see pics