Featured Blog Posts

• Street Fashion: Breaking Out Individuality 01/23/2012 As much as I, along other hairdressers and fashion designers, find new ideas from collections on the runway, we also look to street fashion to see what’s next. Especially for hairdressers, we are always in search of the next new thing when working with a fashion designer. Seeking inspiration in street fashion is motivational and important to seek out. For me, the fact that street fashion is undefined, daring and risky makes it exciting and opens up the gates of creativity. When I think of street fashion, I see it as an expression of an individual or a group. It doesn’t have a set definition, and that’s why young individuals sport it. Unlike pret a porter or haute couture, which are still confined to factors such as fabric selection, emerging trends or social aspects, those who wear street fashion have no boundaries. Each person has complete freedom to find the appropriate clothing based on how they envision themselves, and what kind of appeal they’re looking for. Without being bound to any rules, they are able to take risks and make a statement for themselves. All throughout history, the most popular trends have had roots in street fashion. Whether it be cargo pants to hip hop, rockabilly to leather jackets, it has always been the individuals who first took on those styles. It was only until the big name designers picked them up that those styles became mainstream. I admire the individuals who aren’t afraid to break out of the norm and try new things. They have such creativity, and I get inspiration from their street fashion and adapt that inspiration into something that’s more mainstream and in line with the Salon Buzz brand and image. It’s essential that I transform the inspiration into hair is wearable, approachable and versatile to fit different styles and moods. For example, if I saw big volume and texture, how can I keep those elements, yet keep the hair sophisticated and exciting for the client? Just as street fashion shows the individual’s boldness and character, the hair inspiration I take away from street fashion should give my client confidence and personality as well. Ultimately, how I adapt street fashion to the salon will depend largely on who the client is. Those who create inspiration are those who are inspired themselves. They have a true vision of who they want to be, and they’re willing to take risks to express themselves through their own style. And because of that individuality and unbound imagination in street fashion, I consider it one of the most interesting places to look for fresh inspiration. Photo Credit: The Fashion Directories, Style.com   As much as I, along other hairdressers and fashion designers, find new ideas from collections on the runway, we also look to street fashion to see what’s next. Especially for hairdressers, we are always in...
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• Richard Avedon: Capturing Raw Beauty 01/19/2012 Richard Avedon’s photography is easily recognized by his signature style, where subjects are in front of a stark white backdrop, looking squarely into the camera. For almost 50 years, he took photos of beautiful women for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and later photographed intellectuals, artists and the working people of the American West. All of his photos express his regard for the individual as a whole, and I am inspired by his work, as he redefined fashion photography by capturing the concept of gorgeousness in his own way. (To see his work, go to www.richardavedon.com.) Looking at his work, I’m drawn to the “raw” element of beauty that he brings out in his photos. For him, the photograph was not a report of a particular moment; instead, it needed to be something he could personally experience and make a statement about. While other photographers conveyed beauty as something mysterious, manipulated, or on the surface, Avedon captured beauty as a whole with a heightened sense of reality, combined with sophistication and an element of fantasy or surprise. His studio was empty, which allowed his subjects to move freely in any way. Although his meticulously managed his shoots, Avedon was able to translate the rehearsed movement into a spontaneous moment. He also revealed his subjects’ personality to show the real, “raw” person beneath the model or celebrity by asking uncomfortable or probing questions that would provoke a certain expression that he wanted. Unlike the typical fashion photographs that featured static, emotionless models for the surface beauty, Avedon was able to encapsulate the true emotions of his models and oftentimes capture them in motion. His subjects jumped, leaped, smiled or pouted, and each photograph seemed to tell a story. Thanks to his visionary work, he defined Twiggy as the classic 60s model, although her career was actually brief. The photo of Dovima stroking the unharnessed elephants while wearing an elegant gown has now become an icon of fashion photography. And the American West portraits exhibited the rugged individualism of his subjects. I admire Avedon’s unique visions of going beyond the conventional standards of beauty. At the time when beauty was either obscured or represented through the exterior, Avedon dug deep into his subjects to capture the raw beauty that lay underneath the surface. For someone to do something so differently from what’s approved by the mainstream, and have his work wield such a lasting influence, that’s truly inspiring. Photo Credit: http://www.heavydutydesign.com/alicethelma Richard Avedon’s photography is easily recognized by his signature style, where subjects are in front of a stark white backdrop, looking squarely into the camera. For almost 50 years, he took photos of beautiful women...
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• Hair Products: How We Commit to Our Clients 01/09/2012 When clients come to us, it’s our responsibility to deliver the best hair care service and maintain integrity with what we do. And one way we show commitment to our client is through the products that we carry, which we trust and believe will benefit them. Products are important for both styling and hair care. They help create the look that a client envisions, to fit her personality and overall style. Products also maintain hair health and beauty by repairing or supporting the hair, giving it movement and shine so that it doesn’t look dry and dull. With so many products out there on the market, people often wonder why we carry certain product brands and not others. Our criteria is based on whether a brand’s values aligns with ours. In a way, the product lines we choose should be representative of the Salon Buzz brand. How does the brand market itself to the consumer public, and is that our target customer base? Additionally, I wanted a brand that had a strong research and develop department. I knew early on that I wanted to partner with a brand that could be of resource to us, and utilize their resources to educate and train my staff. Different product lines carry several products that all do similar things for the hair across a wide range of prices, and a client may find that an $8 shampoo and a $40 shampoo both may have some of the same ingredients. But the difference in a low-end versus a high-end product is the quality of the ingredient, and it’s that high level of quality that will affect how the product responds to the hair. We’re by no means elitist; we’re just trying to target a specific audience and find the products that will best work with their hair. To help the client choose the right product, we as hairdressers need to know the product inside out, and also be considerate of the client’s hair and habits. What is the product made of? What is it made to do for the hair? Can the client’s hair handle multiple products at once? Combining product knowledge and assessment of the client’s needs through consultations, we can then decide what is the best product for each client. In the end, we want clients to leave the salon with the knowledge of how to maintain their salon look on their own, out of the salon. By offering clients the brands that we believe in, we are able to provide them with the products that will ensure the integrity, health and beauty of their hair. Photo Credit: Salon Buzz When clients come to us, it’s our responsibility to deliver the best hair care service and maintain integrity with what we do. And one way we show commitment to our client is through the products...
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