Class of 2022 unveil collection
Our year-long, creative hair programme Saks A-Team, culminated in a hair collection and professional photoshoot.
And we’re sure you’ll agree, the results are out of this world.
The A-team gathered at Quest Studios in London with mentor, Saks Artist and colourist extraordinaire, Sarah Clarke-Lees.
A-Teamers were tasked with choosing a theme and then creating two hair looks that were different but linked in some way. Inspiration included music (Boy George and Lady Gaga), high-end fashion, Vivienne Westwood and all-things celestial and horoscopes. They styled the clothes and worked produce a MUA a lookwhich complimented the hair. To create the styles, they used lots of unusual techniques and materials, from gold feathers to clothes made from hair.
First up Roxy from Saks Redcar and Sophie from Saks West Bridgford picked the iconic Vivienne Westwood as their theme. They made a curly wig and colour-matched it to Vivienne’s copper hair. They styled it in quirky and angular shapes, mimicking her love of sharp lines and non-conformity. Their model, Ava Docherty was styled with punk tartan and a slogan corset in homage to Vivienne’s use of fashion as a form of protest.
Their second creation was a renaissance-inspired look created using a long white wig and flowers made from hair, coloured in clashing tones, along with artificial flowers. The wig was shaped in a messy, undone style and Ava was dressed in a structured caged skirt and patterned corset, using styles and prints made popular by Westwood.
Ann-Elise from Saks Barnard Castle and Jess from Saks Bishop Auckland went for a ‘Star Signs’ theme. The gravity-defying ‘Scorpio’ was their first dramatic look, using polystyrene carefully covered in hair to form the perfect tail shape and blending the model’s own hair into the structure….SKILLS!
The second style from the duo was all about ‘Pisces’, using deep water tones, moulded into waves with wire and, featuring fishtail braiding emerging from the waves.
Shannon from Saks Hexham and Lloyd from Saks Northallerton chose the ‘high-end fashion’ theme for their model, Megan Gray.
For their first look they printed a Louis Vuitton logo onto hair wefts using a sublimation printer and Megan was styled in a classic black suit.
For their second, they created big and bouncy hair with a Gucci logo spray-painted onto the hair.
Shannon said: “The best part about being in A-Team is meeting more people within Saks, seeing different ideas and ways of working. We’ve worked collaboratively to create a collection we’re proud of. It’s also inspired other members of my team to apply next year.
Shannon continued “I love A-Team. It makes you push yourself into a more creative side of hairdressing that you wouldn’t normally get to try! I’ll be able to take inspiration back to the salon to enhance my own customer’s’ experience and share with the team!”
Finally, Danielle from Saks Chester and Emma from Saks Hexham chose a ‘music’ theme for their model, Grace Henshall-Flynn.
Their looks included a hat made from hair in an exaggerated shape, commonly worn by Boy George. Then in a nod to Lady Gaga herself, the team crimped a yellow wig to make a triangular shape, topped it with a gold crown made from feathers and flowers (we LOVE), and created a skirt with feathers made from hair using macrame techniques. WOW. JUST WOW.
Sarah Clarke-Lees who has mentored the A-Team throughout 2022 said: “This was something very different from salon life and we kicked off the experience by taking them to the Blues Room in Shoreditch for dinner”
“As their mentor, it’s lovely to watch them move from concept to collection. They supported each other, shared ideas, and came together to create a fun collection that really encourages conversation. A-Team brings a diverse group of stylists together with a common goal to create something unique and they smashed it!”
Saks Creative Director Luke said: “A-Team is a great opportunity for stylists within Saks to come out of the salon environment, network with other stylists and create looks that they wouldn’t typically do within their salon. It’s a chance for them to showcase their creativity and this year’s team did just that with a fantastic collection illustrating what inspires them. From the high-end fashion inside the covers of Vogue, the horoscopes they read and the icons they follow to the music they listen to.”
Huge congrats to the class of 2022. We LOVE what you do.
Ann-Elise – Saks Barnard Castle
Emma – Saks Hexham
Danielle – Saks Chester
Jess – Saks Bishop Auckland
Lloyd – Saks Hair Northallerton
Roxy – Saks Redcar
Shannon – Saks Hair Hexham
Sophie – Saks West Bridgford
Mentored by Saks Artist, Sarah Clarke-Lees
Photography: Lee Smyth
READY TO START YOUR SAKS STORY?
Start your Saks Story today. Browse current jobs and salon ownership opportunities online, call 0845 678 0290 for an informal chat or email customerservices@saks.co.uk for info.