Class of 2022 unveil collection
Our year-long, creative hair programme Saks A-Team, culminated in a hair collection and professional photoshoot at Quest Studios in London.
And we’re sure you’ll agree, the results are out of this world.
The Brief
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 look which 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. Ava Docherty, was their model, who 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. Ava was dressed in a structured caged skirt and patterned corset, using styles and prints made popular by Westwood.
Second Looks
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.
The first look included printing 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. Also inspiring 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). Then created a skirt with feathers made from hair using macrame techniques. WOW. JUST WOW.
Behind The Scenes
This was something very different from salon life, kicking off the experience by going to the Blues Room in Shoreditch for dinner.
Followed by everyone supporting each other, sharing ideas, and creating a fun collection that really encourages conversation. The A-Team proudly 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’ Creative Director – Luke Pluckrose
Photography: Lee Smyth
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