An icon answers: leonard
Legenadary hairdresser 'Leonard' is one of the men who revolutionised British hairdressing to make it the best in the world.
British Hairdresser of the Year Angelo Seminara was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview his idol.
How did you start your hairdressing career?
I was working in a car auction showroom when I saw a 1952 film called Coiffeur pour Dames (An Artist with the Ladies) about a hairdresser with a very special touch. It inspired me and when I mentioned this to a customer, he gave me a copy of Hairdressers Journal International. I applied for a job I saw in the magazine and was turned down, but soon began an apprenticeship in central London. I later worked with Vidal Sassoon, who became a great friend and mentor, but I left to open my own salon, and focus on my passion for variety in hair. In the 60s I opened the House of Leonard - the first lifestyle salon in London.
Through House of Leonard you created iconic styles for fashion, film, magazines and some of the best-known celebrities of the past 50 years, including Twiggy, The Beatles and Elizabeth Taylor. What advice would you give to creative hairdressers looking to follow in your footsteps?
You need to know the basics before you can begin working in the session world. I feel that hairdressers should have to graduate from a salon career, understanding that environment and all that comes with it, developing their skills and coming up with their own twists on them. Fashion changes, but hairdressing must not - it's vital to master old-fashioned skills and then learn how to work with them to create something new.
What are your views on celebrity culture and its impact on hairdressing?
To me, 'celebrity hairdressing' is not a positive thing. It seems some people want to appear on television before they have the necessary skills and some of the recent shows featuring hairdressers have been embarrassing and bad for our reputation. A hairdresser's skills should be at the highest level before they go before an audience.
What do you think still needs to be achieved in British hairdressing?
Hairdressing in the UK should be registered. People are opening salons and trading as hairdressers without qualifications or skills, and it's so damaging to the reputation of our profession. I've discussed this issue with many influential people, including Conservative Party leader David Cameron and representatives from the BBC and national press, but we need more people to get behind the issue if things are to improve. I think there should be a panel of leading hairdressers who award an independently recognised standard to salons.
Who do you respect in the industry?
I respect you, Angelo, and your own mentor, Trevor Sorbie - you're both clearly very passionate and very interested in your work. I have worked with John Frieda, Nicky Clarke and Daniel Galvin, and found them all to be fantastic hairdressers, and of course Vidal Sassoon has achieved great things too. Above all, I feel it's essential to respect every client - without them there is no business.
