Colour crushes: mark leeson
Published
08th Mar 2013
by rachael
As HJi celebrates the very best in colour, we talk to some of our current colour crushes to find out more about their life, work and loves.
Today we talk to Mark Leeson, whose salon is in Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. A much-loved industry name across the globe, Mark has also won a wealth of awards for his hairdressing including Artistic Team of the Year at HJ's 2012 British Hairdressing Awards.
We asked Mark about his colour loves, hates and the celebrity colouring trend which he wishes had never happened...
Name: Mark Leeson
Salon: Owner and creative director at Mark Leeson Hair Body and Mind.
Training and qualifications: I completed my training in the 80s and since then have never stopped learning. I am now a global colour ambassador for Goldwell.
When did you decide to specialise in colour?
I always felt that a cut was never complete without a colour and since I opened my own salon in 1996 I have always ensured that all my clients had both cut and colour.
Why do you love working with colour?
It brings any haircut alive. It can create a focal point in the cut; the right colour can make someone's eyes or skin tone radiate and essentially it enhances what nature has given us.
Whose colour work do you admire the most?
My hairdressing hero is Trevor Sorbie - for all the work he produced. I have always been a fan of Trevor and he still inspires me today.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Everywhere. Travel, fashion, architecture, cities around the world or simply just strolling down the street. I never switch off and am constantly taking notes or collecting tear sheets thinking of ideas for shoots and colour work.
What colours do you predict we'll be seeing a lot of this Spring/Summer?
Ice cream tones (think Ellie Goulding) and super light blondes (think Rita Ora) will be big news, however we'll also be seeing rich dark tones as seen on Megan Fox. I also predict that turquoise green will be a bit of a hit this summer.
What techniques are you using a lot of at the moment?
It is all about customised colour placements and offering the client something that they cannot achieve at home. There are so many home colouring kits available now that it's really important to offer clients customised techniques with superior products that they could not achieve themselves.
Which colour trend do you wish had never taken off?
Generally there was a lot of shocking colour in the 80s and while it was an incredibly inspiring time to be a hairdresser, and there were no boundaries when it came to experimenting with colour, there was also a lot of frazzled, over-processed and terribly toned hair. Thankfully we learned a lot and moved on.
Which celebrity do you think always gets colour right?
Jessica Alba - she has gorgeous hair and the colour is always spot on.
