Dominique rohde's inspiring career in men's hairdressing

Dominique Rohde, American Crew education manager talks about her inspiring career

I work with the American Crew global education team to develop and implement an innovative training and education programme for aspiring barbers and stylists in the UK. This involves travelling to the US every year to help style a new American Crew collection and bringing back the ideas for the UK. I'm also the creative director for the annual American Crew UK Face Off competition and finalists' party, a huge event and showcase for the best in men's grooming, which we stage in Manchester every year. 

   

The diversity! Meeting stylists who share my passion for men's hairdressing; introducing stylists and barbers to American Crew menswork classes and seeing their excitement when they've completed them; seeing the effects that a great haircut can have on a client or model; the smile on their face and a little more swagger in their walk. Working with a team of some of the industry's most talented stylists and being part of an inspiring creative process to produce Face Off, which is now a global success story. It's been an amazing journey.

The biggest challenge is encouraging stylists to invest in education. It's important in terms of personal and professional development, and it can give you and your salon a competitive edge. In a challenging economy, making that commitment can be the difference between success and failure - yet too many stylists are reluctant to commit. Knowledge is key; it helps to develop technical skill, ability and confidence, which in turn can open up many career opportunities. Men's hairdressing has become much more exciting in recent years; it's also a whole lot of fun!

I started as an apprentice for a top Dorset salon, where I stayed for seven years before moving to the US to take up an educational role with Graham Webb International, a successful salon group. It was an amazing experience, which led me to work for American Crew.

I travelled to shows and salons, sharing the brand's passion for men's hairdressing. It wasn't just about the products; it was about the techniques we used with the clipper to create the styles. It was an exciting time in men's hairdressing. Over the next few years, I developed my skills and role as the key stylist, with a small team working on the American Crew collections, photo shoots and shows. 

It was an exciting experience and it

gave me the skills, experience and confidence to come back to the UK and head up the American Crew education programme.

Be passionate about being the best you can be and always strive to be at the top of your craft. Make a commitment to develop and improve your cutting and styling skills, attend as many quality men's classes as you can and take every opportunity to work with the best in the business. Remember that humility and loyalty can get you far.