Fashion week chats with kms style ambassador simon webster

Simon Webster is a KMS Style Ambassador, and has been working with the brand, and its parent company, Kao, for around five years. Discussing what drew him to working with them, he explains: “I love the idea of sustainability – and even our clients aren’t surprised by that. There’s almost an expectation now, it’s what people want. “But working as a session stylist along with having a salon, working with a product brand works really well for me. I can get the result I want out of the product on set, and also recreate that back in the salon.” With a passion for sustainability, Simon recognises that there is more to be done in the industry. One such thing he believes has the scope for improvement is packaging: “We need to start using less. And not just focus on recycling – can we refill the same bottles? Not only would that reduce the amount of waste, but it could also reduce to cost.” Simon highlights how this is an area KMS has been working on, referencing the brand’s shampoo bar. “What a brilliant idea,” he says. “And it even comes with a little metal tin, making it practical, too.” Simon’s relationship with the brand extends further than using its products – he is also the lead stylist for its collaboration with eco designers VIN + OMI on their show OPINIONS. This is their second time working together, and Simon notes: “I think we realised from day one we had similar ideas, so working together has been fantastic. I came to hairdressing more as an artist, to start off with – to me it was an art form. Working with them has felt more like an art project than a fashion show, and I’ve worked on over 100 fashions shows over the last 18 years, so to me, this was fantastic – I wanted a bit of a challenge.” https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch4bAffoMO9/ Detailing his previous experience working with VIN + OMI, Simon explains: “It was a bit ‘make do and mend’ in that everything we used had to be something that was recycled. We had 100 wigs donated from theatres and clients; one came from my client who'd had chemotherapy, and it was a long curly grey wig that came down to waist length – and that ended up being transformed into a red quiff, David Bowie inspired.” This time around, the theme of recycling is being continued to create hair accessories. “It’s such a genius idea and it’s so simple,” Simon teases. “I’m not sure I can say more before the show, though.” Whilst the hair accessories are a topic of interest, the hair itself is just as important. “Over the years hair has become so complex, and when we did our test day for the show, I realised that for OPINIONS we’re taking it right back to basics, and I love that. I feel like the ideas and the looks we’ve got will be really simple for people to recreate. As a salon owner, Simon is keen to highlight how sustainability and creativity can be adapted for this environment. “I think it’s all down to education,” he explains. “It’s down to us as hairdressers, stylists, salons, to educate clients not just on how to use products, but how to get the most out of them. Especially after the lockdowns, I think people have realised that you don’t necessarily need an abundance of products.” This is an opinion which will be reflected in the show, with majority of the hair looks being created with only one product – the KMS CONSCIOUSSTYLE MULTI BENEFIT SPRAY. Concluding by reflecting on his experience working with KMS, Simon shares: “If a stylist is looking to work with a brand in a role such as style ambassador, or something similar, I think it’s very important to consider your ethos, and think about which brands match this.” This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Kao Salon Divison.