Mahogany salon seminar at salon international 2021

The Mahogany Creative Team opened Salon International’s live seminar schedule for 2021 with a technique-packed presentation, showcasing their latest collection, Nouvelle Vague. Inspired by the French new-wave film movement of the same name, characterised by its rejection of traditional filmmaking in favour of experimental, visual style, the show was packed full of precision cutting techniques and bespoke colour placement that brought to life the concept of learning the rules in order to break them. “Nouvelle Vague was all about breaking the rules,” explained International Creative Director Colin Greaney. “And that’s what we’re doing today. We’re working with very classic techniques that are key to our philosophy, but we’re giving them a twist.” Classic films from the movement including Breathless, Les Bonnes Femmes and Lola inspired the team, but it was the bigger concept of reinventing fundamental foundations that further inspired the collection. “After a period of consolidation, we asked ourselves what got us here in the first place,” explained UK Creative Director, Anthony Licata. “We start by teaching everyone seven classic cuts which they have to master before they can start breaking the rules. It’s key to our ethos and philosophy, which is why we wanted to return to it after the last 18 months.” The team presented a series of looks from the collection live on stage, demonstrating both classic cutting and colouring techniques including invisible disconnection, internal texturising and colour saturation in an unexpected, contradictory palette. While the stage looks were show-stopping, they built on salon-friendly, workable essentials. “These are the couture versions of the techniques we do in the salon every day,” explained Antony. “You can make the disconnection less dramatic or retain length – but the methods remain the same.” Creative Director Neil Atkinson showcased this perfectly with his bespoke box bob, pairing clean lines and a head-hugging shape with unexpected elements. “We’re championing the classics,” he explained. “To the naked eye this looks like a cute bob, but there’s a finesse and detail in the technique. The beauty of hair cutting is in having a plan, but then being able to refine it.” The idea of personalised details also serves as a way to showcase and promote colour in the salon, explained Creative Colourist Josh Carron as he demonstrated applications with visual flair that get people talking and pique interest on the salon floor. As well as clever techniques, the finished results were beautifully contradictory; mink pink paired with absinthe green and blood orange, sorbet peach and rhubarb, ice and teal and an unexpected chevron panel of silver spiked through an inky black canvas. Showcased on a trending textured mullet, short curls and classic, bespoke bobs and crops, the colours were concealed and revealed as the hair moved. “Education is, and always will be, the only way forward,” concluded Anthony – and in a show that was full of looks that celebrated a return to the craft of hairdressing, learning has never been more enticing. With thanks to LWPR for reporting on this seminar.