Meet top barber and educator, sid sottung

HJ Men caught up with education maestro Sid Sottung, founder of the Sid Sottung Academy What does the Sid Sottung ‘brand’ stand for? The brand stands for passion, creativity and forward-thinking. Be different but not just for the sake of it. There are no right or wrong answers so don’t feel the need to conform. Draw inspiration from every and never be afraid to try new things. Do you have a mantra you share with your students? “Give time some time.” Enjoy your journey and remember we all started somewhere. Nobody can be the best but we can strive to be the best we can possibly be. Remain passionate, persevere and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. What’s the best career advice you have ever been given? “Go into teaching, you’ll never regret it.” The words of my mentor John Guest are still holding strong to this day. Why did you decide to focus on men’s hair?   It’s where it all began for me back in New York. At the age of 14 I wandered into the traditional Italian barber shop at the end of my street back. Of course I’ll never forget my time with Vidal Sassoon - it was a hugely important part of my formative years, but it’s part personal preference and part wanting to return to my roots. Who do you admire inside the barbering or hairdressing industries and why?   The person I admire the most is my assistant creator, Josh O’Callaghan. From his passion and work ethic to his energy and fresh ideas, he’s constantly working to push us forwards. Who do you admire outside of the industry and why? Artists like Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and James Rosenquist are huge influences. Basically artists that were unique in their way of thinking and used different tools to create beautiful works of art. Where do you get inspiration for your photographic collections? It’s important to look beyond your contemporaries and seek inspiration from an eclectic range of sources. Music is one of my biggest influences. Taking the aural information and translating it into something visual is something I enjoy. See Sid live at Salon International on the HJ Men Stage.