Men's hairdresser of the year winning collections

If you've ever looked on in awe as the finalists for HJ's Men's Hairdresser of the Year are unveiled at the British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, or even followed the winners' success with a touch of professional envy, here's your chance to see what goes into creating a winning entry.

DESMOND MURRAY - Winner 2009

Desmond won the category in 2009 with a truly unique (and much mimicked) collection, which combined his talents as a hairdresser and photographer.

Planning is everything for Desmond, who begins thinking about his collection at least eight months before the entry date. "At this stage, I go through the nuts and bolts of what I want to do," says Desmond. "I think about every element from the hair to the photography and the overall concept."

Inspiration for this concept can come from a variety of sources. "Sometimes I'm inspired by a model I see," says Desmond. "One of my collections was actually inspired by a homeless guy I used to see every day in Covent Garden who had long hair and a beard. He sparked an idea that I went with. Sometimes I will get ideas from the catwalk or a film."

Once Desmond has an idea for a collection, he will begin compiling mood boards that will take into account all elements of the shoot, including the photography, the clothes, models and, of course, the hair.

When it comes to choosing models Desmond believes it's important to be flexible. "Sometimes you will completely change your mind about the type of model you want on the day of the casting, because a particular guy will catch your eye and make you rethink," he says. "Nothing is written in stone."

Desmond is unusual in that he is both the hairdresser and the photographer of his collections - something he sees as a blessing and a curse. "It can be a bit of a nightmare," he admits. "When you are both hairdresser and photographer you become your own worst critic. I always beat myself up about the end result. I sometimes miss the benefits of having a fresh pair of eyes to give feedback. On the plus side, it does give me complete control over the finished images."

Choosing a photographer should be a major consideration for anyone putting together a collection, says Desmond. "A lot of photographers just don't get hair," he says. "The best way of finding the right one is to look at images in hair magazines and see which ones you like."

All these elements certainly came together for Desmond's 2009 winning collection for which he set out to create a modern but 1960s-inspired feel. To create the unusual angle of the shots, he used a wide-angled lens. "I wanted to create a feeling of movement and to have the head and body in the same frame - while maintaining hair as the focus," says Desmond.

JODY TAYLOR - winner 2010

When Jody began thinking about his collection at the beginning of 2010, he knew he wanted to create images that would push men's hairdressing to the next level, but still reflect modern trends.

Says Jody: "As head of men's hairdressing at the Toni & Guy Academy, I wanted to create something that my company would be proud of."

Inspiration for the collection came from a character called Johnny Quid in the Guy Ritchie film Rock 'n Rolla. "He was a really complicated character with a lot going on, so I was able to take elements of his personality and really play with each trait," says Jody.

In terms of preparation for the collection, Jody says it was about getting the hair right first. "It was important for me to try out different shapes and silhouettes, exploring weight lines and graduation to fit my concept," he says.

Once Jody was happy and knew where he was going with the hair, he focused on other elements of the collection, including the clothes styling. "Clothes are always an important part of a shoot," says Jody. "All of the clothes for my winning collection were vintage - with a black and white collection it was key to use texture and shape so detail wasn't lost."

So why does Jody think his collection was a winner? "I think the collection really stood out as a whole. A combination of the styling with the lighting and concept silhouettes as well as the shapes of the hair all worked in harmony to create a cohesive and polished finished look."

Jody believes it is important to focus on what you want to achieve with a collection rather than getting hung up on what has worked for previous winners, or on the latest trend. "I think sometimes it's easy to get swept away with a certain trend or look that you like, but that isn't necessarily original," he says. "This can sometimes make it seem like people are copying each other. If stylists allow themselves enough time to plan and find their own style, they've a good chance of creating something completely original."

JAMIE STEVENS - Winner 2011 

Jamie started 'playing with ideas' at the beginning of 2011, so that he had a clear idea of his concept long before the day of the shoot. "It was January when I began talking to my make-up artist and photographer in readiness to do the actual shoot some time in the Spring."

Inspiration for Jamie's winning collection came from the catwalks and fashion in general. "The collection combines masculinity and femininity, utilising texture and movement," says Jamie. "I have used more length than in previous collections, with long, soft waves forming an antithesis to the shorter, androgynous styles."

Choosing the right models has always been vital to the success of any collection, says Jamie - but this doesn't necessarily mean opting for professionals. "I have an eye for what will photograph well," says Jamie.

"It's not just about the hair; bone structure and being comfortable in front of a camera are just as important. I have several house models who are clients, happy to work in exchange for me maintaining their cut and colour for a year."

For his winning collection, Jamie used a mixture of professional and non-professional models. "Half were professionals, costing up to £1,000 per day, and about a quarter were found on social networking sites," says Jamie. "I also spent time on Oxford Street and in Knightsbridge giving out my card to potential models."

In terms of the hair for his winning collection, Jamie was keen to demonstrate his versatility as a stylist. "I want any collection to represent my hairdressing skills," says Jamie, "So I included looks with long, short, textured and curly hair. Each look showed what I can do as well as reflecting key fashion trends."

So what does Jamie think makes a winning collection? "A winning collection is a combination of everything," he says. "It's all about great lighting, make-up, styling, great models and hair. I think my shoot managed to combine all of these elements."