Midlands hairdresser of the year 2011 - sean tetlow

After reaching the final three times, Sean Tetlow was named Midlands Hairdresser of the Year in 2011.

Sean gave us an insight into his award winning collection and what it takes to win one of the prestigious prizes.

Why did you decide to enter the British Hairdressing Awards?

Ever since I started out in hairdressing as a sixteen year old, it has always been my ambition to win the British Hairdressing Awards.  When I opened my own salon, The Colour Room, in 2003, I did three or four photo-shoots to gain experience and learn the ropes.  In 2005, I produced the first collection that I felt was good enough to enter, and reached the finals for Midlands Hairdresser of the Year.  After reaching finalist status three times, I won the title in 2011, which was awesome!  Entering the British Hairdressing Awards pushes you creatively and technically and forces you to be a better hairdresser.

When did you start thinking about your collection?

I always start thinking about each new collection for The Colour Room straight after the British Hairdressing Awards are over each November!  By then, all the catwalk shows for the following Spring / Summer have been done, and my vision for the next collection really starts to come together.  In the New Year, decisions need to be made about photographers, stylists and make up artists and the planning begins in earnest.

What was your budget for the shoot?

My budget for shoot was £12,000.  Being realistic, you need to have a fair budget at your disposal to enable you to use a great photographer as well as a good team and professional models.  It is very easy to blow you budget  in silly ways - for example, not planning the arrival times of your models effectively and then having to pay for them to wait around all day.  You learn such lessons very quickly!

How did you find a photographer, stylist and makeup artist?

At industry events you always get to hear about and meet new people.  I met the photographer, Jack Eames, at a Fellowship event and really enjoyed talking to him.  I researched Jack's work and loved it.  I had worked with Desiree Lederer, the clothes stylist, twice before and really love her work, so when Jack mentioned he liked Desiree's work, I was happy to agree.  Our make-up artrist, Maddie Austin, was someone Jack had worked with regularly and really rated. 

Tell us a little about your models. What do you look for in a hair model? How did you source them and how much did they cost?

I always use the top model agencies, but to keep costs down, am open to the idea of using 'new faces' - models who have relatively little experience,  but have made the grade with the best agencies who can see their potential.    When selecting models at a casting, I identify girls that can be photographed from all angles and has a varied portfolio.  If a model's book is full of pictures shot just from the left, then it can be an indicator that she doesn't photograph well from the right.  If her expression is the same on every photo in her book, then I will worry that she may not be versatile enough.  I have also learnt that a model's personality and energy is really important - a miserable or moody model on the day can really disrupt a photo-shoot and drag the whole team down.  I talk to the models about what they are happy for me to do with their hair and establish whether colour and style changes are an option. 

How long did it take from the day of the shoot to sending off a collection you were happy with?

It usually takes two to four weeks from the day of the shoot to having the definitive images ready to send.  I would advise anyone to make it their priority to have their strongest four images to send for the first round of judging.  I don't see any point in holding back a strong shot to 'save' for the second  four images needed if you are finalised.  The first priority is to ensure you get through the first round.

How did entering the British Hairdressing Awards effect life in the salon - did your team get involved and did it mean you had to be away from the salon a lot?

There is very little disruption to the salon in terms of being away, as meetings, castings and the photo shoot itself can all take place on Mondays when I am not expected in the salon, or on less busy Tuesdays.  Although I like the space to plan my looks and glean the inspiration I need to put together my collections, I do keep my team and all our clients excited about what's happening and the impact the outcome of the shoot will have.  A couple of key members of the salon team are involved in the organisation of the shoot as well as assisting me on the day.

What three tips would you give to people considering entering the British Hairdressing Awards?

• Plan everything well in advance and to the finest detail.  Leave nothing to chance.  The stakes are high in terms of the financial outlay of shooting a collection, and the fact that everything has to go well on the day.  There is no margin for error, oversight, or lack of organisation.  Don't assume anything.  Double check everything!
• Practice, practice, practice.  You have to know exactly how to achieve the looks you want to create on the day.  You need to be able to execute them quickly and know all the products and equipment you will need to hand.  If you are planning to colour and cut any of the models' hair, it is advisable to book a separate "prep day" to do this - although this does involve more costs.
• Pick the best team you can.  Use the best photographer, stylist and make up artist you can and ensure you have people you trust and enjoy working with to assist you.  Make sure everyone is briefed thoroughly and has a copy of the mood board.  Prepare a call sheet that has everyone's contact details and all the timings and make sure everyone, including the agency and the models, receives a copy.  Then, just enjoy it!

How, if at all, will you be marketing your win in the salon?

We have been furiously marketing our win in every way possible!  We have emailed, tweeted, Facebooked, appeared in our local press, been interviewed on our local radio station as well as seeing our winning collection grace the covers and pages of magazines the world over. We have made the most of our win by sending a press release to all the hairdressing industry and consumer magazines and making ourselves available for expert quotes and commentary in all of them!   It is an ongoing process throughout the year until the next awards.  Our British Hairdressing Awards collection involves a big financial commitment and lots of time and effort - it has to work very hard for us in return!

BE INSPIRED BY SEAN'S MIDLANDS HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR WINNING COLLECTION