Patrick cameron: life through a lens
Published
01st Sep 2011
by rachael
Perhaps best known for his expertise with long hair and flair with innovative updos, Patrick Cameron has a self-confessed love of all things elegant. "I have a theory that there's not enough glamour in the world," he explains.
Patrick has made a name for himself with his passion and skill for theatrical, show-stopping hair styling and his creativity is expressed as much in his eagerly-anticipated collections as in his sell-out live shows and seminars at Salon International each year.
What ties together Patrick's collections and his live work is a devotion to technique, training and education. Since arriving in London from New Zealand in 1987, he has dedicated much of his career to sharing his skills both through his work with BaByliss Pro and Wella Professionals and with his own sell-out books, DVDs and London training school.
"I want to demystify long hair and simplify it," he explains. "Vidal Sassoon once said that doing a beautiful haircut is easy if you follow a series of steps, and I wanted to show the same theory works with long hair - it's about breaking it down in to easy-to-follow steps."
"When I shoot a collection, I'm constantly thinking about what techniques hairdressers would like to learn," he says. "After every show people approach me and say: 'I can't believe how easy you've made it - I finally get it.' For me, that's what it's all about."
Here, we take a look back at some of Patrick Cameron's most memorable hair moments...
Provocateur
"The Provocateur collection was all about 1940's Hollywood screen sirens and Film Noir. This particular style was based on Betty Grable's iconic curls, although I didn't actually curl the hair at all. It's a two-strand braid, which is kept loose, pulled apart slightly and looped back on itself.
"It was all about using a technique which I could share with hairdressers. For me, it's not just about creating a beautiful image, there also has to be a corresponding technique and story that my audience can buy into."
Prestige
"Hair rolls were popular at the time we launched the Prestige collection. It was all about vintage techniques and the luxury behind the styles. We worked on the images to replicate the idea of a 1950's pin-up postcard.
"My artistic director Marco Erbi hand-makes all the clothes we use - from sourcing the fabric and pattern-cutting to sewing on all the individual beads. They can take up to nine months to make, but a couture outfits means my show is never repeated - you can't buy the clothes we use, although people often enquire.
Arts & crafts
"For this particular look, we wanted to turn the hair into astrakhan which is a type of tight, curly wool that was used for collars on coats in the 1940s and 1950s. I developed a technique that mimicked the texture.
"This image is from 2000, but I think it feels as current today as when it came out - I aim to make my work feel timeless. Trends in cutting and colouring are so seasonal that you can often tell when work was created, but with long hairstyles it could be any season, any year."
Opera
"I travelled the world with my Opera collection, which is all about curls and romance. We even took it to the Kremlin and presented in front of Vladimir Putin's wife. This is one of the rare occasions when I used hair pieces to enhance the look. I curled the model's hair all over and used pads to build up the bouffant, and then curled an extra hairpiece and cut it up."
"Standing above the model, I then sprinkled the pieces down, spraying hairspray at the same time and setting with a diffuser to create a gravity-defying stack of ringlets."
Tango
"This is one of my all-time favourite photographs and I have fond memories of shooting it. The collection caused a real sensation as I published it just before Madonna's adaptation of Evita was released and tango was absolutely everywhere."
"We shot it at the historic Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley, South London, which has since been used for everything from Strictly Come Dancing to a White Stripes' gig. The model has a Garbo look about her, but the beautiful traditional fingerwaving technique is the focus of the image."
Eiffel Tower
"This fun Eiffel Tower hairstyle was for an HJ cover to commemorate Bastille Day. I created it in the late 1990s when I was just starting to be known for long hair.
"I didn't have an art director at the time and made the dress myself using an old curtain from Oxfam and bows from Christmas decorations. I prepared the hairpiece in advance but the rest of the style took just 30 minutes and was all completed on-set.I can be quick when I need to be - in fact, people often think footage of my shows is in fast forward!"
Cream
"The Cream collection has a wistful, feminine feel, but is contemporary too. The entire collection is cream, including the clothes and jewellery.
"For this particular shot, I used delicate latticework braiding, which sits on top of the hair, almost like a cloche hat. It's simple, elegant and understated."
Ultraviolet
"This is from last year's collection and features a Lady Gaga-style bow, all formed from the model's own hair. I rarely use hair pieces because I want hairdressers to be able to be able to recreate the style immediately in their own salon.
"Not everyone has access to hair pieces, and if I relied on them people wouldn't be able to emulate the styles so easily. It all comes back to my belief in keeping hair believable and achievable."
Dreadlocks
"I celebrate 21 years working with BaByliss Pro this year and this dreadlock style demonstrates how great its tools are for working creatively. BaByliss Pro has been a phenomenal company to work with and are always massively positive when I'm looking at trends and coming up with new ideas."
"I used a crimping iron for this look - each dreadlock took about 30 seconds to create and they are easily brushed out too. It shows a different way of using an everyday tool, which is something I'm passionate about and which is helpful for education too. I want hairdressers to watch what I'm doing and think: "Wow, I could do that!"
Gold
"This one was another crowd-pleaser. It was all about the texture and layering, as well as getting all the hair up. I showed a lot of hairdressers this technique and although it has an avant-garde look, it's still glamorous. Often with long hair, it's about thinking outside the box."
"I'm not known as an avant-garde hairdresser - I want people to be able to use my techniques straight away in the salon. People have spent a lot of money to come to the show and want to go away with something that they can use. We like to extend a look on stage, but there are always elements that can be taken away and used in the salon for everyday looks."
Red carpet
"For this style, I sewed the hair onto the back of the head to create a quick and easy updo. It drove audiences crazy."
"Whenever I do a live show, I like to test myself by creating new styles. We choose a piece of music and, unknown to the audience, I challenge myself to complete the style by the time the music stops. I come up with some of my best ideas when I'm working on stage - it's my time to experiment."
