Tigi inspirational youth: the story so far...

Sophie Hines checks in on the TIGI Inspirational Youth team as they work towards their live show at Salon International in October. Day One Compared with many areas of London, Battersea feels laidback with its spacious park and quiet, calm riverside. However, inside the TIGI Bed Head Studio there is a buzz of activity, as the Inspirational Youth team members gather for the first session of an intense and exciting five-month experience. First up, introductions, as key players on the TIGI team welcome their new protégés. “You are the hairdressing stars of the future,” says Nick Irwin, global creative director. “We expect a lot from you – the things that we teach you shouldn’t be allowed to fade away.” Of course, as well as excellent cutting, colouring and styling skills, one requirement of any hairdressing superstar is the ability to present on stage. “It’s one thing to do something great with the hair – it’s another to talk about it while you do it,” points out Nick. Being thrown in at the deep end is the best way to learn, as the TIGI Inspirational Youth team soon discover. Each person is asked to get up on stage and tell the group about themselves, with the help of boards they have created beforehand. The nerves are clear to see, but there is also plenty of personality and excitement for the months ahead. Linda Evans, TIGI’s head of PR, gives the young hairdressers tips for improving their presenting skills. “Talk through each haircut with your clients as you do it,” she advises. “Watch people presenting on TV as well, particularly those who have to do something technical while they talk, like TV chefs.” After a quick lunch, it is academy director Phil Downing’s turn to run the team through TIGI’s Bed Head and Catwalk ranges. A former Inspirational Youth team member himself, Phil gives an insight into the kind of details that can be used in the final presentation at Salon International – whether it’s the key ingredients of a product and how they work, or how to cocktail two formulas to create a certain texture. [gallery columns="2" ids="21886,21883"] Learning about fashion trends and working with designers is another key element of the Inspirational Youth process. Cue session director Maria Kovacs, who gives a fascinating insight into the world of session work, as well as outlining key trends for Autumn/Winter 2013 – essential knowledge for the October show. Day Two Creating the perfect ponytail is the first challenge the TIGI Inspirational Youth team are presented with on their second day at the Bed Head Studio. “Remember, it’s all about preparation,” advises Maria. “A typical catwalk ponytail is clean, not too product heavy, and the band is covered.” After each of the team tries their hand at creating a sleek ponytail, Maria gives them a masterclass in achieving a polished finish – one of the most important lessons for future session stylists. Next, the young hairdressers are given creative free reign as they style the models’ hair with on-trend looks, from textured curls to braids. There’s plenty of talent and the Inspirational Youth team members are clearly at home behind the styling chair – gaining the same confidence on stage will be the next big challenge. Days Three and Four After a few weeks away from the Bed Head Studio, the young team return, this time to the Academy where the focus is on enhancing cut and colour skills. This covers transition work – salon viable cut and colour – and advanced learning, which focuses more on new techniques and concepts from the latest TIGI collection. Learning from the best is one of the benefits of TIGI Inspirational Youth, and the team enjoy demonstrations and workshops with colour gurus Warren Boodaghians and Natalie Elias, and cutting maestros Phil Downing and Piero Gentile. Then there’s the rather more daunting task of live cutting on stage while presenting. At this point, the Inspirational Youth team use dummy heads rather than actual models. In groups of three or four, they then take to the stage to create, and talk through a hairstyle in just 25 minutes. As ever, it’s a learning experience – keeping the conversation flowing and sticking within the time limit is hard work. However, what is evident is that all the young team members know their stuff, and are knowledgeable when it comes to hair trends and where to look for inspiration. There’s also a colour challenge. Models requiring various colour changes are presented to the TIGI Inspirational Youth team, who then divide into pairs to create everything from pretty pastels to dark, luscious colour. Day Five It’s time to cast some models. Annette Russell, TIGI’s casting director, is on hand from the off to give the team advice on what to look for in a casting. “Obviously you should make sure the model has the right hair type and texture, but the face is the most important thing,” advises Annette. “They should have a good complexion, a great hairline and a strong bone structure. You want to give the make-up artist a make-up artist’s dream.” [gallery columns="2" ids="21887,21884"] Annette, who used to be a model herself, also emphasises the importance of a good stage presence. “If the model can move well it works better both on stage and in front of the camera,” she advises. “Also, try to engage with the model – you want someone who will be enjoyable to work with. Nothing works well in this industry unless you all feel like you’re on the same team.” The Inspirational Youth team had previously prepared a moodboard displaying an Autumn/Winter 2013 trend they were hoping to recreate with their look for the upcoming photo shoot. Each member then took to the stage to talk through their plans, already displaying a growing confidence in presenting. After a quick break, the models arrive and casting begins in earnest. From exotic-looking brunettes to pale and striking blondes, there is a huge variety of faces, hair types and personalities to assess. The TIGI Inspirational Youth team get stuck in, touching and examining the hair, looking through the models’ portfolios and asking questions to see how well they would gel together. After more than 50 models pass through the Bed Head Studio, it’s time to make some final decisions about which models the team will be using for the photo shoot and taking on stage at Salon International. Luckily, everyone has a strong idea of who they’d like to work with, and the chosen models are booked. Day Six Finding the confidence to deliver in a cool, collected manner on stage is something many of the young stylists are still nervous about. To put their minds at ease, today is all about presenting, with TIGI’s long-time collaborator Mike Esa offering top tips on speaking to an audience. Mike, who is choreographer for the TIGI Inspirational Youth final show, says: “Think of this as the beginning of your journey towards the show,” emphasising the importance of practise in perfecting presentation skills. “Make what you say interesting by mixing technical hairdressing terminology with emotional words – the audience need to feel you are enthused about what you’re creating,” says Mike. “Also, remember life’s a mirror, and what you give out is what you get back,” he adds. “If you’re standing on stage looking nervous, the audience will feel on edge. If you are smiley and chatty, they will smile back at you and want you to do well.” After Mike’s speech, it’s down to the young stylists to present on stage again. This time they are filmed so that they can watch back their performance and take on board advice from Mike. His top tips include focusing on a strong start and finish to the presentation, turning the model round to show the audience what’s happening and keeping the voice at a constant volume throughout. “Remember, if you get lost in what you’re saying, just re-focus on the hair, think about what you’re doing, and use that as a starting point,” says Mike. Although there is always room for improvement, in all the team’s presentations, there is clear progress from day one, and everything looks hopeful for a brilliant TIGI Inspirational Youth show at Salon International. Applications for TIGI Inspirational Youth 2014 will open early next year. For more information contact [email protected] The TIGI Inspirational Youth show will take place at Salon International on Monday 14 October, 12.30pm–1.45pm. To book tickets call 0844 894 2000, (0) 20 7744 2000 or visit www.salonexhibitions.co.uk