Winning wisdom with mark leeson

Mark Leeson won HJ's British Hairdresser of the Year at the 2014 British Hairdressing Awards. We caught up with Mark to find out what winning meant to him. How did it feel to be nominated? It was incredible. It was my fourth nomination and I never expected that I would get that call! I am always hugely honoured and this year was no exception. How did it feel when your name was announced? It was so surreal and I could not quite believe it. Everyone around me was cheering, clapping and even crying, and I just kept thinking; "that’s actually my name!" I was in shock for quite a while. What is the value of winning a British Hairdressing Award? For me it’s a huge personal achievement. I began my hairdressing career 30 years ago - which coincided with the first year of the British Hairdressing Awards. I remember thinking that one day I want to win that award, and literally my entire career has been focussed around getting this title. I have worked so hard to follow the path that leads to winning British, but it’s been a huge amount of work. I am so honoured and proud; it’s everything to me. What advice would you give to others when thinking of entering the awards? Never give up. You will have good years and bad years, but never give up. Be very focussed about what you want to achieve from the shoot and make sure you get a good team on board.

See the winning collection from Mark Leeson below!

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