Modern Salon - December 2008 - (Page 35)

AML: How have you seen the professional beauty industry change? What do you see for the future of the industry? VS: I see two things. There are people with passion who care, hold training nights, do shows and are very involved in the progression of the craft. And then I see big business that is taking over endless amounts of salons and just looking at the bottom line. There is never a practice night. There is nothing to do with artistry. I see a lot more wonderful cutters who are so well trained, not only by us, but by other great schools—but I also see the other side which I find very dangerous. AML: What advice would you give to the next generation of hairdressers? VS: The word I would focus on is individuality. When it comes to the development of your craft, try to do something that will benefit others in your craft, as well as yourself. Have a sense of awareness of the joy and happiness you are giving to so many thousands of people, which our craft does and very few others do. To be able to cut, mold and shape to bone structure and to make people look and feel special is a privilege. I often ask hairdressers, “Do you know what you’ve got? Do you realize the return on invested energy that comes back to you 1,000 fold?” AML: With such a vast history and so many successes, is there anything else you would like to share that we have not touched on? VS: Winston Churchill—one of my heroes—said that success is the ability to go from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. Three months after we opened the large Bond Street salon, the people upstairs had this enormous flood and we were closed for four months. Robert Edele, who became one of our top teachers, had taken over my old third floor salon. I called him and he said, “I never wanted you to leave anyway.” What I’m trying to say is: Get over adversity, don’t let it get you down. We managed to do all of our clients, that way and nobody was fired, nobody had to take time off, and everybody worked. Nobody I know has had a life of great charm, love all the time—we’ve all had our difficulties. However, it is the ability to get over those difficulties that makes us successful. You really cannot learn anything if everything is good all the time. n “It wasn’t until much later that I started to rationalize, think and feel the passion of the craft and look at architecture.” www.modernsalon.com DECEMBER 2008 35 http://www.modernsalon.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Modern Salon - December 2008

Modern Salon - December 2008 Contents Behind the Cover Notebook Modernsalon.com New-Now-Next Modern Reports Ask the Experts Living Legend 50 Influential Hairdressers Innovators and Pioneers Celebrity Stylists Educators Trendsetters International Influencers The Season of Giving Modern Hair Modern Beauty The Goods Personal Style

Modern Salon - December 2008

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