Hairstyle News : Nicolas Jurnjack Interview. A career in the fashion & beauty industry
🔗 NICOLAS JURNJACK
„Svaki je frizer dobar onoliko koliko je dobar i njegov zadnji rad”
Objavljeno: 03/01/2018 Intervju, Razgovarao: Denis Pucelj
Nicolas Jurnjack francuski je frizer koji je svoju karijeru posvetio modnoj industriji. Već tri desetljeća jedan je od vodećih frizera u svijetu mode, a zaslužan je za izglede brojnih editorijala i modnih revija za brendove kao što su John Galliano i Lanvin. A posebno su upečatljive bile njegove suradnje s Alexandrom McQueenom. Njegove frizerske kreacije nosile su manekenke kao što su Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson i Natalia Vodianova, a radio je i s poznatim pjevačicama kao što su Jennifer Lopez i Alicia Keys. Nicolas Jurnjack frizer je koji ističe kako je za uspjeh potrebno znati surađivati sa svojim kolegama u timu, a pritom imati samopouzdanja i ne zapostavljati sebe. A to možete dobiti jedino uz stalnu edukaciju kao i dobro poznavanje povijesti frizerstva i mode.
Ovaj je intervju namijenjen svima vama koji želite više raditi u modi – nadamo se da će vas njegovi savjeti inspirirati kao što su i nas te da će vam pomoći na vašem karijernom putu.
French hairdresser Nicolas Jurnjack has worked in fashion for three decades and is one of the world's leading hair stylists in the industry. His credits include numerous fashion magazine covers and editorials, as well as creating the hairstyles for fashion shows for brands such as John Galliano and Lanvin. Particularly impressive is his work with Alexander McQueen. He has styled the hair of the world's top models including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson and Natalia Vodianov and worked with well-known singers such as Jennifer Lopez and Alicia Keys. Nicolas Jurnjack emphasizes that it is important to know how to work in harmony with a team and have self-confidence in your work – he recommends that you keep educating yourself and expanding your repertoire of hair styles and your knowledge of fashion's history.
This interview is intended for all of you who would like to work in fashion - we hope that this will inspire you and help you on your career path.
Poznati ste zbog svoga odvažnog i skulpturalnog pristupa frizerstvu. Možete li objasniti našim čitateljima što definira vaš odnos prema kosi?
U 90-ima sam kreirao frizure za mnoge revije visoke mode, gdje su odvažni stilovi frizura i spektakl bili glavni. Tijekom godina izgradio sam reputaciju upravo na svojoj sposobnosti da spojim tehničke vještine, maštu i stil, a da pritom vodim računa i o visokoj profesionalnoj kvaliteti svoga rada. Obožavam raznovrsne stilove – od zaglađenih izgleda 40-ih i 50-ih godina do stilova inspiriranih supkulturama kao što su punk, rock’n’roll i grunge. S tim su me iskustvom već na početku karijere pozvali u Vogue i Harper’s Bazaar da testiram granice i napravim neke frizure koje su istovremeno umjetničke, skulpturalne, eksperimentalne, a i moderne. Velika je čast što su imali povjerenje u moj stil i kreativnost.
Ja sam frizer i moj je posao da kosu na neki način slušam i s njom komuniciram kroz rad.
Svoju filozofiju rada s kosom mogu sažeti u jednoj rečenici: „kosa treba biti fluidna, ali u isto je vrijeme zadatak mene kao frizera da je kontroliram i da iz nje izvučem maksimalno savršen izgled“.
Vaša je karijera započela fotografskim snimanjem za francuski časopis Elle u kasnim osamdesetim godinama, kada su vas kao tinejdžera zamolili za pomoć u modnom snimanju na plaži. Možete li nam reći kako je došlo do te prilike? Kako je to snimanje utjecalo na vašu karijeru?
U vrijeme kad sam bio u programu naukovanja u frizerskom salonu, bio sam na rubu odlaska, nisam bio motiviran, osjećao sam se zaglavljeno, ograničeno, frustrirano. Jedan dan je urednik u panici uletio u salon i pitao može li netko doći na plažu, sada! Odmah sam iskoristio priliku. Jedva sam čekao da iziđem iz salona. Kad sam došao na snimateljski set na plaži, otvorio mi se čitav novi svijet, osjećao sam se oslobođen, zainteresiran i uzbuđen suradnjom, kreativnošću, bilo mi je to potpuno prirodno i bilo je uzbudljivo. Upravo je s tim snimanjem započela moja karijera. Bila je to moja motivacija da se preselim u Pariz.
Preselili ste se u Pariz u dobi od 17 godina. Je li bilo teško pronaći mogućnosti za frizere u modnom svijetu? Kako ste postigli da vaše ime bude prepoznato u modnim krugovima?
U modnu je industriju teško prodrijeti, teže nego što sam naivno mislio dok sam još bio početnik. Odlučio sam da ne želim biti pomoćnik, tako da sam morao razmišljati o različitim načinima kako se kretati naprijed, kako se povezati, biti primijećen. Napravio sam plan: redovito posjećivati uredništva časopisa, pokušati se sastati s nekim tko može pogledati moj portfelj, ostavljati posjetnice, posjećivati agente. Bio je to tjedni ritual. Napravio sam desetke probnih fotografskih snimanja kako bih se pripremio. Kovao sam svoje vještine, trenirao, razvijao i usavršavao tehnike. Obećao sam si da ću posjećivati knjižnicu što više kako bih se mogao educirati o modi, umjetnosti, povijesti, likovnoj umjetnosti, gledao sam filmove, slušao glazbu, radio sve što bi moglo potaknuti moju kreativnost.
Imao sam sreće što sam upoznao umjetničkog direktora, Petera Knappa, istinsku legendu. On je velikodušno prihvatio moj poziv ne znajući tko sam i pozvao me da mu pokažem svoj rad. Rekao je da je moj rad izvanredan, bio sam presretan, bila je to iznimno pozitivna povratna informacija od takvog talenta, kojem sam se divio. Zamolio me da stvorim avangardnu frizuru za naslovnicu popularnog časopisa za umjetnost i kulturu i bio sam presretan. Njegovo povjerenje u moj rad činilo me motiviranim da uvijek idem naprijed, dalo mi je samopouzdanje da slijedim svoje instinkte u vremenu kada sam tek započinjao i nisam bio još sasvim siguran u sebe.
You are known for your bold and sculptural approach to hairdressing. Can you explain with our readers what defines your relationship with hair?
in the 90s I created hair looks for many Haute Couture fashion shows, bold hairstyles and spectacle were the name of the game. Over the years I built up a reputation of being able to marry technical skills, imagination and taste at a high quality on a professional level, styles that ran the gamut from the tailored looks of the 40s and 50s through bouffant updo's, punk, rock n roll, grungy, done-undone, natural, shiny, free 'n' easy, slicked back styles. With this under my belt I was invited by Vogue and Harper's Bazaar to push the envelope and do some hair stories that were artistic, sculptural, experimental and firmly in the orbit of fashion, it's a great honor to have my taste and creativity trusted.
Hair is alive for me, it is the medium I use to express myself.
Every head of hair is unique and has its own personality, I listen, I communicate "Go where you will but go with what I want you to accept and do for me."
Your career started with a shoot for French Elle magazine in the late 80’s when you were asked as a teenager for some help at a shoot on a beach. Can you tell us how that opportunity came about? How did that shoot influence your career?
At the time I was in an apprenticeship program in a hair salon, I was on the verge of leaving, I wasn't motivated, I felt stuck, limited, frustrated. An editor rushed in one day in a panic asking if someone could come down to the beach, now! I immediately jumped at the chance. I was itching to get out of the salon. When I got down to the location set on the beach a whole new world opened up to me, I felt liberated, I was intrigued and excited by the collaboration, the creativity, it felt right, it felt natural, it was exciting. That shoot started my career. It was my motivation to move to Paris.
You moved to Paris at age 17. Was it hard to find opportunities for hairstylists in the fashion world? What was your approach to getting your name known in the fashion circles?
The fashion industry is tough to penetrate, tougher than I had naively imagined as a teenager with a few tear-sheets under my arm. I had decided I did not want to be an assistant so I had to think of different ways to move forward, to make connections, to get noticed. I laid out a plan: visit magazine offices regularly, try to get a meeting with someone to look at my portfolio, leave my card, then visit agents and do the same over and over again. It was a weekly ritual. I did dozens of test shoots with aspiring photographers to prepare myself. I honed my skills, I practiced, I developed and fine-tuned techniques. I made it a discipline to visit the library as often as possible to educate myself on fashion, art, history, all the visual arts, I watched movies, listened to music, whatever fed my creativity.
I was fortunate to meet Peter Knapp, an art director, a legend of that time. He generously accepted a call from me not knowing who I was, and invited me to show him my work. He said my work was remarkable, it was positive feedback from a talent I admired, I was overjoyed. He asked me to create an avant-garde hairstyle for the cover of a popular art and culture magazine. His belief in my work kept me motivated to forge ahead, it gave me the confidence to follow my instincts at a time when I was still working in a void and not quite sure of myself.
Nakon što ste se preselili u Pariz, dobili ste priliku snimati za francuski časopis Vogue i tako ste napravili i svoju prvu naslovnicu modnog časopisa! Neki bi rekli da ste napokon ušli na frizersku scenu, ali vi ste se vratili na učenje frizerskih tehnika i njihovo usavršavanje.Zašto?
Smatram da iskustvo, znanje i stručnost morate neprestano stjecati. Uvijek postoji nešto više što možete naučiti. Ne smijete nikada prestati učiti.
U ovom ste poslu već više od 30 godina.
Koja je tajna dugovječnosti?
Strast. Volim ono što radim isto toliko koliko sam to volio kad sam tek počeo. Za mene je to još uvijek fascinantno putovanje kreativnosti.
Radili ste za sve glavne svjetske modne časopise i s puno ljudi različitih osobnosti. Što za vas znači dobra suradnja? Koje su najvažnije značajke dobrog odnosa s modnim urednicima?
Dobra suradnja zbroj je skladnoga timskog rada, poštovanja, stručnosti svakog člana tima, slušanja, komunikacije, međusobnog poticanja kreativnosti i međusobnog nadahnjivanja. Previše ega može uništiti suradnju, ali ipak je važno naučiti kako progovoriti i gurati svoje ideje, a istovremeno i kako ne biti previše naporan. Veliki modni urednici imaju ogromno znanje o povijesti mode u malom prstu, kao i dobar ukus da sve to spoje; imati znanje o kulturi, povijesti kose, kose u likovnoj umjetnosti i filmovima uvijek je visoko cijenjeno na modnim snimanjima. Možda će od vas zatražiti da zamislite izgled u stilu kultnih holivudskih filmova kao što su Bladerunner, Doručak kod Tiffany, Thelma&Louise, James Bond ili u stilu Barbarelle. Vaš je zadatak da poznajete popularnu kulturu i znate te ideje modnih urednika protumačiti za trenutno snimanje.
Kada modni urednik nije siguran oko neke fotografije, često je prvi pokušaj pronalaženja pravog smjera upravo promjena frizure, a nedefinirana frizura prilagodljivija je od šminke kada je riječ o testiranju izgleda ili promjeni rasvjete na snimanju. Kako bih to riješio, razvio sam tehnike i metode koje prikazuju gotov stil i omogućuju veću prilagodljivost, te se ne treba uvijek vraćati u fazu pripreme. Uvijek je dobro osmisliti načine da proces bude aerodinamičniji, tako da se modni urednik može koncentrirati na ukupni doživljaj i izgled.
After moving to Paris you landed an opportunity to shoot for Vogue Paris, and it landed you your first fashion magazine cover! Some would say you finally broke into the hairdressing scene yet you continued to learn and perfect your hairdressing techniques. Why?
For me experience, knowledge and expertise are ongoing acquisitions. There is always more to learn. You can never stop learning.
You’ve been in the business for more than 30 years. What’s the secret to longevity?
Passion. I love what I do as much as I loved it when I started, for me it's still a fascinating journey of creativity and discovery.
You worked for all major global fashion magazines and worked with a lot of different personalities. What for you defines a great collaboration? What are the most important features of a good relationship with fashion editors?
A great collaboration is the sum of all parts. So, harmonious teamwork, respect for the expertise of each member of the team, listen, communicate, feed off each others creativity, inspire each other. Too much ego can ruin collaboration and yet it is important to learn how to speak up and push your ideas but not be pushy. Great fashion editors have a vast knowledge of the history of fashion at their fingertips as well as the taste to put it all together. Being knowledgeable about culture, the history of hairstyles hair in visual arts and movies is always much appreciated on a fast moving shoot. You may be asked to conjure up a Bladerunner look, Breakfast at Tiffany's, a signature hairstyle of a silver screen idol, a Thelma & Louise, a James Bond or a Barbarella vibe, you not only need to know the reference you need to interpret it for the current shoot. An ipad is not always fast enough.
When the fashion editor is not sure about the image often the first attempt at finding the right direction is to change the hairstyle, an un-set hairstyle is more versatile than say make-up or changing the lighting set-up to test a look. To deal with this I have developed techniques and methods that show what the finished style looks like while still allowing for change and versatility. This means I do not have to go back to the base and preparation stage each time there is a change. It's always a plus to come up with ways to make the process efficient so the fashion editor can concentrate on the overall feel and look.
Radili ste s modnim dizajnerima kao što su John Galliano, Alexander McQueen i Jean Paul Gaultier. Kako je bilo surađivati s njima? Možete li objasniti svoj kreativni proces i kako se stvaraju frizure za modne revije?
Svaki je dizajner drugačiji i radi na različit način. Za mene je to bilo fantastično iskustvo, taj je rad s iznimno kreativnim ljudima istovremeno prosvjetljujući i osnažujući.
Ponekad je smjer vizualna referenca: radio sam već izglede inspirirane uniformama i šeširima stražara britanske kraljice, a neki su dizajneri više inspirirani prirodom i žele da tekstura kose sliči teksturi maka ili nečemu što možemo naći u divljini. Ponekad su smjer sugestivne riječi: milost, ljepota, sloboda. Alexander McQueen imao je neke fantastične rijetke knjige, koje smo prelistavali.
Za svoju modnu reviju It’s a Jungle Out There želio je predstaviti opasniju stranu Londona. Ideja kolekcije bila je pokazati kako moderni gradski život nalikuje džunglama, prepunim kaosa, gdje se neprekidno borimo i međusobno natječemo. Odmah sam predložio da modeli izgledaju poput prekrasnih gradskih grabežljivaca – divlji, zapanjujući i snažni!
Rekao mi je: „Izvrsno, neka modeli budu divlji, superseksi i neodoljivi. Želim neobuzdan i impresivan glamur“.
Nakon razgovora s dizajnerom obično si uzmem vremena da promislim o konceptu i pustim da me potpuno obuzme. Slušam glazbu jer tako često dobivam ideje. Istražujem po knjižnicama. Ponekad istražujem povijesno i kulturno značajne frizure – razmišljam što mogu prenijeti iz prošlosti u sadašnjost ili budućnost. Dok prolazim ulicama, sjedim u podzemnoj željeznici, pijem čaj u kafiću, proživljavam ono što vidim kroz prizmu koncepta, pamtim sve: lišće koje se kovitla na vjetru, svjetlo, predmete u izlozima i stvari koje su naizgled banalne. Dopustim im da me inspiriraju. Tražim osjećaj koji mogu vidjeti i dotaknuti, taj cilj je opipljiv: to je frizura. Onda skiciram frizure kako bih ih pokazao dizajneru.
Sljedeći je korak taj izgled pretvoriti u stvarnost, a pritom se služim širokim spektrom rukotvorina, graviranja, slikanja, tkanja, skulptura i uvijek imam na umu da se radi o frizuri za modela, koji će je morati prošetati dugom modnom pistom i koja će morati biti u 3D-obliku, viđena sa svih strana. Moram razmotriti logistiku, vrijeme. Vremena nema puno na modnim revijama, jer svi stilisti, vizažisti i manikeri trebaju vrijeme s modelom da ostvare svoj dio u izgledu dok se model priprema za pistu. Moram organizirati proces koji vojnom preciznošću ide od ideje do realizacije, moram izraditi i planove za krizne situacije – model koji kasni jer je možda zaglavio u prometu, potrebno je prilagoditi prethodno pripremljene perike, a često nema ni vremena za prilagodbu svakog modela prije modne revije. Oslanjam se na tim lojalnih i talentiranih suradnika, koji će mi pomoći pripremiti i organizirati sve u mom ateljeu.
Moji suradnici izvode probe kako bi vidjeli koliko će dugo svaki model hodati od početka do kraja. Inovativnost i snalažljivost ključni su – neuspjeh nije opcija za modnu reviju.
Imate li općenito slobodu da radite ono što želite ili morate slijediti smjernice klijenta?
Ovisi o vrsti posla. Uredništva, oglašavanja, modne revije i slavne osobe iznimno su različiti. Ako pokažete vjeru u svoju sposobnost, vjerojatno ćete dobiti ono što želite. Kampanja se temelji na tjednima i mjesecima istraživanja. Moj je posao preobraziti koncept, poruku u vizualni sadržaj koji obuhvaća ideju, osjećaj, prodaje proizvod.
Ponekad se od mene traži da pripremim inspirativni kolaž (moodboard) sa skicama frizura koje će odgovarati konceptu, a održavamo i pretprodukcijske sastanke kako bismo raspravljali o raznim idejama. Sve mora biti dobro organizirano do trenutka kada dolazi dan snimanja. Na taj se dan spajaju svi elementi: koncept, model, rasvjeta, kut snimanja, šminka, odjeća. Upravo tada „uštimavamo“ i uglađujemo sve; tada na vidjelo izlaze stručnost, iskustvo i kreativnost tima, kako bi se osigurao uspješan rezultat.
You have worked with fashion designers such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Jean Paul Gaultier. How was it to work with them? Can you explain your creative process and how the hairstyles for fashion shows are made?
Every designer is different and they work in different ways, for me it was a fantastic experience working with these highly creative people, it was enlightening and invigorating.
Sometimes the direction is a visual reference such as the Royal Horse Guards, poppies, wild animals –for other designers it's evocative words: grace, beauty, liberty. Alexander McQueen had some rare art books with fantastic visuals that we leafed through for inspiration,
For his fashion show It's a Jungle Out There Alexander wanted to present a raw, chic, edgy side of London. The discussion of the collection was around the idea of how modern urban life is chaotic, a constant struggle and competition, and the beauty that lis in the 'savage'. Alexander said It will be tough London, my London, what do you think? I said: Predators. Beautiful predators. Wild, astonishing, powerful ..
He said great! ‘Go wild, super sexy and irresistible. I want untamed, awesome glamour'.
After a conversation with the designer I sit with the concept and let it envelope me. I listen to music, I often get ideas from music. I scour libraries. I might research historical and cultural hairstyles – what can we take from the past and bring to the present or pmake futuristic ? As I walk through the streets, sit on the metro, drink tea at a café, I absorb what I see through the prism of the concept. I take note : leaves swirling, shafts of light, objects in store windows and things as seemingly banal as pasta and the grain of wood. I allow them to inspire me. I'm after a feeling that I can see and touch, the goal is tangible: a hairstyle. Then I get down to sketching the hairstyles I have in mind.
The next step is to realize the look, I borrow from a wide range of crafts: engraving, painting, weaving, sculpture and alway rkeep in mind it is for a model who will be moving down a long runway and be seen in 3-D, 360 degrees. I have to consider logistics, timing. Time is short, backstage on a fashion show there are stylists and dressers, makeup artists and manicurists all needing time with the model to realize their part in the looks. As well as coming up with ideas and creating the hairstyles I have to organize and streamline the process with military precision. I have to account for emergencies, last minute changes – a model maybe stuck in a traffic jam, if we are using wigs we have created for the show we may need to adjust them, there is often not the time to do a fitting on each model before the show. I rely on a team of loyal and talented assistants, without them it would not be possible.
My assistants do trial runs, marking how long will each style will take from start to finish. Innovation and resourcefulness are key - failure is not an option for a fashion show.
Do you generally have the freedom to do what you want or do you have to take direction from the client?
It depends on the type of job. Editorial, advertising, fashion shows and celebrity shoots are all very different. If you show confidence in your ability you are more likely to get to do what you want to do. An advertising campaign is based on months, years of research. My job is to transform the concept, the message, into a visual that encapsulates the idea, the feeling and sells the product.
Sometimes I am asked to create mood boards and illustrations of hairstyles to fit the concept and we have pre-production meetings to discuss the various ideas so it is fairly well set by the time the shoot day comes around. On the day of the shoot all the elements are brought together: the concept, the model, the lighting, the angle, the makeup, the clothing, that is when we tweak and finesse, this is where, more than ever, the expertise, experience and creativity of the whole team comes into play to ensure a successful result.
Stvaranje editorijala nešto je drugačije: fotograf i/ili stilist dolaze do ideje, ponekad je pojam prilično širok, možda je to riječ, osjećaj, referenca: „Želimo nešto platinasto poput kultnog izgleda Marilyn Monroe, ali da je taj izgled ipak moderniziran“. Moj zadatak nije da radim replike frizura glumačkih ikona. Moj je zadatak da osjetite našu inspiraciju, da u frizuri prepoznate eru koja nas je inspirirala, ali da pritom vidite tu frizuru kao vrlo modernu. Koristim svoje iskustvo, kreativnost i maštu kako bih stvorio frizuru koja razvija ideju u nešto opipljivo.
Modne revije nešto su sasvim drugačije. Svaki dizajner ima svoj način rada. Desetak godina radio sam na modnim događanjima, većinom u 90-ima, bilo je to doba fenomenalnih spektakala, koji ponekad zahtijevaju individualni izgled za svaki model. Dizajneri odabiru frizere koji ugađaju njihovoj mašti, kreativnoj sposobnosti i tehničkim vještinama. Mi smo dobili slobodu stvaranja u kosi.
Koje je najupečatljivije iskustvo u vašoj dosadašnjoj karijeri?
Jedno iskustvo koje mi pada na pamet je ono kad me Vidal Sassoon potražio nakon jedne modne revije kako bi mi čestitao na frizurama i njihovoj izvedbi. Bio sam počašćen, a posebno kad se taj odnos nastavio s još nekoliko susreta u različitim gradovima širom svijeta.
Vaš je rad prikazan i u poznatom pariškom muzeju Louvre.
Kako je došlo do te suradnje?
Primio sam telefonski poziv i pitali su me hoću li napraviti šest frizura za festival mode. Bio sam bez riječi. Skoro sam tu suradnju i odbio. Još sam bio u svojim dvadesetima, a iako sam radio za međunarodna izdanja Voguea i neke poznate dizajnere, to je bilo nešto novo i potpuno neočekivano. No moja radoznalost i izazov koji je to predstavljalo bili su presudni. Dali su mi odriješene ruke za istraživanje i iskazivanje vlastite mašte. Htio sam da frizure budu jednostavne, lijepe, izvanredne: odlučio sam se za frizuru izrađenu u cijelosti od papira, koji sam izrezao u razne oblike, a druga je frizura bila potpuno stvorena od potrošenih žigica – blond drveni štapići s mat-crnim spaljenim krajevima. Fotograf i model već su bili izabrani, a sastajali smo se u njegovom studiju. Radio sam s lijepom Olgom Pantuschenkovom, poznatim ruskim modelom, i Jean-Loup Sieffom, legendom u fotografiji, ikonom čiji sam rad dugo cijenio izdaleka. Francuski Elle posvetio je 6 stranica nama koji smo radili u njegovu studiju, a kreacije koje su uslijedile bile su izložene dva mjeseca. Bilo je to odlično iskustvo. Još uvijek ne znam kako su moje ime i moj rad došli do očiju odbora, ali to mi je dalo povjerenje da slijedim svoj instinkt. To će iskustvo uvijek biti posebno za mene. Uvijek ću biti zahvalan što sam izabran. Razvio sam se iz njega i naučio poniznost, velikodušnost, timski rad, samopouzdanje, snaga kreativnosti i instinkt. To mi je pomoglo oblikovati pristup cijeloj svojoj karijeri.
Creating editorials is different,: the photographer and/or stylist has an idea, sometimes the concept is fairly broad: a word, feeling, reference: "We want something platinum, a kind of Marilyn Monroe, but modern" My job is not to make a replica of a hairstyle. My job is to create a look that recognizes the inspiration, connects with a history, but goes beyond and brings it into popular culture. I use my experience, creativity and imagination to create a hairstyle that conveys an idea, a feeling, a tone, speaks of history, culture makes it tangible and visually appealing.
Fashion shows are an entirely different ballgame. Each designer has his or her own way of working. The decade or so that I was doing shows, many in the 90s, an era of awesome spectacle, individual hairstyles for each model was often the demand. Designers chose hairstylists for their imagination, creativity and technical skills. We were given the freedom to to be active partners and collaborators.
What is your most memorable experience of your career so far?
One experience that comes to mind is when Vidal Sasson sought me out after a runway show to congratulate me on the hairstyles and their execution and invited me to talk hair. I was honored, and especially so when the relationship continued with several more meetings in different cities around the world.
Your work was also shown in world known Louvre museum. Could you share with us how that collaboration came about?
I received a phone call asking me if I would like to create six hairstyles for the festival of fashion, I was speechless, and I almost turned it down. I was still in my twenties and although I was working for international editions of Vogue and some well-known designers this was something new and completely unexpected. But, my curiosity and the challenge it presented got the better of me. I was given carte blanche to explore my own imagination. I wanted the hairstyles to be simple, beautiful, accessible and extraordinary: I decided on a hair style made entirely of paper that I cut up into various shapes, and another created completely out of spent matches – blond wood sticks with matt black burnt ends. The photographer and model had already been chosen and we would only come together in the studio. Beautiful Olga Pantuschenkova, a superstar Russian model and Jean-Loup Sieff, a legend in photography, an icon whose work I had admired from afar for a long time. French Elle did a 6-page behind-the-scenes of us working in his studio, the final images were exhibited for two months. It was quite an experience. I still do not know how my name and work came to the committee's attention. But, it gave me the confidence to follow my instincts. The experience will always be special to me. I will always be grateful that I was chosen. I learned and developed from it: humility, generosity, teamwork, confidence, the power of creativity and instinct. It helped shape my approach to my entire career
Što biste savjetovali frizerima koji žele slijediti vaše korake i raditi u modi?
Frizerima preporučujem da počnu s učenjem klasičnih tehnika, ali i da nikad ne prestanu učiti i raditi na svojoj tehnici. Potrebno je dobro se upoznati sa stilovima različitih era i naučiti kako ih svladati – na taj ih se način s vremenom može raditi s lakoćom i prilagoditi ih današnjem vremenu.
Preporučujem im da se educiraju o kosi, povijesti kose, modi, umjetnosti i filmovima, da budu pažljivi i znatiželjni, da osmišljavaju vlastite tehnike. Potrebno je izgraditi samopouzdanje izazivanjem sebe i ne bojati se riskiranja, biti kreativan i maštovit, razviti svoj stil.
Preporučujem im isto tako da rade na svojim komunikacijskim vještinama. U modnoj industriji morate biti u stanju skladno raditi u timu jer uvijek se susrećete s novim ljudima. Treba poštovati stručnost članova tima, slušati i komunicirati.
Ništa ne čini snimanje tako iscrpljujućim i frustrirajućim te rezultira osrednjim slikama kao npr. stilist koji se pravi da je fotograf, vizažist koji radi umjesto frizera itd. Naravno, potrebno je predstaviti svoje ideje, ali i znati kada to učiniti. Na snimanjima kampanje može biti čak petnaest ili dvadeset ljudi na setu – trebate znati objasniti i progurati svoje ideje u kratkom vremenu, a ponekad i štititi svoje stajalište – diplomatski, a da pritom ne odugovlačite snimanje.
Nemojte se dati namamiti u zvjezdanu iluziju koju prodaju društveni mediji.
Možda je ovih dana lakše doći do naslovnica časopisa, izloženosti, prepoznavanja imena, ali upamtite da ste uvijek dobri onoliko koliko je dobar vaš zadnji rad. Teško je i nemoguće napredovati ako vam nedostaju tehnike, vizije, mašte i komunikacijske vještine kako biste isporučili ono što klijent želi – u svakoj situaciji, u bilo kojem roku i skladno.
Da zaključimo, što za vas čini dobru modnu fotografiju?
Sve započinje uspješnom suradnjom, skladnim timskim radom te vještim i talentiranim timom koji može iskoristiti svoju stručnost kako bi stvorio besprijekornu cjelinu. Modna fotografija, bez obzira na to je li suptilna, zamršena, čudesna ili fantastična, treba biti bez napora, prirodna, čak i ako je iznenađujuća, uvijek bi trebala biti ukusna, čak i kada su pojedini elementi sami po sebi „glasni“ i pretjerani, modna fotografija treba nadahnjivati.
What is your advice to hairdressers who wish to follow in your footsteps in fashion industry?
I recommend learning the classic techniques to start, but never stop learning and fine-tuning your technique. Aim to build a repertoire of all eras of hairstyles so you can do them with ease, make them your own, make up your own, be so familiar that you can use them for inspiration for a modern, popular culture concept for today.
Educate yourself about hair, the history of hair, fashion, art and movies. Be observant, be curious. Invent and finetune your own techniques. Build your confidence by challenging yourself and don't be afraid to take risks. Be creative and imaginative. Develop a signature, a style.
Hone your communication skills. In the fashion industry you have to be able to work harmoniously in a team and you meet new people all the time. Respect the expertise of the team-members, listen and communicate.
Nothing makes a shoot more exhausting and frustrating and results in mediocre images than for example a stylist playing photographer, a makeup artist playing hairstylist etc. Of course you need to present your ideas, but know when to do it. On campaign shoots there can be as many as fifteen or twenty people on set - you need to know how to sell your ideas in a short amount of time and stand your ground when need be, diplomatically and convincingly, without holding up the shoot.
Don't be lured by the mirage of stardom that social media sells.
It may be easier these days to get a magazine cover, exposure, name recognition, but you are only ever as good as your last job. It will be tough to impossible to advance if you lack the techniques, vision, imagination and communication skills to deliver whatever the client wants – in any circumstance, under any deadline and harmoniously.
To conclude, what for you makes a great fashion image?
That's a fantastic question and a complicated one to answer in a short space. It begins with successful collaboration, harmonious teamwork and a skilled and talented team who can meld their expertise together to create a seamless whole. The image, whether subtle, edgy, outlandish or fantastical needs to appear effortless, natural even when surprising, it should always be tasteful even when the single elements by themselves are loud and seemingly over-eager, it should inspire.
