Hairdressing industry mourns joshua galvin

Published 27th Apr 2011 by bathamm
Hairdressing industry mourns joshua galvin

GALVIN Joshua1jpg.jpgIt is with great sadness that HJi reports the death of industry visionary Joshua Galvin.

Joshua's prestigious career spanned 57 years, beginning in 1953 when, aged just 15, he gained a place at a trade school - later to become the London College of Fashion -  from where he graduated with qualifications in both men's and ladies' hairdressing.

Joshua's career was as varied as it was long, including four years as a hairdresser in the merchant navy, a spell with French of London, and a successful period in the US, where he worked at Revlon's flagship salon. Here Joshua found himself immersed in an ultra-glamorous world, where styling chairs were thrones in gilt and leather and clients included Judy Garland and Julie Andrews.

But it was, perhaps, back in London during the Swinging Sixties, that Joshua's career gained full momentum - it was at this point that he joined the team at Vidal Sassoon, where he was to have a major influence.

Joshua called on his already considerable experience to create the long men's hairstyles of the decade as well as the geometric cuts that were the Sassoon trademark.

While Joshua's creative skills were never in doubt - his celebrity client base paid testament to these, with the likes of Terence Stamp, Michael Caine and Geraldine Chaplain all asking for him - it was in the area of education that Joshua left his most indelible impression.

Joshua's career with Sassoon lasted 13 years, during which time he opened the Vidal Sassoon School in London's Knightsbridge in 1967, attracting students from across the globe. 

After his illustrious stint with Sassoon, Joshua took his passion for education on the road, conducting seminars on an international level on behalf of Wella Professionals. This passion culminated in the launch of the Joshua Galvin Academy, in association with Central Training.

Joshua's reputation and commitment to the next generation of hairdressers was legendary, and explains why his academy grew from 15 students being taught in a salon 29 years ago to an academy training some 1,000 students at any one time across five sites.

During his career Joshua received numerous accolades, including the Fellowship for British Hairdressing's first ever Gold Award in 2006, for which he received a standing ovation from the glitterati of the industry.

It won't just be the icons of the industry that will miss Joshua, but also the young people he worked with at his academy and through his tireless work with the Fellowship.

The industry has lost one of its most loved and respected characters.

bathamm

bathamm

Published 27th Apr 2011

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