Hj presents hairdressing’s inspirational women

Published 21st Jul 2015 by alexherrera
Hj presents hairdressing’s inspirational women womenInHairdressing1 HJ was proud to present an evening in the company of some of hairdressing’s most inspirational women at the Wella Studio in Manchester. The event, which was sponsored by Wella Professionals, saw HJ editor Ruth Hunsley chat to four women who have made a huge impression on the industry while inspiring others. On the panel were HJ's former British Hairdresser of the Year Lisa Shepherd, Francesco Group’s creative colour director Claire Chell, extensions guru and salon owner Michelle Griffin and rising star and former FAME Team member Ashleigh Hodges. All four women shared the story of how they had entered the industry, with Ashleigh telling the audience how she had always been destined to be a hairdresser, coming from a family which had a salon at the heart of it. "I had the choice of going to watch football on a Saturday with my dad and brothers or working in my mum’s salon," recalled Ashleigh. "It was an easy choice as I was paid a fiver for working at the salon!" Ashleigh also recalled how she had spent the first few years of her career pestering everyone and taking advantage of every opportunity that came her way. Claire spoke passionately about her love of colour and the importance of education. "Education is the foundation of a successful colour career,” she said. “Once you have that foundation the options are endless." Lisa also spoke up for colourists, saying "Colourists are just as important as cutters, and they make more money for your businesses." Michelle stressed the importance of training in extensions. "It’s vital that the education for extensions is as cohesive as that for cutting and colouring," she said. Michelle also talked about the vital role played by her team and how their expertise meant she had been able to step back a little from the business. "Every single person in my salon is key," she said. "I’ve learnt to let go." All four panellists also talked about the challenges faced by women in the industry where male hairdressers often still hog the headlines. "I don’t think women always shout about themselves enough," said Ashleigh. "Men seem to be better about talking about what they’ve done. A lot of men come into this industry trying to prove something right from the start so they start shouting straight away." "Women in this industry need to champion other women," concluded Lisa. "Women totally deserve to be on a level with the men in this industry." Widget_HJ
alexherrera

alexherrera

Published 21st Jul 2015

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