British hairdressing awards special: an interview with darren ambrose

With the finalists for the coveted British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, being announced next week, we caught up with reigning British Hairdresser of the Year, Darren Ambrose to chat about being an ambassador, winning awards and the future of hairdressing. Why do you think you won British Hairdresser of the Year? The million-dollar question! It’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a young hairdresser and like a lot of us, I’ve kept my head down, worked hard and it’s paid off. What has been your role as British Hairdresser of the Year? Having the honour of being British Hairdresser of the Year gives you the opportunity to be a visionary maker and spokesperson for our industry. The British hairdressing industry has a reputation as the most progressive and creative in the world. Figure heading this is amazing and a great honour. I think putting the message out there, for our young and up and coming talent, letting them know how fantastic this industry is and what a strong career choice is an important part of this role. Letting them know what goals are achievable and the avenues they can tap into – I still feel there’s a lack of knowledge and understanding and a stigma about what we do. Talking to schools and colleges and other academy organizations is a strong must to re-educate the lack of knowledge and create more awareness about how awesome hairdressing is. I’m also accepting invitations to support British hairdressing wherever I’m asked such as the HABB Charity photoshoot or work with the Fellowship. People in our industry are doing these exciting things all the time and showcasing our passion to others is a great role. When you are working overseas, what's the perception of British hairdressing? British hairdressing has a very innovative and forward-thinking direction, pushing boundaries with a strong eclectic mix of fashion; making it very appealing to our global friends, which makes them eager to tap into and learn about what makes British hairdressing so individual. What do you love about your job? The one thing that springs to mind is the diversity of my job, I love it! I’ve managed to grow my career path so that I can tap into salon work with a great team, I can teach nationally and internationally, work on national and international runway shows, editorial and campaign shoots, London fashion week etc. I’ve been working extensively for Wella Professionals who are supportive of my business and y creative development. Helping to transform the consumer’s image in the salon and creating strong visionary concepts for editorial is a brilliant mix. See the full interview in this month's edition of Hairdresser's Journal.