Sassoon academy celebrates individualism at salon international

The Sassoon Academy show at Salon International was a celebration of individualism; the demise of trends and a celebration of being truly, authentically you – whatever that looks like. Colour opened the show, with UK colour director Edward Darley explaining that at Sassoon, they wanted to "celebrate the craftsmanship of hair colouring again." For a brand that's best known for precision, it's not just cuts that are approached with glorious attention to detail. "We want to go back to what we're known for," said Edward. "That's not just precision in cutting, but in technical colour too. We want to move away from ombre and freehand colour and really celebrate the geometry and precision of colour. It's about a geometric approach, no matter how fluid the end result." While the colours may have been precise, individuality was still celebrated – no one-size-fits-all shades here. From vibrant peach and copper to pale linen whites and silver grey, each model had a look that was all about them and their personality. At Sassoon, colour is as much an artform as cutting and one of the techniques they're best known for is lightening hair and creating beautiful blondes – which is why a new colouring course is dedicated to just that. Their famous flawless blondes can be demystified in a three-day, dedicated program at the striking new central London academy. International creative director, Mark Hayes, then led the creative team through new cuts and styling techniques – again, with the individual as key. "This isn't trend-led," he explained. "It's about individualism and eclecticism. Fashion is having an idiosyncratic time right now. There's lots of things to pick and choose from, and that's exciting." As with the colour segment of the show, Mark explained that Sassoon were celebrating a geometric, precision technique – regardless of the end look. This "versatile geometry" was proven with the diverse array of looks on stage; all technically immaculate, but versatile with styles ranging from soft-edged androgynous crops to longer, hippy-inspired boho layered long looks. "Hair needs to be in tune with the wearer," said Mark. "We need to focus on personality and cut hair for them – who is the client? To me, suitability is less about bone structure and face shape, it's about the person and what's suitable for them. All of the best hairstylists I know have technical skill and creativity, but what sets them apart is empathy. You have to connect with the person in the chair and be able to communicate, whether that's a model or a client." With the live cutting and colour complete, the show concluded with a spectacular presentation of models covering all of of the Sassoon Salon and Academy collections and looks: Kooky, looks which are vintage and globally inspired, with a mishmash of eclectic styles; Neonoir, which is futuristic, pared-back and strong; Mondaine, which celebrates the immense creativity and ground-breaking talent of Cristobal Balenciaga and Jejeune, a celebration of non-conformist style.