How can hair design change the mentality of hairdressers?

Design, by definition, requires designers to work with their clients to come up with an idea for a design that will make clients happy. Usually, clients commission one particular designer out of others because they believe in that person’s knowledge, skill, creativity, style and experience to deliver the result they anticipate.

There is a hair design process before starting any haircutting procedure, and I would like to explain to you how the process works in designing haircuts, including all of the haircuts demonstrated in this book. I always try not to give whatever haircuts I want to my clients, even though they are my models, I still have to work with them to come up with haircuts we both like, as well as to make sure all of my haircuts can draw attention, so that they can bring me more new clients… the bottom line of the business!

Before I cut anybody’s hair, including all of my models’, I practice observation, analysis and consultation every single time. I treat all of my  established clients as though I have just met them because I try to forget any haircuts I may have given them previously, so I can look at them and their hair from a whole new perspective. Besides, I like to use my brain to create and I love changes.

I also try to give clients a different haircut every time I see them, and to deliver each haircut in a different way, so I can enjoy creating as much as the end result. To do this, I need to keep learning new ways of haircutting. The more I learn, the more I know how to do different haircuts. The more I can think of new ideas, the more creative I can be, and the more fun I will have in cutting hair! In order to keep my mind as creative as possible, I push myself to explore and discover new haircuts and new haircutting concepts and approaches from every possible source, so I won’t get bored and burned out from cutting hair.

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Clients’ hair, desires and personal preferences may be different each time they return for haircuts, so we cannot do the same thing again and again without looking to make changes! Furthermore, the fact that we are in a fashion business demands us to be creative, spontaneous and unpredictable by breaking rules, changing formulas and equations, as well as ignoring steps, procedures and systems from time to time!

On top of that, hairdressers have to make sure their haircuts are different or eye-catching enough to bring them new clients through word-of-mouth. Therefore, hairdressers have to make sure clients look great anytime and anywhere by themselves in order to succeed, and that means hairdressers have to educate and train clients, so that clients can take care of and style their own hair no matter where they are.

Clients will not be their best advertisement if clients look good only by paying for it, because their hairstyles can be ruined if they are caught in the rain, humidity and sweat. Hairdressers should train their clients to be hairdressers of their own hair, so they can style and refresh their hair beautifully everyday, so people will stop them and ask “Who does your hair?”

If hairdressers believe they are artists sculpting hair, the chance they can create a piece of art, if not a masterpiece, is higher. Also, if they think that other hairdressers will come across their clients’ hair to check or even criticize, they would become very careful to make sure they give their best shot in every haircut and pay more attention to detail. In order not to be embarrassed or humiliated, they will push themselves harder to give better haircuts. Therefore, the mentality of hairdressers can change their attitude in cutting hair; and their new attitude can change the altitudeof their profession.

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