At the age of 27 I made a career
change from clothing manufacturing to hairdressing. Having no
previous experience, but with eagerness and determination to succeed, I joined the ranks of
school leavers and began my apprenticeship. Sweeping floors,shampooing clients at the
backwash basins and waiting on a salon full of qualified hairstylists were my daily duties. Many
a day I wondered if I had made the right decision but I was committed to finish what I had started.
In addition to working in the salon I also attended the Pretoria Technical College as a part-time
student.
I soon realised that the typical hairsalon culture which involved rushing from one client to another
was totally devoid of any creativity. I was overwhelmed with a sense of giving each client time for
a personalised service which would result in a total look and ultimately help the client to realise
their potential.
My lucky break came when the salon owner to whom I was apprenticed to, decided to embark on a
new career. I jumped at the opportunity to purchase the salon but was I in for a rude awakening! I
was now the boss... but also the least qualified and did I feel inadequate. In my pursuit for
excellence I realised that action had to be taken.
A few months later I hopped on to an aeroplane bound for London to attend an Intensive Cutting
Course with the Vidal Sassoon Academy....What a life changing experience it proved to be!
 A whole new world began
to emerge as the Vidal Sassoon Philosophy captured my heart.
Creativity was the order of the day. Control and accuracy were the building blocks to create the
right shape and form. Texturising was vital for movement and volume and to end off, each cut
required personalising to create the individual look for each particular client.
Vidal Sassoon himself laid a foundation for future generations due to his pursuit of excellence. He
made a decision to be the best he could be in his particular field. As a result of this mindset, we
have a legacy today that we can not ignore. We can succeed if we will put our hearts into the task
ahead.
I returned home to South Africa with a renewed sense of purpose: to practice my craft with passion
and to pass on what I had been taught to others.
The Beauty Industry is ever-changing and we the artists must anticipate
the needs of our clients. Staying at the cutting edge requires that
we equip ourselves and this led me to enrol at THE MAKE-UP SCHOOL
which is based in Cape Town. I attended evening classes at their
school in Rivonia and soon gained a wonderful new perspective of
a woman’s daily beauty routine. My dream for my wife Rene’
to share this industry with me was realised when she too equipped
herself as a make-up artist. We love working together because we
are passionate about helping people realise their potential. The
stylists who pass through our hands all attend the Make-Up School
so that we can offer a better service to our clients.
One thing I have discovered along this journey is that age is not a consideration to fulfil one's
dreams. My journey thus far has certainly stretched me and I have been afraid at times but it
has been worthwhile. I never feel frustrated in my job as there are so many avenues of creativity
in this wonderful vocation and so I keep asking myself ... where to from here?...
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Entrance to salon |
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"The Cutting Stool" |
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Backwash basins |
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Interior view of salon |
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