Feature - Richard Ashforth Interview

Text / Images by Jamie Harrison // Published Friday 7 January 2011

Richard Ashforth is the International Creative Director of Saco, and recently joined us for a video shoot at the MyHairDressers.com studio. During breaks in filming, he explained his hairdressing philosophy and influences.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

I'm interested in many things from music, theatre and design. I always say, "Walk around with your head and your eyes open." I take in the environment around me from different people and different cultures. I'm always taking in colours, shapes, textures - whatever it is. You have to be open to being creative and influences.

What separates what you do from other hairdressers?

Our main belief at Saco is beauty first, suitability for the individual and doing what's right for the client. Creativity sometimes has to come second. For me, being creative is getting someone to look fantastic. Sometimes that's a really simple thing, sometimes it can be a really complex thing. The creativity comes from seeing the right thing for the person, not about loading every technique into a haircut. It's about seeing the perfect thing and having the confidence to do it, even if it's something simple.

What influences you?

I'm a big fan of music. The time I grew up in was the 1980s, when there were lots of bands in Sheffield like... Human League, Pulp, Cabaret Voltaire. I've always been involved with music, from playing to hanging around with musicians. It's always been a big thing for me, stylistically and emotionally. I love music and that manifests itself in my hairdressing in some shape or form. There are many other influences too, exceptional people who affect the way we all live our lives. I'm particularly interested at the minute by a Brazilian architect called Oskar Niemeyer, who blows me away. He's very into curves and doesn't give much time to right angles in his buildings. He's 104 years old and still works every day. He was around at the birth of modernism and trained with Le Corbusier. He's a true free thinker and people like that really inspire me.
 

Who's your style icon?

I'm torn between Iggy Pop and David Bowie - Iggy Pop embodies attitude and the true rock n roll persona and I admire Bowie's ability to be a free thinker and to be single minded. They're a great source of inspiration both musically and stylistically. It's harder and harder to do something new visually. Over the last 50 years there have been some amazing artists, from Bowie to Leigh Bowery or Madonna. They've really played with image and pushed it to its limits. I sound like my Dad now, but there's people who think Lady Gaga is out there pushing the limits but to me she's not quite so shocking. It's been done. I now prefer things less overt and more subversive, when people are really trying to make change.
 

Do you have a favourite technique?

Not really. There's only really three techniques in hairdressing -  you either cut one length lines, you graduate or you layer. It's how you put those together and when you chose to use one or the other. That's about being creative. As I get older, the more techniques I have at my disposable yet I tend to favour the simpler techniques. I like to find the pure simplicity and pare everything down and do something amazing with a simple line or a simple colour. It's not about being full on, perfection is simplicity.
 

What's hot?

I think the world is full of individuals and there isn't any one overriding thing anymore. I suppose I should get off the fence - round is hot!
 

Do you have a favourite product or tool?

We've just developed some scissors that we're putting the final touches to, so I've finally got a pair of scissors that I've had an input in designing which I think are amazing. I'm very much a one pair of scissors guy, I use one pair to do everything. Being a Northerner, I'm tight like that! We've worked very hard over the last couple of years with my partner in San Diego designing these scissors. One small change and they're ready to be made, so watch this space! 
 

Do you have any tips for people starting out or wishing to progress in hairdressing?

You have to get a good foundation in everything you do. It'll trip you up and become a source of frustration later on if you don't learn and understand the essence of your craft. You need to invest time at the beginning and not run before you can walk - which is a very common thing with hairdressers, whom tend to be very effervescent and enthusiastic people anyway. Understand classic techniques as much as possible, that's what hairdressing is -  it's how you put it together that gives you the 'modern'.
 
Keep your mind open to learning throughout your career. Our industry is famous for keeping people young because hairdressers don't want to stop learning. They're generally forward moving people who don't want to get stuck and entrenched in any era. There's a lot of different styles out there so keep your mind open and study hard to be the kind of hairdresser you want to be.
 

How important is online hairdressing training?

Online is definitely the way forward. Saco is an education company and our material is now online because DVDs are a dying format. More importantly, online training opens education up to everyone. Everyone has the same opportunity to learn from amazing people. It's the shape of things to come.
 

View Richard’s biography >>