The Reed

I was recently asked to name my three favourite old school scents, and actually found it one of the easiest things that I have had to do, although I feel old school is not necessarily the right wording as they are absolute classics and I still wear them!

Calvin Klein – Obsession This was one of the first-ever fragrances that I wore and it is still a favourite. It reminds me of being at school, and getting told off for wearing way too much of it. The musky, mossy and woody scent is all of my teenage memories in a bottle.

Guy Laroche – Drakkar Noir This was when I went into my being a ‘real man’ phase, and is a true classic, I wore this to college and thought that all the girls fancied the pants off me (I couldn’t have been more wrong!). It is where I fell in love with the heady mix of Lavender and Citrus, as well as the more masculine scents!

Yves Saint Laurent – Kourous An all time favourite of mine. I smelt this on the train the other day and was transported back to Butlins in Minehead, where I painted children’s faces to earn extra money when I was training. I used to wear way too much of this and I love the mix of incense and moss and the pure, masculine notes.

It is pretty clear I love this industry, and one of the main reasons are the people that I get to meet. Although all the ID artists I have worked with are exceptionally talented, there is one that really stood out – Aid Tams. I first met him in Manchester last year, and I have to say that although he is a very quiet chap, his talents are immense. He took on board everything that I shared with him and just kept coming back for more, also after taking a look at his website I can see he is a pretty good businessman too. I cannot wait to see what he gets up to in the future and hopefully will have the pleasure of working with this fine hairdresser again.

I spent last Thursday and Friday up at the L’Oréal Academy in Manchester with the ID artists and I have to say working with these guys for the last couple of years has been one of the highlights of my career. They are truly inspirational and it is an amazing thing L’Oréal Professionnel does by giving these young hairdressing talents such great opportunities.
Over two days the team had a marketing presentation, watched a cutting and session demo from Mark Woolley and myself and had an audience with hair icon Trevor Sorbie. We then spent all of Friday in practical sessions preparing the guys for their Catwalk Showcases. I strongly recommend going to these inspirational evenings. I would like to wish all of the second year ID artists the best of luck, they are all highly talented and have the most amazing foundation, the world is their oyster!

I was reminded recently of this image for a shoot for Stella magazine in 2008, where I wanted to get a really classic look with a modern edge.

I prepped the model’s damp hair using tecni art pli and dried it in, re-applying the product as I went along to get extra volume and hold. When there was enough guts to the hair, I set it on BaByliss Pro Ceramic Rollers and dried it off using this genius little soft hood dryer , it really sped up the process and set the hair firmly for longevity.
I then back-brushed the hair, working Elnett Supreme Hold through the brush onto each section to give volume and hold at the roots, and wrapped the model’s incredibly long hair over a large bun ring and pinned it into the nape. Because of the foundation in the hair we only had to work a little texture into it throughout the day.

Last week we headed over to One Alfred Place for The Coterie, and what a great evening it was. Firstly, I love the mix of people that attends Coterie club meetings – it really is fast becoming the best place to network! Secondly, the speakers seem to get better and better. Last week we were treated the award-winning fashion blogger Dan Hasby-Oliver, who talked about upcoming men’s fashion trends and the importance of social networking. Next, we were given an expert insight to the Cool Brands phenomenon from brand guru Stephen Cheliotis. I am on the Cool Brands 2010/11 committee and can vouch for the time and precision that goes into the selection. Finally, to round off the evening, I had the great pleasure of interviewing the wonderful session stylist Anna Cofone. Anna is a true representation of the new wave in the industry and it is totally refreshing to listen to and share time with. She’s such an amazing talent, and I am excited to see her journey to the top of her profession.

I used this fab little tool on our new men’s collection to create a swollen texture to the hair. I am lucky enough to have had access this tool at the very early stages of its development, as the guys at BaByliss Pro want our honest feedback before they launch. We’ve have had a great time working with the textures that this cool tool creates. We prepped and dried the hair using tecni art pli, and then sprayed each section with Elnett Supreme hold for extra shine and flexibility.

I am a big fan of these supplements, so was really pleased to see the launch of a brand new variety designed to maintain healthy hair and nails. If you take them along with a healthy balanced diet I can assure that you will really see a difference. The ingredient list includes vitamin H, which is key to hair growth and follicle formation, and vitamin B complex, essential to hair health.

He’s gone and done it again – on three counts this time!

Firstly, Henry came in last week and was wearing Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, and it is bloody beautiful! I am not normally a fan of vanilla, but this dries off to a really gorgeous spicy yet sweet scent and I have totally fallen in love with it.

Secondly, the new creation in Mr Ford’s Private Blends collection is the stunning Azure Lime. I do love citrus scents, although rarely wear them, but this is truly the only scent for summer 2010. The citrus dries down to a warm, rich scent, and is totally unisex, whilst maintaining a masculine strength.

Thirdly, take a look at the new eyewear campaign, it is AMAZING! Tom has kept the handsome Nicholas Hoult and added my crush of the decade, Freja Beha Erichsen, and has turned out these beautiful images. Again, I am totally loving the hair.

Last week I flew over to Berlin to style Diane Kruger’s hair for the World of Calvin Klein event. Diane is the face of the new Calvin Klein scent, Beauty, which I was able to preview –  and never was a scent more aptly named!
Diane was wearing a stunning Calvin Klein Collection dress and amazing shoes, so we worked a very simple style into the hair. I blow-dried volume and movement into the hair, then gently waved it using the BaByliss Pro Conical Wand – still one of my all-time favourite tools – to add a soft bend.

I finished with Elnett Supreme Hold Hairspray to maintain the volume and add a super-glossy finish, using a small amount on my fingers to add control and definition. I then drew the hair into the nape working a loose braid, and reversing it to give the impression of a shorter haircut. Finally, I  added a little more Elnett to my fingers and gently manipulated the surface of the hair to loosen up the overall look.

I have been looking for a new suit, and it seems to me that this is the only man to go to! I was made aware of his exceptional tailoring when I lived in NYC, and am yet to find anyone to better him!

I love it when all of the new advertising campaigns are launched, and this season is no exception. I shared the new Givenchy campaign a couple of weeks ago and here are my two new favourites:

Prada A/W 2010 Ad Campaigns –
There is a real return to the 60’s with hair at the moment, and this as clearly demonstrated in this campaign. For the client it will a loft softer and a bit more deconstructed, but the overall feel for this is strong and beautiful. And of course I am loving the shoes!

Louis Vuitton A/W 2010 Ad Campaign –
Christy Turlington, Karen Elson and Natalia Vodianova totally embody this strong and feminine collection, and the hair is simple
yet has strength and character. Again, let’s not mention the shoes!

This image was taken while working onstage in Taiwan in 2006. I was over there with L’Oreal Professionnel and we were the headline team for their gala, and wanted to show them something a bit different. Here I prepared wigs by stacking white nylon Afro wigs and knotting the hair together to add height without too much volume. Then, when we were on stage, we blew primary coloured powder paint into the hair totally to change the colour of the wigs. It was a great effect onstage.
Taipei is an amazing city and I would love to go back at some point and really have the chance to explore.

I love Showstudio – it’s a really inspirational website. I was looking at these images over the weekend and I reckon that the model is actually the one and only Lady Gaga. What do you think?

A film by Sofia Coppola. I saw the trailer for this new film a couple of weeks ago, and can’t wait for its release. It is beautifully shot with a brilliant cast. Take a look at this preview.

 So, She has done it again! The geniuses that are Steven Klein and Nicola Formichetti are taking music videos to the next level. Again, Gaga, I salute you!

A very good client/friend of mine, Karyn, came into the salon this week with a new bag that had all of the Percy and Reed ladies swooning, and it was from Whistles. Now, it would have been rude to ask the price, but I know that Whistles are one of the most reasonable stores with some of the most stylish things around. I am also loving their Roksanda Illincic for Whistles collection.

 This is bloody genius. And should without a doubt be a staple in every hairdresser’s kit bag!

I am on the judging panel of the GQ Men’s Grooming Awards 2010, and what a great job it is. You are all aware of my passion for products, so I am over the moon to be testing the best of the best. It is actually a really hard job, but one that I am loving and I can’t wait to share the winners with you.

 Shu Uemura Essence Absolue: the queen of hair oils. I have used this camellia oil-based product since it was launched and I love its light feel and finish. It leaves the hair lightweight and cashmere-soft. It is also great for nourishing the scalp, and smells beautiful.
Dr Hauschka Neem Hair Lotion: this is an amazing oil that leaves the hair soft and nourished without feeling at all heavy. It can also be used on oily hair as the key ingredients have a normalising effect.
Orofluido: this really makes the hair feel nourished and glossy, without leaving a residue. Hair maintains a great shine for more than two days. It is also a lovely bottle!

I am looking to make a few changes in my life… So, I stopped smoking over four months ago, and I am off the booze… And I have just started Bikram Yoga. Yes, the hot one! And I am loving it! I am going to Bikram Yoga Soho  just around the corner on Bolsover Street, and it seems that it is an magnet for amazing people, including the teachers. I am going to be recommending every one of my friends to start Bikram. Here’s a picture of me on my first session; I’ll put one up in a couple of weeks and you can spot the difference

On the subject of making a change, for a long time now I have been using Vita Coco Pure coconut water in my diet and I was pleased to see that it is available at the centre. Everyone has been picking up on the amazing qualities of this drink, and I can 100% vouch for it.

Before I start I would like to say that I did NOT make the head piece in this picture.
This was a totally amazing experience. If I remember rightly it was 1996 and some friends were working with the immensely talented corsetiere Mr Pearl for the Thierry Mugler Couture show. They were working on four or five different designs, and this Chimera had panels of horse hair woven into the skirt and sleeves that need cutting, so I was called in at about 2am to cut the hair. That’s a lot easier than it sounds, but when you have Mr Mugler and Mr Pearl standing over you telling you how they require the hair to move while the model is walking, it was actually quite a challenge. Altogether, it took nearly 2.5 hours, but I have to say it did look beautiful when the model walked the runway!

 So last Sunday I headed off to Stratford in East London, not somewhere you would normally visit on a Sunday afternoon (but saying that I headed off to Hackney Wick last week and walked over to Stratford to take a look at the Olympics site. I really did not think that it would be something that interested me, but I have seen it growing and am amazed by the rejuvenation of the area, and the way that they are being sympathetic to the local neighbourhood.  I hope that it stays that way).
Anyway, I digress. After arriving at Stratford station, and after a little hunting around, we headed off to Stratford International Station and were then directed through the Westfield Stratford City Building Site to a lift that took us to the roof of the building, where Westfield Stratford City in conjunction with Bistroteque and Patron Tequila have set up one of London’s most amazing dining experiences.
The views are breathtaking, the food beyond brilliant and the company totally inspirational. Opposite us was Zaha Hadid the designer of the 2012 Aquatic Centre, and next to me was The Truly inspirational Hussein Chalayan!

As far as I am concerned Michael Clark is one of the true geniuses of our time. I first became aware of him back in 1995 through his collaborations with Leigh Bowery, Trojan and Bodymap, and through the other genius that is Mr Pearl, who I did some work with (see this week’s history in hair).
I do like traditional ballet, but I love to watch modern pieces and really get into them. Come Been Gone has to be one of my favourites; it was beautifully choreographed to the music of David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno, and the performances were truly stunning. I would urge you to go!

Last week I headed over to Berkeley Square for The Glamour Women Of the Year Awards 2010, and what an amazing evening it turned out to be! I caught up with some familiar faces and here are my three best tressed!

Glamour Editor Jo Elvin. Everything about Jo shouts Glamour – her beautifully cut hair and colour; her to-die-for Erdem dress; and the gorgeous clutch. Stunning!

Fearne Cotton. I followed Fearne into the event and she looked lovely. Her hair and dress were simple yet fun, but the pieces de resistance were her beautiful Roland Klein studded shoes.

Sam Taylor Wood. What else can I say but the best of effortless chic! Sam’s soft, undone asymmetric braid is a perfect summer style.

Earlier this week I headed over to the Biscuit Tin at Shoreditch House to judge the first-ever It List awards for the under-30’s – and what a bloody task that was!
Firstly, an amazing breakfast, (thank you!). Secondly, what an amazing group of judges: Beverly Streeter, Luke Hersheson, Lee Widows, Henry Holland,
Desmond Murray, Sean Dawson, Andrew Barton and Victoria Lowe, to name but a few. It’s important our new up-and-comings are recognised both in and outside the industry, and this s a great way to do it.

I was judging the One to Watch category, and after 2.5 hours we finally came to a decision on our winners. The standard of work was amazing.
I am so excited about these awards and cannot wait to see the winners in the other categories! Check out all the news at www.head1st.net/theitlist

Last week I was whisked off to Geneva with Diane Kruger to style her hair for Jaeger LeCoultre. We were taken to the factory where the watches are made and given a tour. I’m not that interested in watches, so I was not really sure what to expect, but I was blown away by the craftsmanship of these incredible time pieces. The craftsmen and women are the friendliest people I have met and they were excited about sharing their skills. I am now going to save up my pennies to get one of these amazing works of art.

On Thursday I headed over to The Dairy, a great venue behind Kings
Cross, and was greeted by a real buzz. It was a beautiful evening, and everybody was hanging out waiting for the show to start with one of the longest catwalks I have seen In a long time zig-zagging through this great space. The collections were all well considered and detailed, and although it was very difficult to choose, here are my favourites:

Joanna Pritchard – an absolutely beautiful collection. Everything about it was gorgeous – the colours and cuts, the accessories and shoes, everything!

Karishma Shanani – the use of colour and texture in this collection was fantastic. It was fun and quirky with out crossing the line into ridiculousness.

Natalie Rae – I loved the hair bands in this collection, as well as the use of colour. Two beautiful older models wore this collection extremely well, along with the younger models.

Naoya Nakayama – I absolutely loved this nearly all-nude collection, with hints of what looked like gold foil. It was a really beautiful collection, My overall favourite at LCF.

Ryo Himuro – muted tones were beautifully highlighted with vibrant colours. I loved they way they sat naturally together and the accessories were genius!

Last week I had the pleasure of attending two of the Graduate Fashion Shows. On Tuesday I was a judge at the Central St Martins BA Graduate show, along with Hillary Alexander, Camille Morton, Marios Schwab, Christopher Rawstron, Christian Juul Nielson, Kathryn Ferguson and Willie Walters.
I headed over to York Hall in Bethnal Green preparing to blown away and I wasn’t disappointed. Firstly, the hair was simple yet perfect and really held up. The L’Oreal Professionnel team produced three looks to carry through all of the collections: the Hans Belmer ‘”Doll’ – a low-slung chignon; The Rebel – a totally on-trend braided up-do; and the Tippi Hedrun – a beautifully executed woven French pleat.
CSM is known for its forward-thinking creations and I was amazed by a lot of the designs and prints. Here are a few of my favourites and – of course – our winner:

Liz Black – these prints are absolutely beautiful, and the shapes of the outfits were great to show them off.

Yi Fang Yan – this was our winner; beautiful draping and pleating.

Eloise Jephson – these prints were fun, and looked great on the floaty pieces. The colours were fantastic.

Craig Green – I loved this whole collection. The prints and his use of colours and shapes were fun.

Lee Roach – This collection was so sleek, with quirky elements added. I’d wear it all!

This was one of the last times that I worked with Issy. She had worked with Mac to create a lipstick, and the immensely talented photographer Miguel Reveriego shot these images. It was always a pleasure to work with Issy, although due to the amazing Philip Treacey creations that she always wore, there really wasn’t a lot of work to do.

This is by far the most amazing masque that I have ever used. I have been using it on my beauty press clients and they all love it, and no wonder. Kerastase have taken the finest ingredients and formulations from all of their ranges and put them all into this little beauty. Not only does it make your hair look like new, I am really excited by the way that it treats the scalp. You have to try this masque, it’s bloody amazing!

In my quest to find the perfect styling brush I came across this little kit. My motto, as you are probably aware, is less is more, and I like to keep all of my kit in my one loyal Eastpak bag .
I’ve been hunting for the perfect brushes for years and think that I might have now found them. The only dressing brush that I use is the SU AOH paddle brush, so I was over the moon when these landed on my desk. The quality is second to none, and they look pretty slick in my kit bag. Remember to soften the bristles with heat from a dryer before you use. You’ll never need to look for another brush ever again!

Okay, so I love CDG and I love scent and I love moving image, so how delighted was I to come across this video! CDG have designed this glorious Wonderwood scent with a mix of natural and synthetic wood scents. The fragrance is amazing, the film is amazing, and  Comme des Garcons are amazing!

Last week the sun came out in London and like every other Londoner I decided to walk home! I love London at the best of times, but when the sun comes out it really comes into its own. So I made my way back East, looking in pretty much every shop along the way, and came to Redchurch Street off Bethnal Green Road, a great little street that houses Lounge Lover and cute little antique and retro shops. The Albion is at the top end and just before that is Hostem, a beautifully designed space that houses some of the most beautiful clothes, shoes and bags.

Key pieces that stood out were a great pair of Visvim sneakers, a beautiful Rick Owens leather jacket and cotton
Shorts. Another great Saturday morning hang-out!

Ten years ago, I, along with a select team of stylists that included Zoe Irwin, Darren Fowler and Sean Dawson, to name a few, were asked by L’Oreal Professionnel to style the hair at Central St Martins’ BA Honours Show. Without a doubt it was one of the highlights of my career.

Now L’Oreal Professionnel are celebrating the 10th year of this amazing collaboration and I have been invited to judge at the BA Fashion press show. It’s a real honour to have been asked, and I will be blogging straight back to you letting you know the winners and sharing  news on the amazing talent from the day.

Forget SATC, this is summer 2010’s essential viewing! I have been cutting the beautiful Miss V’s hair for years now, and have always eagerly awaited the next hilarious instalment in her London life, so, along with the rest of the team at P&R, we are delighted to introduce to you one of the best blogs you are going to read this summer. ENJOY.

I’m a sucker for a shoe that transcends boundaries, and these amazing Balenciaga numbers most certainly do that. The colours, textures and shapes are amazing. I heart Nicolas Ghesquiere!

There really are no words that can describe the GENIUS that is Gaga!

 I have to put these images up! Givenchy have done it again, WITH amazing clothes, amazing images and of course amazing hair!

On Monday we shot Phase One of Percy & Reed TRIBE 2010. It was an amazing day, and one the whole team attended. It’s important that everyone is totally involved in the creative side of our brand and to feel part of this important project. I have attached some behind-the-scenes shots and we can’t wait to work on Phase Two and get the images ready to share with you.

My love of scent has moved onto a whole new level. Jo Malone, in conjunction with Elton John and David Furnish, has designed this exclusive fragrance in support of the Elton John Aids Foundation, inspired by the beautiful white scented garden at their Windsor home.

I wanted to share this amazing website with you. I was cutting Alice’s ( one of my all-time favourite clients) hair last week and was chatting about the freezing weather, as you do. The next day this amazing hot water bottle arrived on my desk! I took a look at the website and have already made a wish list! Thoroughly recommended.

We shot this in March this year for the first-ever 3D issue of Grazia. It was an amazing day, shooting stills and live footage alongside each other. I prepped Florence’s Hair with Shu Uemura Art of Hair Liquid Fabric and wound each section on a 32-19mm BaByliss Pro Conical wand then loosened the hair up with the SU – AOH Frame Wax.

I’ve been really good these past couple of years, taming my addiction to shoes, but the other day when I was out looking for inspiration I came across these by Opening Ceremony – and I just had to have them!
I found them in a great little shop called Goodhood. As much as I love the big-name stores, I am often more drawn to the smaller one-offs, and this is one of my favourites. They choose their pieces really well and have some fab unique pieces. Take a look…

I think it’s pretty obvious that I love Madonna! So I was blown away to see these images in the May issue of Interview magazine. Take a look, then watch the making of the video. GODDESS!

MADONNA – Me against the music.
Oh, yes! This was, without a doubt, one of the most defining days of my career.
I was assisting Luigi Murenu at the time, Madonna’s regular hairstylist, but he was unable to do this video, so he asked me to do it.
I didn’t sleep the night before. I LOVE Madonna, you see. She can do no wrong, and nor did she – it was an absolute thrill to work with an icon.
At the time she was wearing her hair with a 40’s-inspired wave, so we worked that with a medium barrelled iron and Elnette supreme-hold hairspray and lots of Klorane dry shampoo.
The video was shot over two days, with us finishing at 3am on the first day, and having to be back at the studio at 6am, but it was all worth it! Take a look at this link and you will see me in the room with the leaves!

Take a look at these amazing little pieces! I bumped into Katie a few months ago and she introduced me to these accessories. GENIUS

I never knew it but the lovely Jamie Stevens is a Somerset lad, just like me! Who’d have thought it? I love Jamie, as I said before, and I just wanted to say a massive well done on his Somerset salon opening, Good luck, Jamie.

Last Thursday night I headed off to One Alfred Place in central London for a meeting of the Coterie members’ club. The venue was gorgeous – it’s always nice to find cool new places in London.
There were three presentations: firstly, acclaimed fashion photographer and editor in chief of Drama magazine, Ram Shergill, shared humorous anecdotes about his career and his relationship with Philip Treacey and Isabella Blow, and took us on a tour of some of his amazing imagery.
We then had the pleasure of seeing a behind-the-scenes video of the latest
collection from the Hershesons; take a look to see the lovely Luke in action.
And finally fashion historian Caroline Cox conducted a fascinating interview with the legendary Annie Humphreys. We heard all about Annie’s rise to hairdressing super-stardom, and it was so refreshing to hear a good old-fashioned honest approach to our industry.
I left the evening feeling truly inspired.

Hairaisers Pink Label Clip in Extensions  If I am really honest, it is only recently that I have really started using extensions again, on shoots and at Fashion Week. And now we have started a new ‘Hair by Numbers’ service in the salon, which will be previewing on Grazia Daily very soon. So I went straight back to my old faithful, Hairaisers, and came across there amazing Pink Label clip-in extensions. The quality of these extensions is fantastic, and they come in a great palette of colours. I have coloured some personally for clients and the finish is amazing.

I was given this brush and I love it! I have used the Acca Kappa Boar bristle brushes for years, but I must say that I am loving these Ionic Ceramic Thermal Brushes, and am hunting them down in every size for my kit bag.