According to Toni&Guy international artistic director Efi Davies, hair collections should represent the image of the company and be commercially viable as well.

She works in tandem with the technical team (that does the colouring) as a good hair cut is always complemented by a great colour.

“Usually, I look at what hair products are available in the market. For the shape, I base my research on the history of fashion and hair, and I may also look at architecture or other fields,” she explained.

Different looks are designed for different categories: The editorial look caters to the media and this is often more elaborate than those seen on the catwalk. The stylist’s imagination is allowed to run wild in the avant-garde or fantasy look, which is Davies’ forte. (She won the British Hairdressing Awards Newcomer category in 2005 and was a finalist for the Avant-garde Hairdresser of the Year four times.)

“The possibilities are endless as there are no limits. We’re allowed to think outside the box and freely express ourselves. We experiment with hair, and work with natural hair and hairpieces as well. It’s like a work of art,” added Davies, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently for the Toni&Guy Academy launch.

It’s all about juxtaposition, said Davies, and mixing up familiar elements. For instance, an Asian model could have a look fashioned for her that’s more in keeping with a Caucasian model.

Davies’ hair journey started from her beautiful coastal hometown of Kavala in northern Greece. A trip to London to visit her sister saw her falling in love with the city. And for her to stay in London meant getting a job there.

“I went to a job centre and coincidentally, there was an opening at Toni&Guy. I loved watching what clients could do with their hair. I got the bug then. Just imagine – I get the chance to make people look and feel great about themselves,” she said.

She started out from the bottom as an assistant, shampooing hair, assisting stylists and sweeping floors. Davies learnt everything from scratch and took faster than usual (less than two years) to earn her qualification at the Toni&Guy Academy.

“If you work for the main company (and not the franchise) you work in the salon four days a week and spend one day at the academy, which includes the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), a government qualification.”

For the NVQ, one learns about cut and colour (or in hair speak, technical expertise). The last year is when you choose what to specialise in and Davies chose styling because she enjoyed it more.

The coming trends, she observed, indicate that women are going for more unchecked DIY-looking styles, while men are going for a more groomed look, blow-dried and tailored.

When it comes to colouring, Toni&Guy international technical director Jane Stacey steps in. She takes into account current fashion trends, the tone of clothes and what’s relevant, before coming up with a complementary tone for the hair.

Stacey said that at the young age of four, she already knew she wanted a “hairy” career!

“For my seventh birthday, someone gave me a doll with extended hair. I remembered I coloured it and did all kinds of things to the hair. My very first job was with a salon in town (Port Headland in Western Australia),” she said.

After working with a few salons, she became a hairstylist for the Australian movie and TV industry for a few years. She joined Toni&Guy in 1995 and eventually became Educational Director. In 2007, she took up her current position and moved to Britain.

Stacey said there are three different categories for colours: blondes, brunettes and redheads. Previous seasons had more synthetic colours for blondes and she sees it going back to a natural golden, beautiful, glamorous kind of colour, anything that has warmth and lots of shine to it.

For the brunette, the tones are going to be harsher yet feminine-looking, ranging from antique rose to tobacco tones, Redheads can look forward to more rich deep brandy reds blended with pinks and orangina.

“Asians have very dark hair but it shouldn’t restrict them from experimenting with colours. Technically, we can create anything. It’s about deciding which level you want to take it to. You’re only restricted by the limitations you set yourself,” said Stacey.

Men are also now more open to the idea of colouring, especially if the hues are subtle. She noted that men have thicker hair and colouring can make it look less thick.

All about the look

The duo were in Kuala Lumpur to present Toni&Guy’s new Interactive Collection. Seven out of the available eight looks were presented. They also demonstrated a couple of editorial looks and a fantasy look.

Victoriana: The cut is a progression of the classic Page Boy cut. The colour is a palette of Edwardian Gold, Victorian Rose and Jacobean Brown, inspired by British heritage, symbolising signature historical periods.

Frak-sion: The cut is focused on the currently popular undercut technique but moves away from aggressive androgyny, introducing a much more expensive and editorial short cut. Colour plays with the monochromatic tones and shades of metallic tones.

The Lowe: The cut is young, energetic and carefree, exuding attitude while maintaining a feminine edge. The colour is adaptable, inspired by the current trend of young “Brit-chic” crowd.

The Pixie: A 60s inspired cut, moving away from graphic lines and breaking structure for a very commercial, soft and grown-out feel. The colour is a palette of pastellised tones of strawberry, vanilla and cream, with a luxurious and juicy finish.

Ashby: A short cut that looks at femininity, suitability and individuality, an innovative and progressive layered shape. The colour works with the cut, using tone to add strength and a sense of sensuality. Just right for the catwalk.

The Luxe: The longest cut in the collection. Reminiscent of a Grecian goddess – powerful, ultra-feminine and beautiful. It looks lustrous and expensive, yet natural and effortless with seamless smooth tones of butterscotch, vanilla and cream. Appears like a modern updated tribute to the Farrah Fawcett look.

Surma: Inspired by an African tribe that lends its name to the look. It achieves volume, structure and body to give an almost flame-like appearance when combined with the fiery colours. The colours concentrate on creating texture and depth within the layers. Shades of peppercorn, walnut, mink and violet are fluidly placed.

The Pin-up: Davies’ own creation is very trendy, in line with the voluminous blow-dried look as seen on the catwalk, but more groomed and textured. To enhance the volume and texture, shades of apricot beige, cream and apricot pink are used in layers. – By S.S. Yoga

yoga@thestar.com.my

FASHION shows always seem so exciting and glamorous, especially the ones held at the fashion capitals of Milan, Paris, London and New York. Those who have witnessed the backstage action, however, will tell you that it’s really organised mayhem.

Models are being fitted into their clothes, make-up being done and hair being styled, all at once. And, when you throw into the fray a couple of diva tantrums by the models or designers, you’ve got the recipe for chaos. Some of the people who hold the hair together for such shows deserve special mention for the amazing work done. Efi Davies, the international artistic director for Toni&Guy, is one professional who has worked with numerous designers (occasionally, the designer might ask for his or her own hairstylist instead of the Toni&Guy team).

Names like Giles Deacon, Vivienne Westwood, Michiko Koshino, Basso&Brooke, Matthew Williamson and Gareth Pugh are but some of the few designers that crop up on her resume.

Toni&Guy is a 47-year-old British (now international) chain of hair salons and academies that has a long reputation of quality work, not only with its clientele and students, but also in the fashion industry.

The company works on fashion events and Fashion Weeks in Europe and Asia, as well as editorials for magazines. It has been working with designers for London Fashion Week (LFW) for a number of years and has been the Official Hair Sponsor for 14 seasons.

According to Davies, the actual work starts a couple of weeks before Fashion Week. Sometimes, the designers know exactly what kind of hairstyles they want. Davies would come up with the look on a model as how it would appear on the day of the show and this is known as the hair test.

“Other times, I walk in and they’re very open. They ask for my opinion as to how to go about doing the hair. I have to look at the collection and this is very important as hair makes up one third of the whole image. On the hand, it should not overpower the clothes; we’re only looking to complement the look. It has to blend in,” she explained.

Davies and her team were in town last month to showcase Toni&Guy’s latest hair collection during the launch of the Toni&Guy Hair Academy and its new salon in Kuala Lumpur.

She noticed that most designers prefer the same hairstyle for every model in the show. This means that all the models need to look identical.

“We have some clients who want variations but generally, there is one similar element − it could be the texture but the shapes are different, or it could be the reverse. But there are occasions when they want a different hairstyle for every model.”

She goes through the styles with her session team on the day of the show. They have about four hours to work on the models before the runway show starts.

“I do a demo for my team so that they can see how it is done. Then, everyone works on their respective models. They do the hair before they put on the clothes. It can get messed up sometimes but we can fix it. And, if the outfit is tight, we might ask them to put the top on first.”

Designers may sometimes change their minds about the look, either on the day of the hair test, or even on the very day of the show. Davies said that as long as it can be done, she would agree to it. But if it’s something that clearly would not work, she will advise the designer. “Thankfully, I have not had an occasion when the designer has refused to listen to our advice. Knock on wood,” she said with a laugh.

Last year, Davies and her team did a total of 52 shows for both the Fashion Weeks in London.

Toni&Guy has a session team of about five to six members and sometimes, up to 15 if there are more models. In one day, they could be doing five to six shows.

“Normally we take about half an hour per model or it could take up to maybe 45 minutes for a more elaborate style. Only the stylist work on the models. Normally, colouring is not done for shows.

“Yeah, my hands can get a bit numb sometimes, but it’s a real adrenaline rush. We do get the occasional diva model but once they see how the hair come together, they pipe down.”

For the show in London (and Paris) for Spring/Summer 2010 (held last September), hairstyles leant toward a more dishevelled and loose look. There were lots of internal texturing and hair layering. The whole look emphasised a natural and youthful look that appeared almost nonchalant.

If you have the chance to watch the latest LFW (which starts tomorrow), you would be able to view Davies and her team’s latest work.

If you are experiencing hair loss it is important you act now and not wait until it becomes noticeable and start to affect the way you look and feel about yourself. Whether you are a male or female, few things will affect confidence and esteem like a noticeably balding head.
Going bald will make you look, feel and actually act older. Your personality and attitude will change to reflect your dampened ego. You will become less outgoing and less apt to approach members of the opposite sex. Your going bald can dictate the way you are seen and treated by others and yourself.
I know, for at the tender age of 21 I started rapidly loosing my hair and all those negative changes started to happen in my life. It was sheer determination and the dread of looking like my old grand dad this early that turned things around for me.
If you are experiencing hair loss, here are some things I learned that helped me with my battle to stop from going bald and retake control of my life.

1. Check with your doctor.Sometimes hair loss can be a symptom of disease. Thyroid disease, Lupus and Diabetes are two examples of illnesses known to case balding. Check with your doctor and be sure there is not a more serious matter at hand.

2. Watch your diet.Eating correctly will affect not only the overall health of your body, it will also affect the health of your hair and scalp. Maintaining a proper diet is critical for keeping healthy locks.

3. Check your stress levels.Anxiety and stress are common causes of hair loss. Regardless of how hectic life may get, you should take every necessary step to reduce tension and limit its affect on your body. If you must, use yoga, meditation or some other form of stress reduction technique.

4. Careful what you use on your head.Many of todays' hair care products contain chemicals that are harsh and can actually be damaging. Check the ingredients of your shampoos, dyes, perms and conditioners. Choose products that substitute chemicals with natural substances that are milder and which stimulate the scalp and encourage growth.

These few tips will go far in avoiding further hair loss and may even reverse the process. Do your research and take all necessary steps. Going bald can be painful but there are many products on the market that will help. Just know that the issue can be successfully addressed and the earlier you act the better.

By: Fred
With a hair straightener from Morphy Richards you can do far more than just straighten your hair. Our hair straighteners are versatile, multi-purpose styling tools that can be used in a variety of ways to create a huge range of exciting and dynamic hairstyles. With a little imagination, your Morphy Richards hair straightener can transform your look and bring real personality to your hair.
Adding shine to your hair they say this is now possible by straightening your hair using special straightners. Years ago there were the Babyliss Straight and Shine Steam Straightners which for 7years ago worked very well at straightening your hair and seemingly adding shine to your hair. There is now a newer version of these called Thermaglass Salon Slim Hair Straightners, these are supposed to give your hair a smoother and straighter look whilst giving your hair extra shine.
There are also different widths of hair straightners the wide ones and the slim ones. The wide ones are better for people with thicker and longer hair whilst the slim ones would take a lot of effort to straighten thick hair but work well on long hair just takes a little longer.
Hair Straightener Guide
With a hair straightener from Morphy Richards you can do far more than just straighten your hair. Our hair straighteners are versatile, multi-purpose styling tools that can be used in a variety of ways to create a huge range of exciting and dynamic hairstyles. With a little imagination, your Morphy Richards hair straightener can transform your look and bring real personality to your hair.
Modern flat irons
High-end modern hair straighteners have ceramic heating elements, which cause less damage to hair, are more effective and heat up faster than non-ceramic coated heating plates. Less expensive brands usually do not have ceramic heating elements though some may have a paint-like coating that gives the appearance of ceramic plating.
Many high end straighteners claim to use ionic and infra red technology, which claims to seal in moisture and oils and to reduce static and frizz.
Depending on the hair type, repeated use of hair straighteners, like most other heat styling tools, can cause varying amounts of damage such as split ends, thinning of the hair shaft and even causing hair to become brittle and prone to breakage. Generally, after extensive damage, hair will show signs of dryness and display an unhealthy appearance. However, many companies, such as L’Oréal and Tresemmé, have began to manufacture heat protection sprays and cream which aim to reduce the amount of damage that is caused by the use of straighteners.
Curling With Hair Straighteners
Curling with your hair straightener is a simple way to add body and texture to your hair. Although it may seem surprising, a Morphy Richards hair straightener is actually a very effective tool for creating curls in your hair.

Begin by straightening your hair if it isn’t straight already. This will give you a “blank canvas” to work with.Divide your hair into sections. The more sections you make, the looser your curls will be.Clamp your hair straighteners over a section, trying to keep the heated plates as close to the roots as possible. As you pull your hair straighteners through your hair, turn them 180 degrees by rotating your wrist. Make sure you maintain an even, gentle tension on your hair. To produce tighter curls clamp harder, rotate the straightener more and increase the tension on your hair.Don’t brush your hair after curling – simply tease your fingers through it to add body and bounce.
Creating Flips With Your Straightener
Creating flips with your hair straightener is an easy technique that adds real character to any hair style. To create a flip in your hair, simply straighten your hair as normal, but, when you reach the tip, curve your hair straightener outwards to introduce a flip out, or inward to create a flip in. This straightforward technique is a great way to add interest and put an intriguing spin on a straight hairstyle.