We LOVE poring over inspirational model collections and sometimes we just to HAVE to know more! We invited celebrity hairdresser Jamie Stevens to tell us about his favourite collection, and got the lowdown from the model who brought his vision to life.
Jamie, tell us about this collection.
“The One collection is a simple idea – one model, 10 cuts – the perfect canvas to display many different hair techniques and to really show how hair can change the overall look. It was really interesting when people saw it for the first time, many didn’t realise it was the same model even though we kept the make-up the same and the styling minimal throughout. I love this collection and my model, Tabby, was amazing…”
Tabby, how did you feel about the concept of going from long to very short?
“I wasn’t afraid agreeing to this experiment, only apprehensive because I was getting married so my main concern was not having my hair grow back enough in time for the big day! I agreed to it mostly because I’ve never been one to pass up any opportunity and I knew that this had never been done before so automatically made me want to be a part of it. Jamie was great at reassuring me and encouraging me to be his model which gave me confidence. I knew that seeing his previous work it was gonna be really cool and I never doubted his art. I also have hated my hair for years and never really knew how to style it. This was a great way to start again and to reinvent myself. I always toyed with the idea of having a shaved head previously and this was the perfect excuse.
It was a little scary once the clippers came out but there was no turning back so I took a deep breath and went with it, allowing the stylist to produce his creations.
I really enjoyed trying all these different hairstyles. It was like playing dress up. I really love long hair so the longer styles were my favourite but the blunt bob was another. It was that happy medium between the 2 extremes and the last hair cut where I still felt most like myself. After the last hair cut where I have a high top I went home and shaved the rest off. I have never received so many compliments about my hair ever! The whole experience was a liberating one and I really enjoyed being a part of it.”
Jamie, take us through the looks.
1. I wanted this to just scream beauty and simplicity, ensuring that the hair was centre stage. I wanted to create something soft with a twist and combine contrasting textures. I used straightening irons combined with intermittent crimping to really make the hair stand out and give a 3D effect to really make it pop.
2. Next I created a strong silhouette working with the model to really emphasise her features. I decided to really shape the hair into the head shape of my model. This is 3D inspired so the image will pop and give the look a multi faceted feeling. I used irons to smooth the hair and then a small amount of gel through the front section, then brushed it down really smooth. Once in place, starting at the top I put in some long silver clips to break up the hair and crest the ridges, applied hairspray, and dried with a diffuser to set.
4. Moving on to the haircut, I wanted to create a contrasting shape, working on a technical precision haircut foundation I kept length through the front and added texture throughout the haircut to give softness to the hair and the ability for the hair to move freely, contradicting the strong cutting structure through the back.
5. Here I progressed my look into something much more aggressive whilst trying to maintain the femininity, the hard lines and short undercut give the hair an androgynous feel but the length adds some softness and beauty to the whole look.
6. With this cut I wanted to push it creatively to add depth to the image, here I felt there was the opportunity to push the look. This is my extreme take on layering. The technique here is achieved by cutting strong disconnected lines into the side and then styled by blow drying the hair up and out using hair spray to keep the kicked out layers in place.
7. This look was developed to really showcase where we were at with the gradual shortening. Here I levelled up the haircut and put a strong base in on the sides with a short sharp haircut keeping the softness around the ears. The top was styled in a soft roll to add shape to the overall look with a soft dishevelled texture to diversify from the aggressiveness of the sides.
8. This was my take on the fringe trend that has been so big lately. Here I wanted to really create a strong bold shape that was primarily smooth and graphic but to add a hint of difference I added a slight section of texture to give a different aspect and to blend it with the collection.
9. For this look we really progress into the hair being short and the dramatic take on the transformation. I wanted here to really play on definition of texture and shape; by deep point cutting the top and keeping the shape square I was able to really emphasise the layers throughout the top to make it jump out. I also created a contrasting fringe shape to show collection development and add another aspect to the total look.
10. Although this haircut sits within the realms of my whole collection and blends with the ideals I have aimed to create this look is almost a tribute to my first winning photography collection that featured a flat top. I love the hardness of the style and really wanted to add a feminine twist to it but fundamentally showcasing a bold profile silhouette and shape, this look really tops off the collection and encapsulates my vision, from long, soft and beautiful to short, bold and androgynous.
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