Caroline (center) flanked by her trainersHair today, here tomorrow hair stylist Caroline believes her profession will keep growing. Sometime back LOreal Professionnel launched its first ever international hairdressing academy in Khar.
The academy aims at creating a new generation of salon professionals and well trained technically competent class of hairstylists.
Beautiful, elegant and graceful Caroline, the head of the academy, combs through her history and the foray into the field of styling hair.
Scissor happy
It all started seriously for me when I was 18. I enrolled into a private school and for two years I learned all that I could about hair styling and its various branches. I had my first chance at hairdressing in France, my birth place, and for three years I worked at a salon. While at work, I took up a second diploma course and after studying for a total of five years I started working towards opening my own salon, says Caroline.
Did she open a salon immediately? No, I thought of gaining some more experience and so I went to work for Gacques Dessange Crypress for a year and then shifted my base to the Gulf. I worked in Kuwait and Qatar for two years and then I came to India, explains Caroline.
Carolines been in the country for the last three years and joined LOreal a year back. She has been working in different salons here and was actively involved in the foundation of the hairdressing academy.
Hair fair
Caroline asserts, The future of hairstyling is growing by the day. Good hairstylists are always in demand and as the in-charge of the academy I want to produce the best hairstylists that can be offered to the market.
Salon skills
If a person wants to be a hairstylist then the most important characteristic that s/he needs to possess is passion.
People need to be passionate to be in this field and make good of it. Another important quality should be good communication skills.
It makes interactions with your customers easy and you are better able to understand their requirements, elaborates Caroline.
A day at the hairdressers
Is it boring to just keep styling peoples hair? She elucidates, The job doesnt entail only styling. Being a stylist involves many other things like watching appointments being made, knowing who your customers are going to be for the day or the next day. Know your plan of action. Caroline gives an outline:
Step 1: Greet your customer and welcome them in the most pleasant manner you can. Offer tea, coffee or soft drinks as s/he may have come from a gruelling work schedule.
Step 2: It is said that if you have forehand notice of who is going to come then you can prepare yourself for that person. Let me explain: If you know that the customer whos coming to you works in a law firm then read a bit about any famous cases going around in the town or the country. When your customer is in you can start a dialogue with him or her on their favourite topic and make that person comfortable.
Step 3: After the comfort level is established pass some good comments on the persons personality and find out their likes and dislikes regarding the present look and what change they are looking for.
Step 4: Start your work and keep a steady dialogue going.
Tress levels
Caroline exclaims, Of course there is a whole lot of work satisfaction as a hairstylist. Today I have achieved my dream. As a small girl I used to dream about opening my own salon, but with the hairdressing academy I have achieved what I always wanted to do. My dream today is to set my salons everywhere possible and want to be a motivating educator.
Money for a mane
Salaries are improving and are becoming really good. Also the competition is good and theres a huge demand. I think its a great time to pursue a career in hairstyling and we at the academy want to help students learn the best styles present in the trade.
The number of students going abroad as a hairstylist is on the high and I want to make sure that they learn correctly and go after their dream with their passion full on, says Caroline.
payal.kamat@mid-day.com
