A FLAiR For Avant Garde By Paul Graham

When you ask the internet, why is Avant Garde significant? The answer is quite clear, Avant Garde pushes the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm. This explanation perfectly sums up why I am drawn to Avant Garde hairdressing and how this has led to a very satisfying and financially rewarding hairdressing career.

When I was 21, I came to the conclusion that I really wanted to become a hairdresser. I had dabbled in various other pursuits, but I could see the career opportunities hairdressing presented and how this industry would satisfy the artist in me.

NOT ALL IMPORTANT MESSAGES NEED BE DRAMATIC OR IMPOSING, SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED IS A LITTLE FLAIR.

That being said, I was reluctant to leave financial stability behind to become a 1st year apprentice so, I needed to sort out other ways at succeeding in my goal. I did my research and discovered that the most coveted institute in gaining your hairdressing qualification at the time was the Wynne-Hoelscher Academy in Brisbane. I visited the college on an open day and didn’t want to leave, the college offered a full-time fast track course at a cost of around $14,000, but also offered one lucky student a full scholarship every year. That’s when I knew I was going to become a hairdresser! I was going to win that scholarship, and I did.

Part of my scholarship was an all-expenses paid trip to Hair Expo in Sydney where I was first introduced to the world of competitive hairdressing and the importance it played on career and business. I remember seeing all the photographic collections and being blown away by the sheer genius of them all. Since then, I’ve immersed myself in lots of competition work.

The reason why I’m sharing this story is because over the years I’ve heard many hairdressers say “I can’t afford to compete in the hairdressing competitions because the people that win them spend tens of thousands of dollars” so they don’t even dare try.

I feel certain that this is true for some, but it certainly wasn’t the case for me. I set about entering competitions as a creative outlet, to unleash the artist within me, but also to give my career an edge. I learnt quickly that potential employers value your skillset just a little more when it’s accompanied by an accolade. Accolades are not only a testament to your own hard work, they provide you with the grounds to negotiate more favourable working conditions and pay. The more prestige you can bring to your career and salon, the more sort after you can become as a hairdresser.

Early on in my career I met a hairdresser who would change my life forever, that hairdresser was Geoffrey Herberg. I was a junior hairdresser entering the competition world all on my own, when Geoffrey, a highly regarded and awarded hairdresser in his own right met me and said, “come and work for me and I will show you how to win” He was true to his word.

Through Geoffrey I met artisan Richard De Chazal and so began my love for all things Avant Garde. Under Geoffrey’s tutelage, I won my first competition, but beyond that, I was able to see how Avant Garde ideas gave way to more opportunities in placing at competitive hairdressing.

Whether it’s a cut or colour shoot, an up-style shoot, a photographic competition, or a live competition, there has always been an element of the Avant Garde in all of my work. While my friends were out spending their hard-earned money on big nights out or weekends away, I was trawling though op shops and flea markets buying clothes and costume jewellery in prep for my next competition or photoshoot. When other hairdressers paid large sums of money on professional stylists and editorial photographers, I took on the challenge of styling shoots myself and nurturing the careers of a local photographer and make-up artist at a fraction of the cost. I couldn’t afford to drink alcohol, but I would still hit the nightclubs in Fortitude Valley almost every Saturday night with friends, always keeping an eye out for my next hair model. I recall drinking coke from a short over iced glass, passing it off as bourbon and coke so I could at least appear like I was drinking with my friends when I was in fact saving my money to reinvest it in my future.

While winning an award can be quite glamorous, the process of trying can be less so. Like the story of Kylie Minogue’s iconic gold hot pants purchased at a flea market, all of us are capable of finding something seemingly unremarkable and creating something amazing. Money goes a long way in creating something sensational, but it can’t replace good old-fashioned talent and perseverance.

Winning the AHIA title of Australian Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year was the greatest professional achievement in my hairdressing career to date. It was such a special achievement because not only was the category significant to the style of hairdresser I am, but the photographer that shot my collection, is that same local photographer I began shooting with over 10 years ago, and that make-up artist is the same make-up artist I began working with 10 years ago. Our careers have come a long way since first meeting.

My Photographer is now the Publisher of a quarterly magazine, and my make-up artist has cemented herself as a very sort after make-up artist in the bridal and events industry. We have all contributed to each other’s success and that we have earned our seat at each other’s priority table. When either of us needs the other professionally we make it a priority to support the other. It is wonderful when someone can afford to employ the big fashion photographers of the time, but it also goes to show that if you take a chance on someone starting out at a fraction of the cost, all parties can flourish on your joint journey to success.

I believe the key to success is knowing your competition and doing better.

Bethenny Frankel recently said in an interview “most people don’t work hard, and most people don’t work hard and smart” This is my understanding in knowing your competition and doing better. You may not always walk away with the trophy, but you can hopefully turn heads in the process. The hairdressing Industry has universally (and unfairly) acquired the reputation as being ‘low paid’ or less likely for financial success as compared to other industries like law or medicine. I have always had the belief that if you’re good at something you’ll succeed at it. I have poured so much passion and love into my relationship with hairdressing and it has certainly loved me back.

I have owned multiple salons over the years with my wonderful husband, purchased my dream home with my husband as well as investment property, travelled the world, lavished on an extravagant wedding, and financed a surrogacy journey to parenthood. All financially significant milestones to me and only a few of the more important achievements of my life. I would have none of these blessings if it weren’t for a chosen career in hairdressing, but especially a career in hairdressing competitions.

My creative process when forming a collection starts with a cohesive colour palette, satisfying to the eye. There are certain colour combinations that visually when married together in the right volume, can appeal to the eye more. I place a lot of importance on this. It wouldn’t matter how fantastic the hair is, if it’s not presented in the best colour setting, it’s getting lost in the wrong one. This is particularly challenging when forming a photographic collection of 6 stand out images. Many of us may resort to black and white photography in this instance as it can be easier to hide the flaws of an image and enhance the good points. Black and White photography is also the simplest way of forming cohesion in your photographic collection. I often prefer colour and I’ve learnt not to stay comfortable and to take risks. Who would’ve thought that a bubble gum pink infused collection would take out two wins at the AHIA? but I believe my colour palette choice played a big part in winning these awards.

My advice to anyone thinking about entering a competition like the AHIA’s (AND SHOULD) is to always follow your instinct and take risks. If you see everyone doing much the same thing and you think you might do something else, do the something else. If you follow the crowd, you’re likely to achieve a watered-down version of someone else’s prior success. Over- complicating a process does not place more value onto it, and over complication is not the same as improving upon something.

My career and passion for competitions and creative work has seen me travel the world, seen myself and my work featured in dozens of magazines and online publications, as well as made channel nines 7pm news on two separate occasions. I started out in this industry wanting to forge a career and life I could be proud of, but since becoming a father it’s been all about showing my daughter where hard work, and smart work can take you.

My 2021 winning FLAiR collection is mainly inspired by her, and every young girl like her. As beautiful and as fun as it is being the father of a little girl, I’m also met with bouts of concern. The world wants her to grow up too quickly, and the future for girls doesn’t always look good. Society and social media often misrepresent a woman’s importance with impossible beauty standards and overtly sexual content. I wanted to imagine what a redefinition of femininity would look like. The result was FLAiR.

You can be beautiful without the expectation of being naked, there is just as much beauty in innocence as could be in sexiness. The soul of this collection is rooted in the bubbly personality of my little girl, dressed up in vibrant high fashion style. It’s an homage to young girls and young women everywhere being seen for who they are and what they can be not what certain parts of society say they should be. Not all important messages need be dramatic or imposing, sometimes all you need is a little FLAiR.

Paul Graham is the 2021 AHIA Creative Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year