12 minute read
Antoinette Beenders
One of the World’s nest Hairdressers & Global Ambassador for Avada
IH: How did you career start?
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Antoinette: I’m originally Dutch, and I started my career at 14 serving teas and coffees and progressed from that. By the time I was 18 I was a managing the salon. I went to a ‘Trevor Sorbie’ show in Holland and after seeing it, I knew exactly what I wanted for my career; - I wanted to work for Trevor Sorbie! So I went to London for an interview, and they actually refused me because I didn't speak much English at that time! I said “I'm coming back, whether you like it or not, you know”, I did eventually return and Trevor said ‘I have seen you before?” “Yes”, I said “and this time I’m not leaving until you take me on!” And he did!
IH: Brilliant! I’m glad you did that!
Antoinette: Yes! It did mean that I had to completely start again as when I arrived to the House of Sorbie it was very different type of hairdressing than the training I got, it was very avant garde. Trevor said that they would teach me the Trevor Sorbie way and he would give me a one month trial. After the month I would have to do a test which I failed due to my lack of English! It was a real problem and just too much to cope with in a month. They saw that, but they also saw that I was very hard working and I got all my models from schools, and, you know, they just didn't want let me go. So Trevor said, “We'll put you on the fl oor as an assistant to a stylist”, and that's what I did for six months and then I did my test again and passed! I remember one of the styles I did was a graduated bob, and I did it perfectly. After that I became a stylist very quickly. Then I became a teacher at Trevor Sorbie because having had to re-learn everything in a different language helped me greatly to teach as I was really good at explaining things. So very quickly I also started to travel and teach for Trevor and I think my enthusiasm was very good and the result was that the students would return to London for more teaching and to buy our products. It was very, very benefi cial for both parties. I felt Trevor was like my Hairdressing Dad and I was part of his family.
IH: Let's talk about you winning British Hairdresser of the Year?
Antoinette: Yes, I won British Hairdresser of the Year and London Hairdresser of the Year and in 2012 I did a photographic competition on the internet that was an overall Hairdresser of the Year and I won that as well.
IH: I remember that time in London, your name was everywhere. What does your current job with AVEDA involve? And what’s you end goal?
Antoinette: So, I was Creative Director for the AVEDA Corporation for 15 years. My role was all about the Aveda branding and looking after the campaigns, doing store design, making sure the copy and everything was right. Then I realized I really missed the trade so I decided to go back into it. So now I have a very nice role, as my job is simply ‘to inspire people and do some fun things’ In 2019 I did a show in London with Eugene, Sally and Tom in Trevor’s honour as he is an amazing House of Talent. I was also travelling the world judging at Photographic Awards in Spain for example and then of course Covid hit so I just began doing virtual training on line.
IH: That’s amazing! What’s that like and how are you coping with Covid?
Antoinette: You know it’s interesting. We were all due to become more visual and because of COVID it has kind of pushed us further and harder. I had to build a studio at my house to work because we can't go anywhere. So
I did training sessions on line and, it's been really good. I've had a fabulous response, I had like 900,000 people on one particular virtual session. It was quite amazing.
IH: Wow, that is surely amazing. . AB: I've also created a whole course on styling without blow dryers – called AirDrying. It allows hairstylists to be able to let clients leave the salon fabulous without using a blowdryer on them. There are a lot of new techniques that need to be learned and I also teach curly hair techniques too.
IH: Who were your hair heroes, Antoinette? Obviously, Trevor, and where do you look for inspiration?
Antoinette: I'm not really a hero type of person as I've always been a holistic hairdresser. Because for me, it's never just been just about the head, it's the whole imagery of the person. I love photographers and designers and that's what I kind of put my stamp down on in the UK long ago. I was the fi rst hairdresser to photograph models full length because everybody used to do head shots only. And I never believed in that, so for me, it's like hair is the fabric of the body but its only one part of the rest of the body. And even when I get clients today, fi rstly, I want to see what they're all about, you know, what their lifestyle is like and then create a hairstyle that works for them and is relevant to what they are going to do with it themselves after. That's why I think the whole core elements of the craft is going to come back again. Because if you can't blowdry your own hair, or naturally dry it, then you’ve never have a good haircut! And I think a lot of hairdressers have got away with okay haircuts when they blowdry it afterwards. I believe a haircut needs to still look good when its dry without a good blowdry! I think what we are going back to is people will want really good hairdressing experiences, because even if they can manage their hair themselves now we can give them a really good haircut and a really good color.
IH: What fashion designers inspire you the most? Who’s hot?
Antoinette: Oh, there is this amazing guy in Japan at the moment, I am not so good with my Japanese, but his name is Tom or TOMO and he does these really amazing big giant shapes. They are very inspiring and interesting. Of course, I'm a sucker for Tokyo designers they are always amazing. So looking ahead, if anyone has the opportunity to go to Tokyo, that’s where fashion is! You’ll see fashion two years ahead of anywhere else. But you
know it's a combination of things like that, that inspire me. I launched a collection where it was all about the design, I called it ‘Revolution of Reinvention’. As we go forward in this world, you know, we are looking at being much more socially responsible, being much more, thoughtful of things like in America, for example, a lot of people buy new cheap t-shirts and then three weeks later they chuck it out. All those things have got to stop, because that's so bad for the environment, and I am a bit of an environmental crusader, that's why I'm very aware, you know, that we should start appreciating things more, and I think COVID has done that for us. What do you think?
IH: It's been a great equalizer. It put everybody on the same level and is showing us what we have been doing wrong. Now let’s talk about AVEDA.
Antoinette: AVEDA is more about creating highperformance products, but they are naturally derived. So the other thing I would say is AVEDA is not just a bottle on the shelf, you know, it's a lifestyle. It's like, you know, people that use AVEDA I think they're more aware of their environment. And they'd like to have products that are more sustainable. I'm heavily involved in Aveda front development as well creating styling products. So you know we use the things from nature in order to create high performance, and we're 40 years at it. So we have an incredible technology. And then you mix it with modern technology, and the combination of it is really quite unique. And also the effect of the AVEDA product on hair has a different effect than if you used a chemical based product. Also if you think about all the medicine, right, that are created in the world or have discovered in the world a lot of them come from nature. Hair is nature. So why not have haircare that is inspired by nature and that comes from nature, you know, your hair is something natural? It’s a no brainer. You know, of course, I've drank Cola for many, many years as I don't know any better at that stage but I am a very fi rm believer and even in my own lifestyle of only organic, you know, I try to be a vegan as much as possible. I'm not miss goody-two-shoes, but
I am trying to be as healthy as I can be. Because you know, as you age a little, you start noticing things quicker if you don't look after yourself and what I do is just being responsible.
IH: What were the main differences you found moving from London to America?
Antoinette: London salons are more about passion and fashion, here in the US it’s more about business and is marketing oriented. The salons are bigger here too! I came to America for work and I love it. I have a beautiful lifestyle, but my heart is in London, it’s a very special place for me and I still have my fl at there too. The one thing that they do really well here in USA, is that they can take a little thing and make a big giant thing out of it. Hair here is mainly long, some very detailed which is very interesting. I mean, whether I like it or not, is done well but it’s more commercial I would say. You know, you don’t see much short hair here like my haircut yes, it’s a bit unusual here. Like when you walk around New York, you see hair bigger and higher but not short. You see them at hair shows, but you do not see them on the street?
IH:. Are you back at work now?
Antoinette: I haven't stopped working. I've just worked from home! So for me, it has made absolutely zero impact apart from I'm not doing any clients. But I don't cut hair every day I cut hair when I'm in New York, in London, or at home. I've been doing a ton of videos though, you know, I've now got models that don't speak back to me now! Mannequins! So it’s kind of nice and it's funny, because it might be my basement, but I've got a whole lineup of different models, different colors, different textures and different shapes. And every day, I’ll do a ‘model casting’ with them and I get the look I want and I put them back in their corner!
IH: What can you see industry changing towards?
Antoinette: I think it's going to go back to basics, and I've been saying this for a while even before Covid, I really do think a strong sense of the craft will return with beautiful simplicity that can be appreciated again. I think we've done a lot of fl uff in the past with magazines and coffee etc and now it’s time for simply beautiful fashionable hair. You know, we all come into this industry because of our passion. Have communication with them and do your consultation the day before on the phone and visually by zoom if you can. Remember, you only have one chance, just like when they come in that fi rst time you’ve got to prove yourself all over again. So make sure that you really are 100% ready to make them feel that they are one of your best clients, because one little mistake and they're off because this thing went so long that they don't want to be disappointed.
IH: What’s next for you Antoinette:
Antoinette: That's a really good question. I'm really enjoying my role right now. I also think I'm going to enter some awards again, why not! I still have a lot of passion for the industry I've been in for 39 years and I still love it as much as the day I started. I really enjoy sharing my knowledge now with the 70 Aveda Institute’s over here. I speak to new kids that are coming into the industry and tell them what you can do and what you can be. Our industry is the best in the world. I honestly think hairdressers can do anything and I think I'm an example. I was a Dutch girl, 20 years old who moved to London with a goal. And if I can become the senior vice president of a multi-million dollar company I think anyone can do it. I just worked really, really hard and I still do today.
IH: Antoinette, you're one of our hair heroes. It was amazing to interview you. Now last words from you Antoinette:
Antoinette: I'm not just saying this, it's honest truth that Irish people always had a very special place in my heart. I even live in Kilburn in London. I was surrounded by Irish people and there's something very special and warm about you. And my latest collection was actually photographed by an Irish photographer, Damian Foxe, who I think is absolutely amazing. So I can't wait to come back to Ireland. I love that country. And I love the people and I mean it.
IH: So how do people fi nd you?
Antoinette: Just go to Instagram. @ Antoinette Beenders. It’s kind of my news board. I’d love you all to join and dm me. I respond myself so be my guest.
Our industry is the best in the world.
THE REVOLUTION of
REINVENTION
