My Vidal Sasoon Experience

All my life, my hairdresser life that is, I've wanted to go to the Vidal Sassoon Academy. Back in the 90's, it was definitely the thing to do. Every graduate from Beauty Academy knew at that time how famous and important of a man Vidal really was. He was the pioneer of modern hairdressing and precision haircutting. He made my career the exciting and added new twists and turns to the profession I was entering. I knew I had to get there, by hook or by crook!!

After many years of assisting, working behind the chair, taking classes, attending hair shows, studying Vidal from books and tapes (yes, good old VHS) and practicing on countless manniquen heads and anyone who would let me try, I grasped the concept of Precision Haircutting. Thankfully I also worked in Salons where their intention was to make you a precision haircutter by training you on days and times off. Since my brain works with shapes and geometry (that's how I play pool so well!), I began to understand the concepts. I was never a just-do-it gal; no I had to understand it as well. And anyone else like that knows how incredibly crazy we make ourselves trying to dive headlong into learning concepts!

Throughout the years though, you see this way of cutting and that way of cutting, this style of the year, that style is now out....so on and so on. So, you have to maintain your skill, your technique, your ambition and still continue to stay focused on what suits a client and what doesn't. You always have to look at your client as a real person who may or may not be able to wear an asymmetrical bob!  But I have to admit is so much fun when you find someone who would love to wear it! Anyway, you keep up with the times and the trends, but truly haircutting is the same just with tweaks.

I really started to see how the mind of another learner really worked when I started to teach beauty school part time. I started to see that my gift of explaining and bringing concepts to life easily was impacting the folks I was teaching. Because I don't believe enough time is truly spent on learning the concepts to haircutting while in beauty school, I did my very best to spend whatever time I had, to explain in detail and depth. It was while into my 14 month of teaching, I decided it was time to fulfill my dream.

 Now this was nearly 18 years later that I was going to attend the Vidal Sassoon Academy for 5 days of ABC Haircutting. I knew I had to do it though. You know when you get those strong feelings and you just have to? Well, I booked my class in Miami, flight, hotel and off I went. I was not unaware of the what I was in for but I also had no sure idea. I knew we had live models for 4 days and I knew the concepts of "The Sassoon Way" of haircutting. But was I ever surprised with the detailed, yet easy to understand concepts by the Educator Joseph S. He was very gifted in his straight forward manner and his amazing hands while cutting Demo Models for us. I knew that the time was right. I had such an amazing time. My point of going to Vidal was clear and I was satisfied.

I recommend anyone thinking of going to study the concepts of ABC's thoroughly and know them somewhat before you go. Work on clean sections and clean partings, know or be aware of your body position and hand position. Know the difference between graduation and layering, elevation and over direction. After all, this I what Haircutting truly is about. Thank you Vidal Sassoon.