Michael Van Clarke

Invisible Haircuts?

2012-02-18T18:36:00.003-08:00

A full page article in last week’s Evening Standard talked about a ‘new’ way of cutting which avoided the chunky lines and choppy steps created by most ‘try hard’ stylists these days. The Invisible Haircut. Initially I thought someone was at last catching on to something we have stood by for years, just beautifully refined and understatedly perfect haircuts.

When the article continued on to say how it was vital to hold some hair and make quick upward snips at three times per second and miss bits out to achieve the ‘metodo’ (Italian for method), I knew I was reading yet more gimmicky marketing by someone that doesn’t understand the principles of a achieving a great haircut.

Great hair never has screamed, ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ at the expense of the owner. Great hair helps the wearer look beautiful and feel confident, and an observer shouldn’t instantly know why. It may occur to the observer that the hair looks gorgeous. It may then appear that the haircut and style is just right. If they continue to wonder, they may conclude that a very talented hairdresser has been there. In that order it shows good taste. Less professional hairdressers want their creations to shout from the rooftops. The very best hairdressers are happy for their work to play a vital supporting role to the real star, the client.

One of my high profile television personalities, whose diary doesn’t always link in with mine, once said to me, “You know Michael, when other people cut my hair it feels like I have something on my head. When you cut my hair, it just feels like it’s part of me.”

I thought that summed it up rather well.

LFW: World Peace Through Personal Beauty

2012-02-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

I often find myself in the middle of a conflict between prospective apprentices, desperate to go into hairdressing, and their concerned parents wanting them to take a more serious career path like law, medicine, accountancy or banking. “Well let’s face it…..isn’t the fashion and beauty industry along with those other creative types, a bit……… shallow?” My feelings of indignation passed years ago. I feel what we do with personal grooming and visual health is important individually and socially, and exceptionally skilled. It engenders higher self esteem and is aligned to proactive self care and wellbeing, so also links in with the healthcare aims of medicine, but without the gory bits. People who look good feel good. People who feel good do good. I rest my case m’lud.

As for ‘serious careers’….being able to express ourselves in our own version of beauty is also vitally important to a healthy self image which in turn affects how we relate to others. When this freedom is suppressed, it can ferment a deep discontent with potentially tragic consequences. You only have to look at the world’s war zones, where there is no formally established fashion and beauty culture. As far as I’m aware there is no Iraqi Cosmopolitan magazine nor Afghanistan Vogue and I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Perhaps the UN planes should be flying teams from London Fashion Week into the world’s conflict hotspots.

Firewalk

2012-01-21T21:14:00.003-08:00

Training and development is one of my greatest passions and nothing gives me more pleasure than helping our team grow and realise their best selves. This Spring we’re sending 7 of them to the Excel Centre for a challenging 4 day seminar of self-discovery with the world’s leading personal coach Tony Robbins. One of their tests on this ‘navel-gazing’ extravaganza is to walk barefoot over red-hot coals. Having managed that, they should be able to handle the scariest client (just kidding!). The greatest thing about these seminars is how it opens up a whole new world of thinking and opportunity.

It helps our young apprentices question their assumptions and realise that their thinking has largely been fed to them by their background environment; TV, newspapers, peers etc., often not in their best interests. This realisation switches people on to further exploration and learning which is essential to living a more fulfilled life in the modern world.

" Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense". Buddha

The Big Rocks

2012-01-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again where we focus on new resolutions. How many of us expect to still visit the gym in February? We hope we'll commit to better behaviours, healthier lifestyles and drop some of our less helpful traits. Here's a short story which helps me remember to plan the important things into my calender.

The BIG Rocks…..

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz,” and he pulled out a one-gallon, mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.

He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone in the class yelled “Yes!”

The time management expert replied, “Really?”

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

He then asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?”

By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and gravel.

Once more he asked the question, “Is the jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good.”

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

An eager student raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point.”

The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.

What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life?

Time with your loved ones, your faith, getting your hair and nails done at Michael Van Clarke (sic), your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you’ll never get them in at all.

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question:

What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

New Website is now LIVE

2011-11-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

We're proud to announce the launch of the new Michael Van Clarke website.
Click here to take a look.

The Salon

2011-09-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of our luxurious salon with some of our stylish staff.

Welcome

2011-09-30T04:50:00.001-07:00

A question that had played on my mind for a while was whether or not to join the blogging trend. I thought I had so many views, opinions and interests not only about hairdressing but also about the other passions in my life such as travel and art that it was a worthwhile thing to do. Hopefully you think so too!