At the Australian Hair Fashion Awards 2009, Robert Bava won in the Hairdresser of the Year nomination -for the second time! The king demonstrated that it was not by chance that he was wearing the crown all the past year. Yet, nobody would call his victory incidental: He had already won that contest in the Apprentice of the Year nomination (twice), and had become South Australia Hairdresser of the Year (twice) even before that. In addition, this year he has won in the New Creative Force nomination in this year Australian Hair Expo Awards 2009.
He lives life in the fast lane: he presents at Hair Expo in Sydney, then arranges a show in Brisbane and Perth, and now Robert is at a show in London. However, it is impossible to "catch" Robert there, since he is in Sydney once again - working at the MTV Awards.
In addition, the star stylist together with his wife Karen runs his business very successfully. Karen Bava is a stylist, too, and has won awards many times over as well.
That incredible dynamic duo opened their first salon, The Parlour Hair, in Adelaide in 1998. In a few years, at Toni&Guy's suggestion, they joined that network. Thus, by the Bava's effort, the first Toni&Guy salon in South Australia was opened. Yet, recently the Bavas wanted more independence, terminated the contract with the world famous brand, returning to the name The Parlour Hair. Despite breaking relations with Toni&Guy, Robert considers the time spent within that network fruitful: His salon won the title of the world's best Toni&Guy salon three times!
"One great boon of the current economy is the
opportunity for really good rent right now.
You can find some great locations for an affordable rate,
better than ever before... and we are taking
advantage of that now. It's the perfect time to grow."
So what kinds of plans do you have for Parlour Hair that you couldn't do when you were restricted by Toni & Guy? What's changed?
The development of Parlour Hair, now with two salons in Adelaide, created something more appealing to the Generation Y hairdressers coming up in the business today. They've been brought up in the generation of instant gratification and fast-moving technology so the usual slow-moving traditional schools of hairdressing are not appealing to them. We wanted something that would help them move forward a lot quicker so we created a younger, funkier model that newcomers want to be a part of. We want to attract them, show them the opportunities and a pattern for success. We set short-term goals because they can't seem to face the usual 3-year apprentice-ship. We put an emphasis on the creative stuff and session work - which is what gets them excited. They are such quick learners. I've created a model where people can have their own salon and we work as partners in the brand.
What was different about the way you came up in the hair business?
We had totally different ethics. I'm a baby boomer and when we were job-searching and went to an interview it was all about what we could bring to the salon and now it's what we as a company can offer a hairstylist that attracts them. The attitude has totally switched. Instead of interviewing prospective hairstylist employees, I hold an information night and they become excited by it. It's about a company and what we have to offer. Most of our marketing is focused on attracting the right people.
How has the current global economic downturn affected your business plans?
It's actually a good thing because to be a successful business, either we must reinvent what we are doing and if we can keep improving on that and hang in there, we can become stronger. The best salons will grow stronger because they're still the place people want to go. One great boon of the current economy is the opportunity for re-ally good rent right now. You can find some great locations for an "One great boon of the current economy is the opportunity for really good rent right now. You can find some great locations for an affordable rate, better than ever before... and we are taking advantage of that now. It's the perfect time to grow.
You have been crowned Hairdressing King as the 2009 AHFA Australian Hairdresser of the Year for the second year in a row. Why did you choose to enter black and white images for the competition this year?
I've always had a love for black and white photos and I think it gives a great high-contrast result - I love the impact. We shot panoramic as well so the images are horizontal. Most people shoot portrait which means they're vertical so mine is the one that's got a different point of view. We took a risk and the work is more glamorous and beautiful and in black and white they are stronger and more aggressive. We like to create strong hair with more of an editorial feel.
"My clients just love getting their hair done by
an award-winning stylist, but I really enjoy working
on the floor and interacting with the clients - my salon
work is even better than my photographic work."
Why do you think your collection won? What was different about it?
I think I might have also won the second time around because I put an emphasis on cuts instead of dressing and styling this time around. The winning collections have recently been for styling, so this time mine were all cuts. In Australia we follow a strong English and European Trend and the judges are looking for something different. The judges in the UK were looking for styles that emphasize the cut - to get back to the cutting - to get away from predominantly hairdressing.
How is that different from what you do in the salon on a daily basis?
The cuts I do in the salon are much more commercial and less aggressive because they have to be for real clients to wear them. I still work four days a week in the salon. I feel like I need to keep in touch with my clients and I think it just makes you a better hairdresser. And the winning of awards just makes my salon work even better and boosts my image with my clients too. My clients just love getting their hair done by an award-winning stylist, but I really enjoy working on the floor and interacting with the clients - my salon work is even better than my photographic work.
What's your best advice to a stylist looking to break into photo-graphic hairdressing, fashion shows, celebrity hair or competitions?
To break through is a long process and it's not easy. We definitely take a lot of photos of everything we do to develop our eye. I teach my staff, you find a photographer to start working with and practice, practice, practice and learn by doing. What happens is that you evolve together. In fact, we've been using the same model for over 15 years and the same photographer for the last 7 years. If you're just starting out, work with someone on your level.
Salon work is so different from session hair. It's capturing the picture, the feeling...not accounting for every angle of the haircut or style. What you have to learn about is the feeling and knowing that the camera only sees one side of the cut and you have to develop an eye for what you are shooting, what you want to show. And when working on an editorial shoot or a runway show, there are so many little things involved - the hair sometimes comes secondary to the model, the fashion, and the hairstylist can be ignorant - but we are just fashion interpreters when we do the hair in that situation. You have to know the difference.
I've read that a client's happiness with their haircut is the most important thing to you. How do you accomplish that while still giving them something fashionable and stylish that you're proud of?
Yes - clients loving their hair is the most important thing to me. But luckily for me, the people that come to me are looking for something a little more trendy and fashion-forward. I communicate this through the consultation and showing and explaining what I think I will do for them. I also teach them how to re-create it and how to care for it. It's a delicate balance to marry what the consumer needs and wants and what I think will bring out the best in their hair and style.
Often times, the story behind how or why award-winning hair-dressers got their start can be surprising - What's the story behind how you got into hairdressing?
Ha! The movie Shampoo inspired me to become a hairdresser! No, the real reason is to serve people and I get on a lot better with women than with men. Actually I come from a family of hairdressers and my sister was one also. I started working as a shampooer on Saturday mornings in a salon. My father always said, "We should do what we like, not what we think!" So that's what I did.
Has your 13-year-old daughter Helena, shown any signs of interest in the hair business?
No, not yet. But she's got a natural flair for hairdressing and design. She styles and puts hair up and so far, I can tell she'll be damn good... if she chooses it. I guess when you're around it all the time it rubs off on you but you just take it for granted (sighs...)
What's your biggest advice to stylists in dealing with their clients?
Communication is the key with clients. It doesn't matter how great we are technically. If we haven't been clear and given the wrong haircut from what the client is expecting - then its' a bad haircut. We haven't totally communicated until both parties understand each other.
So what's different about your pro line of products?
We're formulating with essential oils - but the biggest difference would be the support sys-tem for salons who stock the product. If a professional salon stocks my product range then they get education for the product, plus salon education and photo shoots together so we can teach them how to do what we do.
Your hair is pretty crazy - does Karen cut your hair?
Yes, Karen cuts my hair but I haven't had a haircut in eight months (laughs...) My hair is so curly it just suits me to be wild and wooly and she likes it that way, too!
What's your biggest advice for newcomers to this business?
You have to have passion for hairdressing and love what you are doing and never lose focus on the hairdresser that you want to be. Do you love being a hairdresser? Let it show in every-thing you do!
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