My Stylist and Me: Charlie Miller exhibition at Ocean Terminal

THERE is a bond that exists between a client and their hairdresser that sometimes cannot be fulfilled by anyone else. There is a trust that covers many different things.

Charlie Miller, one of Edinburgh’s top hairdressing companies, has launched its ‘My Stylist & Me’ photo exhibition in the Image Collective Gallery on the second floor at the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre.

The vision to explore the salons’ diversity in clientele and highlight the rock-solid bonds and personal relationships that have evolved, was celebrated at a drink’s reception in the gallery with some of the 26 participating stylists, their clients and other invited guests.

Jason Miller, joint managing director, said: “We are delighted to showcase some real-life client hairdressing and to collaborate with Ocean Terminal shopping centre on this exhibition.

“Working in the hair industry, you get to meet a lot of clients with their own styles, personalities, quirks and habits. As a hairdresser, it is our job to correctly interpret their needs and make sure we give them exactly what they are looking for. This exhibition is a reflection of our ways of seeing, being and doing and the end experience.”

The exhibition of 26 individual images runs throughout December 2018 and January 2019.

‘My Stylist & Me’ exhibition
The Image Collective Gallery
Management Suite, 2nd Floor
Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre
Leith EH6 6JJ

Lifetime achievement award for Charlie Miller

Hairdressing legend Charlie Miller OBE was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fellowship for British Hairdressing at it’s annual Luncheon & Awards at London’s Dorchester Hotel this week. The latest honour makes it a remarkable ‘hat-trick’, with Charlie having previously received both the ‘Fellow with Honours’ and ‘Fellow with Distinction’ awards. Continue reading Lifetime achievement award for Charlie Miller

Students make the cut

Four Edinburgh College Hair & Beauty students have made the cut in a UK-wide hairdressing competition, taking home six awards at the regional heats and qualifying for the national final. Continue reading Students make the cut

It’s a snip: Edinburgh College salons re-open

Support student scissor stars at Edinburgh College

Student hairstylists are sharpening up their scissors and their skills as Edinburgh College’s training salons reopen for business this week.

The college’s Hair & Beauty Training Academies at Granton and Milton Road Campuses offer a range of hair treatments provided by students in top-of-the-range hair salons at discount rates.

Customers at the academies get the chance to get their locks chopped by the celebrity stylists of the future while helping these students hone their skills and gain credits towards their final grades. All treatments are delivered under the expert guidance of industry professionals.

Services offered include conditioning treatments, styling and cutting, colour, colour correction and barbering, along with a specialist Nioxin range of treatments.

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for Hair and Beauty, said: “Getting a treatment at our Edinburgh College salons is a fantastic way to support our students in their development while receiving high-quality professional salon service at a reduced cost.

“Our students regularly prove their skills in national hairdressing competitions, making the heats of the Wella Xposure competition and picking up prizes from the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists.”

All treatments start from just £5, and the salons are currently offering a variety of annual memberships. For just £70 per academic year, customers can receive unlimited daytime cut, style and hair treatments.

The salons will start to offer beauty therapy treatments from 28 September, with beauty memberships at £100 per year and combined hair and beauty memberships at £150.

The Salons are open Monday – Friday from 9am-4pm and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:30pm-7:30pm.

Visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/trainingsalons for more information on the treatments available.

TV ‘Hair’ star is guest speaker at Graduation

Former Telford student Denise McAdam announced as guest speaker at Edinburgh College Graduation

Hairdresser to the Royals and reality TV show judge Denise McAdam will be guest speaker at Edinburgh College’s Graduation ceremonies in September.

Denise, who grew up in Penicuik and studied hairdressing at the college, has worked with the Royal Family, international supermodels and Hollywood stars and is currently one of the judges on BBC Two’s popular amateur hairstyling competition Hair. She will give the guest speech at the Graduation ceremonies on 25 September at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

The college’s Graduation ceremonies celebrate the success of HNC, HND, Advance Diploma and degree students.

Denise first came to the forefront of British hairdressing in the 1980s and is known for being the first female celebrity hairdresser in the UK.

Having worked with photographers David Bailey, Lord Lichfield, Lord Snowden and Terry O’Neill, she came to the media’s attention when she styled the Duchess of York’s hair for her wedding to Prince Andrew. Denise went on to receive the Royal warrant in 1989 and was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal for services to the Royal Family in June 2010.

She has worked with generations of style icons including Grace Kelly, Joan Collins, Yasmin Le Bon, Cindy Crawford, Jane Seymour, Naomi Campbell and Kylie Minogue.

Denise said: “It’s an honour to share graduation day with Edinburgh College’s talented and enthusiastic students. I am inspired to celebrate their achievements, hard work and the passion they have given to their chosen subjects throughout their time at the college. The college and lecturers have encouraged and worked incredibly hard to prepare their students for the work place, further education or to go forth and change the world. My own memories and my time at Edinburgh College inspire me every day.”

Free haircuts at Granton Campus

Come on, chaps: get your barnets coiffured by college students!

Students from Edinburgh College barbering courses are offering free men’s haircuts at the Granton Campus Hair and Beauty Academy.

The Hair and Beauty department at the college is looking for clients to come along and get their hair cut and styled by the gents barbering classes at the training salon. For a limited time only these men’s haircuts and styling are free!

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for hair, beauty and complementary therapy, said: “Clients will not only be receiving a free haircut, they will be helping the students work towards their assessments and qualifications. This a vital part of these students’ studies, as they work in a salon environment to provide top-quality service and cuts to clients.”

Men’s haircut appointments are available on Tuesdays from 10-11am and 4.30-6.30pm, and Wednesday to Friday from 9-11am until 12 June. To book an appointment please call the Hair and Beauty reception on 0131 559 4050.

The barbering classes are just one of many hairdressing and beauty services available at Edinburgh College. A range of treatments are available at the Hair and Beauty Academies at Milton Road, Sighthill and Granton Campuses. Students offer the latest industry treatments and styles using Elemis, Dermalogica and Wella products.

For opening hours and the list of available treatments and prices visithttp://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/welcome/leisure/salons/training_academies.aspx

To find out more about Edinburgh College’s hair and beauty therapy courses, and the many more courses available over the college’s varied curriculum and four campuses, visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses

A cut above: Granton hosts Xposure heat

Edinburgh College hosted the Scottish regional heat of the Wella Xposure competition to find the UK’s top young hair stylists, with 20 students competing for a place in the final.

Students from colleges across Scotland came to Edinburgh College’s Hair and Beauty Academy for the competition, carrying out cut and colours on models using Wella products. Three expert judges from leading hairdressers watched the students work and, after the models took to the catwalk, selected their winners.

The judges were drawn from top Scottish salons – Jamie McDonald, from Cheynes Hairdressing, Khaliegh Sullivan from Patterson SA Hairdressing and Sammy Galloway from McIntyre’s Salons – chose five winners to go forward to the UK final.

The final will take place in Wella’s London studio in June, where a prize of £1,000 of Wella vouchers and a salon toolkit worth £500 will be won.

The students chosen to compete in the final (pictured above) were: Marisa Sonkur, Borders College; Laura Bowman, Fife College; Hayley Rollo, Fife College; Zoe Coull, Moray College UHI; Shannon Devenney, South Lanarkshire College.

Judge Jamie McDonald said: “The competition was really good. The standard of work is just awesome. It’s great to see the college supporting these kids and giving them a chance to be exposed to the bigger hairdressing world. Competitions like this let students see where they can actually go out in the world when they finish college.”

Jamie was also impressed by the Hair and Beauty Academy facilities on offer at the college’s Granton Campus, adding: “The college is phenomenal. Last time I was here two years ago I thought it was amazing, and the work the college has done in the salons since is really brilliant. Again, it gives the students the chance to see what it’s really like to work in a salon environment as opposed to the training room through the back and gives them a real experience of hairdressing.”

Edinburgh College students Debbie Sloey and Zara Brown (above) were among the 20 competitors, with Debbie (top) following up a recent gold medal at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists’ annual UK-wide competition.

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for hair, beauty and complementary therapies at Edinburgh College, said: “Wella Xposure is a fiercely contested competition and we are very proud of Debbie and Zara getting through to the Scottish heats as this reflects the high standard of work they both produced.”

The college’s Hair & Beauty Academy at Granton is split into a beauty salon, spa and the college’s Wella Centre of Excellence salon, and includes Scotland’s first college ‘eco’ hair and beauty academy. The new academy is the first of its kind to provide a range of environmental features, including a ceramic fuel cell that uses hydrogen to convert gas to electricity and produce hot water as a by-product.

The academies are open to staff, students and the general public and offer a professional quality service for good-value prices.

Edinburgh College offers a wide range of hair, beauty and complementary therapy courses. Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by Edinburgh College and starting in August on its four campuses. See www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more information on how to apply.

Edinburgh College is Centre of Excellence

Edinburgh College Hair Salon Awarded the Wella Centre of Excellence Status

Edinburgh College has become only the second college in Scotland to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence by Wella, and one of just 30 throughout the UK. The accolade not only reflects the top class facilities and training available at the college but offers additional opportunities for students to take part in nationwide competitions and schemes run by the leading hair product manufacturer.

Carol Fyfe, Head of Tourism & Hospitality at Edinburgh College, received the award during the recent Head Candi hairdressing showcase event at the college. She said: “It is an honour to be recognised as one of only two Centres of Excellence in Scotland. The team have worked incredibly hard to develop and maintain high quality training in hairdressing. This new partnership with Wella will help us to provide the latest advanced training for staff and students. The experience gained by students will ensure that they are able to progress seamlessly into the world of work once they have completed their training and excel in the competitive hairdressing industry.”

Ashley Bennett, Area Manager for the Wella brand, presented the plaque. He said: “Wella is passionate about supporting young students and getting them started in the hairdressing industry. By working in partnership with Edinburgh College we believe that young people will get the best possible start to their hairdressing career. The award represents the quality of the facilities at the college but more importantly the quality of the education for the students. Good training is key to the success of our industry and this accreditation shows the great respect Wella has for the work that Edinburgh College does.”

As a result of the accreditation the college will now benefit from the latest professional advice and products, and the credibility within the industry that such accreditation can provide for both staff and students.

This award follows two high profile events which were hosted at Edinburgh College this month – the Scottish World Skills hairdressing national finals and the Wella Xposure competition.

39-year-old Level 3 Hairdressing student Dianne Lally from Clermiston, said: “The Wella Xposure competition was just a brilliant day for all of us on the course. I got through to the semi-finals in the commercial cut and colour category and was really pleased to get this far in a Wella competition. I went for an androgynous look, with a shorter blunt underneath cut and a feminine feathered style on top – I think this quirky and unique style is what caught the judges’ attention.”

Dianne added: “It was great to get the experience to compete in a national competition like Wella Xposure on our course at College. It’s really well known and respected and I think it will open up a few doors for me when I leave College and start my own business.”

Carol Fyfe, Edinburgh College, was delighted that the College was chosen as the venue for these events. “Hosting and competing in these high profile events is fantastic experience for our students. We are now looking forward to hosting another high-profile event at Edinburgh College. The World Skills beauty event takes place this week and will see hundreds of students coming through our doors to compete in beauty competitions and use our state-of-the-art facilities.

“The World Skills competition is an amazing showcase of the vast variety of beauty skills we have at the College, from beauty therapy, aromatherapy, high fashion and photographic makeup to nail art. I’m sure the event will inspire our young people and will shine a spotlight on the most talented beauty students across the country.”

Picture: (L-R) Ashley Bennett, Wella, Carol Fyfe Head of Tourism & Hospitality at Edinburgh College and Wella’s Andrew Wilkie.

Pilrig Park pupils at the cutting edge!

Pilrig Park School has opened The Salon, a dedicated hairdressing training facility which will act as a base for pupils hoping to gain entry to college or an apprenticeship when they leave school.

Opening the new salon yesterday, top city hairdresser Charlie Miller said: “It gives me great pleasure to open Pilrig Park School’s hair salon. As educators it is important to give young talent recognition, encouragement and opportunity in the areas in which they shine. This salon will inspire some of the pupils to be hairdressers and, just as importantly, give them the tuition on how to look after their own hair and appearance which will be a vital part of them presenting themselves to the world when they leave school. I would like to wish the school and the pupils all the best with The Salon.”

The Salon is part of the development of Senior Phase in Curriculum for Excellence where choices are built around skills for life and skills for work. This new facility will be used to teach hairdressing skills, which is just one of many options open to the pupils including a variety of trades and, from next year, a working café teaching skills as part of a small business operation.

Ellen Muir, Head Teacher at Pilrig Park School, said: “There has to be relevance to what our pupils are doing. Courses must make an impact on them and how they take their place in society when they leave school. Salon skills are hugely popular and we have had interest in the course from learners at other city schools. We hope that in the future we may be in a position for other schools to access our Salon for training too. We are absolutely delighted that Charlie Miller was here to open our Salon and we are extremely proud of what has been achieved so far.”

Councillor David Key, Vice-Convener for Education, Children and Families Committee, said: “Opening this salon within Pilrig Park School will make a big difference to its pupils. Vocational training opportunities are an important element of our Curriculum and I would like to wish the school and the city’s future hairdressers the best of luck with this new endeavour.”

Kimberly Smith, an S4 pupil at Pilrig Park School, said: “I started the hairdressing course this year and I absolutely love it. I was always interested in hairdressing but didn’t really know how I could get into it as I don’t know any hairdressers and it’s really popular so it’s hard to get a trainee position. Now I am learning all about it and I hope to be able to do it full-time when I finish school.”

The school has worked with many partners and other schools on its hair and beauty training over the past four years, which has included pupils working on theatre productions at The Festival Theatre. Pupils will now get similar training in their own school environment. Younger learners will also use the salon as part of the Health and Wellbeing curriculum and certification is built around this.

Wella, wella – Amy aims for the hairdressing heights!

An Edinburgh College student has shown her skills to be razor sharp after making it to the final of an industry recognised award run by the Hairdressing Council. Amy Armstrong, 27, has been shortlisted for the Student of the Year 2012 competition after wowing the judges with her peacock-inspired hairstyle for the competition.

Jackie Steele, Hairdressing Lecturer at Edinburgh College, said: “Amy has done an amazing job in making it this far in a competition which sees hundreds of students competing. She’s a fantastic student-completely dedicated to the course with a real talent and creative eye which she proved with her colourful and original styling for the competition.

“This is the second year running that one of our students has been in the finals which is a real merit to the college and shows the level of talent we have here. It’s so rewarding seeing our students standing out, impressing the judges and being recognised at such a high level. We’re really proud of Amy and wish her the best of luck in the finals.”

Amy will now go head-to-head against seven other students across the UK on October 14 at the Goldwell studios in London, where she will be judged by industry icons Lisa Shepherd, Patrick Cameron and Andrew Barton. The two overall winners will have the opportunity to work with ‘stylist to the stars’ Andrew Barton for a day, and will receive vouchers for a course with L’Oréal and Wella. They will also get an iPad2, as well as be invited for tea at the House of Commons!

Amy said: “When I first found out my lecturers had nominated me for the award I was delighted but when I found out I’d actually been shortlisted, I was completely shocked but over the moon. It’s such a massive opportunity to have my work judged by top industry professionals and I’m really excited about the finals next month. To be in with a chance of winning a day with Andrew Barton, who is a hugely respected name in the industry, is something I didn’t think I’d be saying this year but aside from winning, the whole experience has reinforced why I love the industry so much. I can’t thank my lecturers and the college enough for the support they’ve given me and the opportunity to be part of such a highly respected competition.”

Highly regarded throughout the industry, the Hairdressing Council Student of the Year Award 2012 is supported by colleges and training centres nationwide and sees hundreds of students competing for the title of Student of the Year.

Edinburgh College was formed as a result of merger between Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College Edinburgh. It’s the biggest FE college in Scotland and accommodates more than 35,000 students – the biggest student body in Edinburgh.