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This author fell into a seriously debilitating funk about a month or two ago. I could not focus or complete the simplest tasks. The weather in Seattle was going ornery and I was flopping through the days with my mind set to simmer. The economy kept me awake at nights, working two jobs wore me down, seeing one sister battling cancer and another still recovering from injuries sustained in Hurricane Katrina sapped my emotions, and a general lack of spunk befell me. I needed to grease my gearbox and get back on my success path with pedal to the metal. Whenever negative stresses rise up like Hellboy foes- and they do so in all lives - I look to my mentors and heroes for inspiration. Who in our industry inspires me to clear all decks of drivel and debris, powder up the carronades and fire at will? Who gives me true grit and inspires me? You recently read about one such hero of mine, Oribe, who, through resolve and determination is - as we speak - rejuvenating his career with joyful vigor and enthusiasm. Another such hero of mine and many others is the topic of this missive.
I worked for Phillip when he - along with his friend and colleague John Bertorelli - created haircutting and styling techniques not seen since Vidal Sassoon, Alexander of Paris, Jay Sebring and Leo Passage. He was gutsy, coming up with No Tension Cutting, cutting with two combs and used only gravity to mold the shapes that sprang from his shears. He developed revolutionary applications of event styling used to this day for dressed hair that reached back to the Edwardian and Restoration eras. No ideas were off limits and surprising innovations we are still trying to employ in our work fell from his hands. He and John came up with ideas that still push us and are the inspirations for work that to this day makes us a force of innovation beyond mere innate talents.
With his talented wife Mary, he forged an education company designed to shorten the learning curve for new salons and mature salon chains wanting to re-forge. In October of 2008, he accepted appointment as the Creative Director of FHI Heat, a leading manufacturer of professional hair tools. FHI Heat seems pleased with their selection. Listen to David Kim, CEO of FHI Heat, evaluate Phillip in their press release: "We are so thrilled to have on board Phillip Wilson, who is world renowned for his alternative cutting technique and brings so much talent, depth of experience and passion to our company. I am certain that, with his contribution, FHI Heat will become the premiere global brand of professional hair tools equally known for its superb quality and strong commitment to education." He forgot to say "Hot dang!" - which would be a very appropriate expression. Voted one of the most influential hairdressers of the past 100 years by Modern Salon magazine, Phillip Wilson is one of the most published editorial hairstylists in the world, featured in numerous beauty and fashion publications. Wilson has developed educational programs with the Redken Exchange, directed national and international shows, participated at New York Fashion Week and various international film festivals.
If you wish to know Phillip better, contact FHI Heat via toll-free number at 877.FHI.HEAT (877.344.4328) and online at http://www.fhiheat.com. FHI Heat is carried by Cosmoprof in the Northwest. Tyson of Shear Genius fame calls Phillip a mentor and his inspiration. http://www.bravotv.com/Shear_Genius/season/1/bio/Tyson/index.php Edward Paul - Capelli d-OroŠ2009 Would you like your article or event to be featured on this site? Then contact Capelli d'Oro today. |
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Phillip Wilson has touched many hairstylists' careers with his encouragements, dog-headedness and immense talents. He is a man who inspires creativity in others through his own awesome ability to take risks (sometimes on platform in front of sold-out venues); with innovative and dramatic cutting and styling techniques, and through his expressions of delight from realizing - after many years at his craft - that the best is yet to come. When I watch him work, I feel like the young apprentice I was many years ago watching Vidal, Jerry Redding and Paul Mitchell storm the industry.
He began his career as a hairstylist in the West End of London (where all the celebrities played and all the talents resided) before moving to Vancouver BC to start his own salon business. Phillip came up through the artistic ranks with Redken and L'Oreal and was the past Artistic/Creative Director of L'anza, Hai Elite, and Pureology.
Everyone from the great Sassoon to Vivian MacKinder knows him and respects his contributions to our most beautiful business. He is recognized for his masterful eye, ingenuity and limitless energy, and enjoys sharing his knowledge with young talent, mentoring them as resourceful stylists and artists. He discovered this writer when this writer was full of himself and beat him into the humble but awesome stylist he is today. He did that for so many of us from the 1960s to today that he is hardly expected to remember us all, but we will never forget him.