Galaxy Star Pierre Alexandre
SalonGalaxy.com is overflowing with talented artistic beauty professionals. To help you connect with the Galaxy Stars each month we will spotlight a member so you can get to know them better. This month’s Galaxy Star is the Dean of British Hairdressing and an Icon in the World of Hairstyling; Pierre Alexandre.
Always a step ahead of the trends and making waves in the world of hairdressing for over 50 years, Pierre Alexandre is a world renowned hairdresser and educator for good reason. He is credited with inventing the soft face framing “Halo” style cut in the 60s, a forerunner of his ‘Intercut’ made famous in the 80s. With his love of hair colour Pierre introduced what was to become known as the Foil Highlighting technique and coined the words “hair colourist and unisex salon”.
Ever the entrepreneur Pierre also operated London’s renowned Studio 17 film and photography studio where dozens of pop stars shot their music videos in the 1980s. As a result Pierre became known as the world’s first “Rock Star Hairstylist” having designed Rod Stewart’s spiky haircut, David Bowie's look and trimmed the Beatles hair before their first big media interview.
Over the course of his globetrotting career Pierre has appeared in over 1800 beauty shows demonstrating his unique cutting, styling and colouring techniques to hairdressers throughout Japan, Europe, Asia and North and South America. As a Beauty Ambassador Pierre has made numerous television and radio programme appearances around the globe and was the first hairdresser to host his own television lifestyle show. As you might imagine Pierre’s work over the years has appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines including GQ, Tattler, Hairdressers Journal, Hair Flair, Swiss Hair, Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire.
In 2000 Pierre took a back seat due to ill health but now he’s back doing what he does best – translating his passion for style into his newest collection inspired by the eagerly anticipated remake of the classic movie ‘The Great Gatsby’.
With a touch of old-Hollywood glamour Pierre’s Gatsby collection features highly feminine and romantic waves for the women, whilst for men the waves and casual love locks are held in place with Pomade for a retro look.
Pierre predicts that finger waved hairstyles, both full and closed, will make a splash this 2013 season and become popular once again. Finger waves are easily adaptable to current styling as reflected in his Gatsby Collection - if Pierre is right we may all have to brush up on our finger waving techniques.
Recently at his luxurious salon and academy in Manchester it was Pierre’s turn to step into the limelight at a lavish party to celebrate half a century of success. His artistic techniques, business and management philosophies continue to influence salons today.
We all stand on one another’s shoulders that’s how our nobel profession has evolved over time, and Pierre Alexandre has broad shoulders. There has only been a handful of hairdressers in the 20th century that have truly advanced the art and science of hairdressing and Pierre is among those that have moved the profession forward!
In the course of his amazing creative career Pierre has inspired and encouraged both young and seasoned hairdressers more than even he can imagine. And in doing so has made a difference for the better in all our professional lives. As an Ambassador of Beauty and through the mass media he continues to encourage the general public to visit a hairdressing salon, and in doing so has helped fill the chairs of the stylists he has touched and inspired. For that we all say Bravo!
Presently Pierre resides in Spain where he is writing his biography and reinventing his career as a motivational speaker and hair trend historian.