John Olivers' Stylist Shortlisted At The L'Oreal ID Artist Auditions

Ivy, a stylist at John Olivers Elm Hill, has been shortlisted at the L'Oreal ID Artist auditions - creating a beautiful selection of images that were inspired by fashion and design.

The L'Oreal ID Artist programme is one of the most sought after development and educational opportunities for passionate, inspired hairdressers with an eye for fashion and unique creative expression. ID Artists are coached by some of the industry’s biggest names on how to create the latest catwalk looks, cut and colour techniques, product innovation and the latest L’Oréal Professionnel seasonal trends.

Ivy's inspiration for her look came from three areas of fashion. The first, David Koma - a young clothes designer from London who describes himself as ‘being fascinated by the female form.’ Secondly, Keely Hunter, a milliner whose designs are structural and modern, and finally Vidal Sassoon, the new Bi-Couture collection is centred on geometrically precise cutting, classic cuts and versatility.

The idea for Ivy’s haircut came from one of Hunter's designs; ‘The Double Triangle Headpiece.’ It was the use of contrasting lines and shapes that appealed to Ivy. The triangles themselves are strong bold shapes but by adding the curved edges and offset angles it makes the overall look seem soft and elegant. The geometrics of Hunter's hat are reflected in model Eva’s haircut. Ivy said,

I love this haircut for a few reasons. As a stylist I am often drawn to the bold lines of a classic bob yet I have a real love of cutting short textured styles. This cut has combined both of these together. The undercut and framed hairline give the style another dimension, an edge that the bob alone might not have had, however this can easily be hidden.

For those occasions where a more sophisticated look would be suitable, by switching the parting – it can disappear. Like those new Sassoon styles, this one has versatility. I also tried to remember that like Koma’s dresses this look had to be feminine and elegant and perfect for Eva. Exposing more of her neck immediately heightens her and the undercut follows the cheekbones giving a balanced finish and draws attention to the eyes.

Both Hunter and Koma use very simple colour choices in their work. The hats have a clean and industrial finish, usually in white, black or silver. In the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection by Koma he focuses on black, white, cobalt blue and purple. Eva is wearing a replica of one of his designs and as you can see, the colours remain simple, yet it is the placement of colour that finishes the design. The panel gives the illusion of a smaller waist and brings your attention to her legs.

The design Ivy chose is about confidence and wearing what makes you look your best. She said,

We think that these structural designs and bold confident colours are going to be very apparent in up and coming trends and it gives us hairstylists an invitation to return to our roots. Basic geometry plays a vital role in haircutting, understanding angles and lines. So now it is our time to be creative with shape and give our clients something classic with a modern twist to make them feel incredible.