Saco International Masterclass Salon International 2024

Drawing from the emotional power of Rothko's colour palette, the SACO team aimed to create a harmonious yet directional look. As Sophie MacQuorquodale explained, "We wanted to use colour in a way that feels strong and purposeful, but also cohesive. The muted tones and pops of brightness inspired by Rothko's work come together perfectly on our beautiful models."

Richard Ashforth set the stage by referencing the mid-70s art movements in London and New York, including the Punk explosion, which influenced the collection's strong, spiky textures and understated shapes. "We wanted to create flattering shapes for the individual without always feeling the need to make major statements," he emphasised.

Bringing together a talented team from the UK and Korea, the theme of boldness extended beyond colour into the cutting techniques. Luke Hawkins demonstrated a soft, natural-looking cut with subtle texture, while Charlie Kang from SACO Korea combined a strong structured base with disconnected length through the top, featuring a stunning black and blue Rothko-inspired hair colour. "This is a familiar colour combination for us at SACO, but one we haven't used in a while so it’s wonderful to see it make a welcome return," Richard noted.

Moving onto the next segment of the seminar, Richard added disconnection to his model's cut, ensuring he limited exposure of the model’s neck, infusing the look with 70s influences while avoiding it becoming too much like a mullet. The look had a modern feel while still being inspired by the past and allowing the model's natural texture to come through. “My golden rule is always to leave the second side longer, then work upwards to avoid going shorter than the first side,” explained Richard to an engaged audience. To give harmony with the layered side panels, Richard cut into the one-length fringe panel, using the brow bone as a guide for the fringe length.

For his second model, Richard deviated from the traditional square cut by extending the length towards the front and then curving the sides downward towards the back with a concave cut, creating bold and graphic shapes that complemented the colour work.

For the final cutting segment of the seminar, Richard invited Peter Gray, a friend and fellow artist fresh from the previous night's NOISE show, on stage for a captivating cutting segment featuring an exaggerated hairpiece pinned onto the model's hair. Together, Richard and Peter used clippers to cut a bold, blunt, and graphic shape into the hairpiece to rapturous applause.

The models returned to the stage for a stunning finale, and Sophie and Richard reaffirmed the collection's emphasis on boldness in colour, style, and cut. As Sophie explained, "The colours are bold, and there's a confidence to it without going overboard."

EXCELLERATE showcased SACO's commitment to pushing boundaries and delivering cutting-edge hairdressing. The collection's bold and beautiful aesthetic left a lasting impression on the audience and solidified SACO's position as a leading force in the industry.