Sasson Masterclass Salon International 2024

The show opened with models arriving on stage wearing Henry Holland-inspired t-shirts emblazoned with "Vidal says technique not gender." This marked the launch of the new ABC gender-neutral education courses, available to professionals both online and in-person, continuing the legacy Vidal Sassoon started 70 years ago.

International Creative Director Mark Hayes discussed the new ABC courses available at Sassoon, emphasising their gender-neutral approach and modern take on classic techniques. "It's a very proud moment for us at Sassoon. With everything we do, we try and think about how we can take those original concepts into the modern age," he explained.

Mark introduced Silvia Salerno, who discussed her model's pure and simple cut, featuring triangular shapes for added texture, shorter in the front and longer in the back. Lee Nunn deconstructed the internal core of his haircut, exposing some of the layers. "It will look quite soft, unrefined, and raw, but I have put a lot of conscious thought into the look," explained Lee.

Lina Ryan combined elements from two looks in the BLANC collection to open up her model's face using a reverse layering technique. Her model’s hair had been coloured to add a halo of lightness around her face, with short and long pieces cut in to maintain length while creating a cloud of curls.

Mark then introduced BLANC, the third in a trilogy of collections from Sassoon following ROUGE and NOIR.

The Sassoon team presented the BLANC collection, discussing the diagrams of all the cuts and colours with the audience to ensure a thorough understanding of the Sassoon methodology.

Mark Hayes, Danielle Harvey, and Daniel McCourt then took to the stage. Mark worked on his blonde model Abi, layering and overdirecting the hair around the face to create a soft, loose edge that frames the face. This was then overlaid with longer lengths of hair to allow the hair to move independently, with a layered feeling through the back.

Danielle was inspired by 70s Paris, with an overall feeling of modern minimalism. Daniel was inspired by Japanese youth culture in Tokyo for his cut, featuring a bold fringe and V-shaped graduated sections.

With classic silhouettes, techniques, and values expertly blended with a contemporary, hyper-individualised approach, this show exemplified what has made Sassoon truly special for 70 years.