Introducing the team of experts who make up the artistic arm of SEE 2021 – the Sabre Education Experience. These talented individuals are combining their fierce experience and fresh insights to bring hair education to the people via the new digital Sabre Education Experience Forum. Meet Carolyn Gahan, Craig Argent, Felicity Bruce, Isabelle Ebert, Mikelah-Jayde Mifsud, Luke Dyer and Emma Cocker. This powerhouse team of colour connoisseurs, scissor specialists and stellar stylists are bringing their knowledge of everything from commercial techniques to red carpet glamour and making it available to all in a fun and collaborative environment. Here, you can discover a little more about these industry leaders.
Colour guru and all round hairdressing badass Carolyn Gahan boasts more than twenty years of industry experience, refining a vision and direction that bursts with creative energy and tends to looks like dreamy pastels and A-list level blondes. Originally from Canada, Carolyn has presented her editorial talents around the world, won the Australian Hair Fashion Awards 2020 Hair Shot of the Year Award and has been a finalist in multiple categories over five years. She prizes consistent education both as a teacher and a student, as well as competition work, traditional cutting and every aspect of the editorial process – extending from hair direction to fashion styling. Carolyn is based in Sydney where she works her magic from her private salon suite in the CBD.
Craig Argent is the owner and Artistic Director of PONY Beauty Bar in Noosa and a longstanding Sabre Guest Artist. He brings thirty years of experience and enormous knowledge to the team, with credits as an LA and Hollywood stylist – Kylie Minogue, Lara Flynn Boyle and Orlando Bloom are past clients, and Lord of the Rings, The Last Samurai and The Matrix are highlights of his resume. A down-to-earth larrikin, Craig’s roles with Sabre over the years have included Colour Technician, Guest Artist and assisting in Product Development for Sabre Brands, but he is truly in his element as an educator, simplifying cut and colour techniques into commercially relevant lessons for true hairdressing elevation.
Felicity Bruce pioneers boutique hair salon Cocoon Hair Design in the South Island town of Timaru in New Zealand, where she fuses together her dual passions for hairdressing and sustainability. As a hairdresser, Felicity particularly loves hair setting and up-styling – what else could you expect from a classically trained stylist whose apprenticeship came on the tail end of the 90s perming trend! She is also an award-winning Avant Garde hairdresser, and has worked in salon, editorial, film and runway work from Sydney to London and Dublin. Her ‘My Salon Footprint’ platform works to improve environmental awareness within the hairdressing industry, which Cocoon Hair Design leads by example, winning the Environmental & Sustainable title at the 2018 Business Excellence Awards for their efforts. Felicity is also Hair Director of the Joico NZ Style Squad and her current work spans from New Zealand Fashion Week to the Breast Cancer Fashion For a Cure year-long program, with NZ editorial credits in Mindfood, Fashion Quarterly, Next, Headway and Images.
Isabelle Ebert has a 13 year, award-winning career in the beauty industry from her beginnings in Germany, working backstage in fashion week and pageantry. Isabelle has also worked as a makeup artist and wig technician, particularly in theatre, and has been a Master Stylist at Franck Provost, winning the Frank Provost Artistic Award in 2015. Isabelle currently works as a session stylist across fashion, editorial, bridal and event styling, as well as behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House. Her particular passion is up-styling, and this is where she directs her educational focus.
A little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll, and a whole lotta talent, Mikelah-Jayde Mifsud operates Mikelah Jade Studio in Waikiki, Western Australia where she is described by her team and clients alike as a “natural born hairdresser”. She’s worked in the industry for thirteen years, excels in diverse colour looks and is passionate about making great hair available to all. A quick scroll of her Instagram shows this girl really gets social media, and she is excited to share not only her take on fabulous colour and styling, but also what she has learned about creating her brand image and online presence. Fun fact – she is also the Sabre team’s resident left-hander, so for all you lefties out there, she’s got your back!
Luke Dyer’s career is 26 years strong, and has culminated in the creation of Orwell & Watts, a salon and creative co-op which he co-owns in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Here, Luke has the opportunity to embrace all aspects of his creativity, pushing the boundaries of imagination and challenging form, function and style in a way that is distinctly his own. As a Sabre Guest Artist, Luke teaches strong fundamental cutting foundations built around the growth patterns and hair types of each individual head. His next-level scissor skills and in-depth analysis on hair movement and the geometry of head shape bring balance and proportion to the forefront. He has a collaborative nature and values knowledge-sharing with his peers, talking with every hairdresser he can, regardless of geography, pedigree or salon profile, to help elevate the industry.
Last but most definitely not least we have Emma Cocker. Wellington based Emma is the owner and artistic director of Dye Pretty, an uber cool, vintage style, feels like a warm hug salon in Silverstream Upper Hutt. Here, she can pursue her love for vivid hair colour, often drawing inspiration from the spectacular New Zealand landscape, which she is fortunate enough to be surrounded by! Her deep knowledge of colour theory allows her to play with vibrant, high impact colours, but the strength that really sets her apart is her ability to incorporate colour into everyday wearability. From her background as an industry educator, Emma is deeply passionate about growing the next generation of hair creatives, focusing on imparting wisdom and encouraging creativity to push boundaries to train the stylists of tomorrow.
Want to see these guys in action? Join the Sabre Education Experience Forum on Facebook by following this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sabreeducation
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