22 models took to the runway in the Goldwell X Vada Fringe Dwellers show during the Industry 2015 Awards ceremony, a creative collaboration between two of the strongest editorial stylists in New Zealand and presented by event sponsor Goldwell.
Produced and executed by Auckland CBD salon Vada, the concept and artistic direction of the show was most definitely a collaborative affair. Vada Director Guy Roberts and Senior Stylist Lauren Gunn both steered the creative vehicle for the popular Auckland CBD salon through the lens of the international haircare brand, with Goldwell product and inspiration evident throughout.
“We were the primary creative force getting the whole thing together,” says Roberts, “but the whole of Vada salon was involved in bringing the concept to life.” Gunn adds that the original inspiration was “early metal, then we found our way forwards to nineties punk… everywhere I look I see a nineties influence and that slowly crept in. I love the way you embark on a project and watch it evolve and change, everything from the stylist to the model casting and the final working with the hair can shift the original idea so much. Everyone contributes, so the monster that you end up with in the end is completely different to what you started with.” She adds, “that is where the magic happens, that’s what makes it modern, makes it relevant.”
“We have always been driven to create something quite different to the usual hairdressing shows,” says Roberts, who also curated the soundtrack to the show, “and diving into the punk ethos was a great starting point. We even invited New Zealand band Die! Die! Die! on stage to get things away from the usual… and it worked.” The show also featured spray painted hair extensions in homage to Vada’s last outing at Industry, which featured aerosol artist Otis Frizzell working live onstage alongside the salon team.
“We used Goldwell for all of our colour work including the wigs,” says Roberts, “and the colour has been incredible. An artist can use any paint to get achieve an end result, but it will be that much more satisfying and the performance better when you use something really great. Goldwell is like that for us.” He admits that the looks created for the show are pushing the boat out when it comes to wearability at times, “but a lot of the key elements like the cute, bob shapes and the wigs – many of which are commercially viable without the psychedelic colour – I can see happening in salon” Having said that, he adds that “pink and lilac hair were seen as a bit wacky a few years ago but now everyone seems to have a little unexpected colour, and the Goldwell colour portfolio present every option”.
Roberts is originally from London, where he trained and worked in top London salons before travelling the world and moving to Auckland. His rise in the industry has gone from strength to strength, with he and his team heavily involved in industry training producing seminars and shows within the industry, as well as being called upon regularly for magazine session work, fashion shows and New Zealand Fashion Week.
Gunn is a more than worthy collaborator, having carved out a reputation over many years for producing beautiful editorial work both in the salon and amongst the creative industry’s finest.
Collaborating with designers, photographers, musicians and filmmakers, Lauren is in her element creating hair and makeup looks for fashion and advertising campaigns, runway, music clips and editorial.
Styling duo Sebastian Hunt and Dylan Richards curated a collection of looks to accompany the hair, whilst artist Danielle Xi from M.A.C keyed the makeup look, which was as beautifully unique as each of Vada’s Goldwell-inspired creations.
10th March 2015
By Helene Ravlich
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