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KELLY WOODS: Hair OTT Salon, North End Branch, Portsmouth
“ I’ ve worked at Hair OTT since starting my apprenticeship at 16. When I began working with Racoon extensions, I was taken aback at how easy they were to apply, cut and style, the way they fall and look so natural. An established stylist, I do ladies and men’ s styling and all my own technical work. I have a big clientele and about 15 percent of my clients have extensions. I do lots of fashion effects and use them loads to boost fine, wispy hair which doesn’ t want to grow.
“ That’ s what’ s great about extensions – they release a client from the restriction of hair needing to grow before they can have the look of their dreams. I also use them to enhance a colour correction, to blend the tones, and I have two fashion-conscious guys whose receding hairlines and recession areas are made less noticeable, thanks to sensitive extension placement. RAT Pack members learn so much from each other, discover new ways of working. We meet four or so times a year and phone each other a lot in between to bounce off ideas and discuss day-to-day challenges.”
DAWNE LOUISE COOPER: G Cutz Salon, Scarborough
“ I trained in York and worked in London for Toni & Guy for five years before opening my own salon called Scene in Scarborough – an incredibly busy business and my column had a nine week waiting list! Eight years on and feeling restricted by the responsibility of the salon, I sold up in favour of working self-employed at G Cutz where I’ m the only extensionist; about 40 percent of my work is extensions.
“ I was so proud to be chosen for The RAT Pack, me, a girl from a small town in the north, not a big city – I was over the moon! I was told I had great talent and that my work shone through. I felt fantastic. As a RAT Pack member I’ ve worked in Las Vegas, Paris, Barcelona and Paris doing Racoon extension work for TIGI show models. Anthony Mascolo singled me out after he did a collection as a Racoon icon. When I worked for Toni & Guy, I probably only met him for 10 minutes, yet as a RAT Pack member I was travelling the world at his side to do show work!”
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