084 The journey to becoming one of the worlds most in-demand session stylists

It’s always interesting how people find their way into this industry and for some of them, it’s not a case of they found hairdressing as much as hairdressing found them…  Before I push the record button, I often prep my podcast guest by telling them that most of the times the listener is not that interested in their life story, but that what you want to know as a listener is “what can I learn from this that will help me in business” and I believe that to be true.  But sometimes their life story is compelling and how they think and the decisions they have made as they have navigated their career is really interesting and full of life lessons, especially for young hairdressers.  It’s like, there was a moment in their life, where they were at a crossroads… and they could have turned right but they turned left instead… and that puts them on a path that is perfect for them, but perhaps it's a path that they had probably never imagined… And then the rest is history.  Anyway, I think that today's guest is a bit like that. He had to leave home at 17 and to support himself he did numerous jobs from bartending and stacking shelves in a supermarket …  Then, one day, he spotted an advertisement in a local Toni & Guy salon for a hair assistant; he applied, and that was the beginning of an amazing career that has taken him to the top of the pile when it comes to being an editorial session stylist. His name is Anthony Turner, and he has gone on to build a reputation as one of the very best in the business working on the biggest fashion week shows, with the biggest magazines, models and designers… In today’s podcast we will discuss: Anthony's journey and the decisions he made along the way The need to have courage and take risks Where his creativity comes from And the lessons he’s learnt along the way And lots more! I hope you enjoy listening to Anthony as much as I do…   In This Episode: [02:50] Welcome to the show, Anthony! [03:30] Anthony shares a time when he had to make a decision and what happened once he made that decision. [06:12] Anthony says the decision he made changed his life. [07:53] Anthony speaks about his background. [09:57] Anthony talks about how tough the area he grew up in was and how poor they were. [13:10] He says that it only got tougher as he got older. [13:43] Listen as Anthony shares how he got into the beauty industry. [15:24] He was seventeen when he got kicked out of his home for being gay. [18:30] Anthony talks about what sparked his interest in fashion. [20:17] Anthony felt like he was the problem child of the salon he worked at, but the owner pointed him in the direction he needed to go. [21:57] What was the most important thing you learned about being a salon stylist? [24:29] Anthony says the most important thing was to know the rules so he could break the rules. [25:16] Anthony shares how he met Guido and went to work for him. [28:36] Anthony discusses moving to New York to work with Guido and how afraid he was to leap. [31:29] Anthony doesn’t believe that he actually started working in hairdressing until he went to work for Guido. [35:29] At what point did you decide to go out on your own and leave Guido’s employ? [38:46] Anthony speaks about staying in New York and how beneficial that was for him because he got into E-Commerce. [41:43] His grandfather got sick with cancer, so he moved back to England to be close to his family. [43:13] Anthony shares the differences between doing hair in New York and doing hair in London. [45:40] Anthony discusses what element is always in his work. [50:52] Anthony talks about his process and how he creates the look for the shows he does. [53:07] Anthony says you need to learn about everything to be an editorial hairdresser. [55:25] What part of being an editorial hairdresser do you love? [57:21] Anthony discusses his career highlight so far. [58:52] Anthony says that working with Raf Simons has changed how he works and the way he thinks. [1:00:10] Whose shows have you done? [1:01:34] Anthony speaks about doing a digital crop of Giselle’s hair and how he did it. [1:04:18] Anthony shares working as an illustrator and how much he loves art. [1:07:10] Does hair influence the illustrations, or do the illustrations influence how you do hair? [1:09:18] What makes a good editorial hairstylist? [1:10:48] What do young hairdressers do wrong that keeps them from being editorial hairstylists? [1:13:35] Anthony believes it takes courage because, in a shoot, you are creating a character. [1:15:30] Anthony shares some final words with the listeners. [1:17:23] Thank you for being on the show! Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business    Episode 40 Part 1 with Guido Episode 41 Part 2 with Guido   Anthony Turner: @anthonyturnerhair Instagram @anthonyturner_illustration Instagram