Philip Bell, Artistic Director, Ishoka Hair and Beauty, spins magic on hair. Named the Scottish Hairdresser of the Year twice at the British Hairdressing Awards, Bell has etched his name in gold
What inspired you to enter the hair styling and beauty industry?
From a very young age, I realised my passion for hair. I was always browsing through magazines and recreating styles on my friends and family. When I opened Ishoka with my partners Malcolm MacNeil and Kathryn Longmuir, it was like a dream come true. Our aim was to bring London hairdressing to the north of Scotland; and to achieve that is something we are all immensely proud of.
What kind of professional training or mentorship do you provide?
Not only am I responsible for our in-house internal training and development programme, but I am also regularly travelling with Wella teaching and conducting seminars at their academies in both London and Manchester as well as globally with the international creative team. I am also a mentor of the Wella-Unicef Making Waves programme, where I share my knowledge and passion with children across the world, most recently in Brazil.
How has the journey been so far?
Throughout my career, and like anyone else, I’ve encountered many obstacles along the way but I always pick myself up and aim higher. I strongly believe that is the best thing to do. One should never dwell on what has happened or what could have been – just make it happen!
What were the challenges that you had to meet? How did you overcome them?
I feel the biggest challenge of my career is being based outside of London. The hairdressing industry in Britain, as you know, is phenomenal and with most journalists based in London, it can be hard to create firm relationships. I’ve overcome this by regularly travelling to London and meeting with members of the press and by doing press days. I think regular contact and sending them all information is crucial.
Who, according to you, is the guru of the industry?
Trevor Sorbie. I admire everything about Sorbie from both the business and creative angles. He is a fantastic hairdresser and his creativity is second to none, which is reflected through his photographic work. He is renowned not only within the British hairdressing industry but also across the world.
Favourite tools and products you like to work with?
My Wella Sahira Colour Dryer – I cannot live without it. It has a four-gauge temperature feature and two different airflow filters, so there is something for every client. I also couldn’t live without my Wella Pro-Straight Color Straightener. Not only does it create a fantastic smooth finish, it also allows me to create volume when styling and give large curls – a great multitasking styling tool!
Few names of celebrity clients.
All my celebrity clients have signed confidentiality agreements, so I will not be able to name them here!
Awards won?
I have won the Scottish Hairdresser of the Year twice at the British Hairdressing Awards.
What’s your advice for aspirants?
Believe in yourself. Without self-belief, you will not be able to follow your dream. I also believe one should take on board all constructive criticism. Your peers and fellow team members want the best for you and by taking on board their comments and advice you can really push the boundaries with your work.
What’s your take on the emerging beauty and hair market of India?
India has a fantastic hairdressing industry. The creativity and passion is something I have never witnessed before. Whenever I receive a copy of the Salon International magazine, I’m excited to see the current trends and photographic collections from India – they are truly beautiful and unique.
Do you plan to launch your own academy? If not, are there plans for opening one?
ithin Ishoka, we have our own internal training and development programme, which I am responsible for. I ensure all our stylists are trained in the Ishoka way and that everyone is on the same page when it comes to new techniques and, of course, customer service. As hairdressing is constantly evolving, we hold regular training days to ensure we are providing our clients with the most up to date service around.
What are your future plans?
I would love to win the Scottish Hairdresser of the Year for the third time and enter the British Hairdressing Awards Hall of Fame; it would be such an honour and my greatest achievement.
