What inspired you to create these looks?
I think first of all, this being the first collection for REF Stockholm I wanted the looks first and foremost to capture the essence of the brand here and now, in how they present themselves and its products but also its rich story which goes back almost 20 years. At the same time we all loved the idea of capturing looks that had the feel and mood of the 90s with the puffy blowdries, lowkey appearance inspired by the grunge era, and going back to basic with our shapes, back to the idea of ‘less is more with a high emphasis on sophistication, placement and as always, suitability.
The second reason had a lot to do with the 90s but also how that era weaved in nicely with the concept of ‘hair design’, ‘form follows function, ‘suitability’, ‘colour placement’, and ‘weight distribution’ in a very contemporary sense. Going back to revisit some iconic looks and reinventing them for tomorrow’s crowd, where each look is approached somewhat contemporary to push hairdressers out of their comfort zone and make their life a bit easier in the process.
For reference, the work of Peter Lindbergh the fashion photographer of the 90s is always very inspiring to look at, very honest pictures, moving, capturing people in a very real sense. I think that was something that helped inspire the ‘Lifestyle’ shoot. Being outdoors, celebrating the city of Stockholm and its people just as they are.
Of course, Grunge felt very interesting with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and how those simplistic looks could be modernised through technique and colour to represent our present time and the coming year in hairfashion – literally- ‘Come as you are’ gone elegant.
John Gallianos epic fashion shows of the 90s I always found to be very inspiring, so I think overall the 90s was a very cool time, diverse, and filled with inspirational nuggets, in terms of hair things were more
simple, clean, yet super cool!
What do you hope to achieve with this collection?
My goal was always to together create with Jesse and Demet a collection that captured the essence of REFStockholm, to try and do the brand justice and take it forward into the future. And I think we did it. But from one hairdresser to another if anyone can look at these pictures and be inspired, inspired to take a closer look at the company or its education in wanting to learn more about the craft or anything really then that’s great. We’re all here in ‘Service-to-others’ so if any of these looks will help someone in any way then that would make me happy.
What REF product are you extra thankful for when creating this collection?
In my experience most product companies have a few selected hero products that they do really well, its rare to meet a brand that has all the products that I need under one umbrella. I have five daily drivers that me and the clients adore, Ocean Mist, Heat Protection, Shine Spray, Thickening Spray, and the new Dry Shampoo Weightless Volume Mousse.
As a hairdesigner, I appreciate having those 5 products for my haircuts in the salon. The performance, the fragrance is sublime, my ladies wont leave the shop until they are drenched in the fragrance of ‘Shine Spray’.
Thank you for creating it REF! Mind sharing the recipe?
Who do you hope to see wearing the looks from the collection?
These looks are for anyone that appreciates them and wants to have a very pure yet versatile cut tailored to their features while sporting a rich colour that balances the cut and completes the look – Shape and Balance.
The looks themselves are standing on the edge between classic and contemporary, hitting that middle ground of sophistication yet keeping things visually interesting was something deliberately made to ensure that this collection is not for the few but something that would have a wider appeal. Something that hairdressers in the salon would use on their everyday clients. It’s a very Salon Friendly collection.
Everyone’s invited – Express yourself and have fun with it, it’s only hair….right? Go for it!
Which look is your favorite and why?
It’s like asking who’s your favourite child, isn’t it…… I love them all, they are unique to each of our models but there is one look that stood out a bit for me, and that’s Malin. Now Malin is not a professional model but something happened to her after her transformation where she got the ‘bob’ look, and the way she interacted with the camera with confidence and strength created some very strong images, very grungy, very real. I think moments like that when you realize how profound impact a cut and color can have on a person’s confidence and seeing them open up and shine, owning the look, is always a great joy. It reminds me why I love this industry and the important role we Hairdressers play.