Hair Icons Collection

Focus on Hair recently caught up with industry icon Alan Benfield Bush to chat candidly about the Hair Icons Trend Collection featuring “The Method” Haircut & Cutoloring Design.

Q: Can you describe the inspiration behind this Hair Icon Trend Collection?

ABB: The inspiration for this new Method Alliance Hair Icons Collection was to show off how all salon clients can wear a variety of versatile new hair designs. This collection was created to help all salon clients become more fashion forward thinking. I personally selected all of the models for the Hair Icons to show off the diversity of short to long hairstyles with a variety of textures and haircolor concepts. We want all hairdressers to be inspired from our work, so they will create their own series of fresh fashion forward looks. I shared that they could create any haircut and haircolor they desired for this collection, while keeping it both fashion forward and fashion commercial.

Q: Who is a new Hair Icon, to you?

ABB: We have assembled this new Method Alliance Hair Icons Team who actively use The Method techniques. Other notable salon industry Hair Icons that use The Method are Teri Donnelly, Michael O’Rourke, Sam Villa, and Rafe Hardy.

Q: Who do you see having hair like this?

ABB: Every salon client! The inspiration for this new Method Alliance Hair Icons Trend Collection was also developed by a need created from the lack of variety shared by hair designers, who are capable of creating wearable new looks as fashion commercial for their salon clientele.

The Hair Icons Trend Collection

Alan Benfield Bush and the newly established Hair Icons has recently released a series of creative new designs. The Hair Icons Team of hair design engineers is dedicated to empower the hairdresser while featuring education with The Method using a universal approach to length, width and depth. With this Hair Icons Trend Collection, the Method Alliance Team continues to gain respectability from top salon owners and artistic hair design engineers.

Bush notes, “The beauty of this new haircut and haircolor design collection is the versatile architectural hairstyle design options created for trendsetting fashion forward salon clients by our Hair Icons Team. I am extremely proud to be working with Chad Clark, Allan Ngo, Hector Rodriguez, Angel Del Solar, J. Christian Gallagher and Alexander Baron. This team is dedicated to empower the hairdresser with The Method. These Hair Icon designers were selected to create this new trendsetting hair fashion collection by their recognized expertise, experience and accomplishments as well as the use of their words and hands to create this world-class presentation. Each Hair Icon used The Method with their own slightly different and creative interpretations.”

The Kelsey: By Chad Clark – Fuchsia Pink Hair

“Kelsey’s haircut was already short, shaggy and loose. I really wanted to enhance her natural head shape and her beautiful neck line! She had very angular facial features, so I also wanted to use very strong asymmetric lines in my hair design. I created a lean geometric look with a scissor-over-comb technique that would professionally barber and tailor her new haircut shape and style underneath for the short portions. On the top of this haircut, I used more of a classic Sassoon bias approach to move the weight of the haircut with multiple partings into the center while removing the weight from the rounds of her head, while giving a very versatile mobile shape. Once the shape was blown dry, I went into a dry finishing technique using point cuttings to further soften the shape and to enhance the texture. I carved in some very strong lines to create some beautiful new points of interest. She was a natural brunette with no highlights, lowlights or haircolor. For the new haircolor, we used a very rich red red violet overlay on the very top portion only. We left the underneath portion natural to help enhance the dimension and depth of the two complementary shapes. I used a very light hairstyling serum prior to the blow dry before adding a texture powder afterwards. The final result was a stunning versatile haircut and haircolor design with beautiful new shine, dimension and glow!”

The Julianna: By Chad Clark – Stacked & Textured Asymmetrical Bob

“I created this new haircut and style for Julianna by first taking her hair to our desired length in the back, taking off more than 6” of hair. She had long, thick and full hair. We used the elevation to create a gradation in the shape that would give us the expanded form. I also used over-direction to achieve a triangular shape that was longer in the back and shorter in the front. When I cut the new hair shape from wet to dry, I discovered her natural texture. So, I decided to take advantage of this. The haircut shape was very classic and pure in its approach. The texture helped us create an avant fashion finish. The fringe area was rolled and set to create a rounded bun at the front to offset the strength of the shape underneath. She has naturally curly wavy hair. We used a simple brown violet haircolor to enhance the shine and to even out her tone. She was a dark brunette with some natural light areas on the ends created from shampooing, sun exposure and the environment. To focus primarily on the haircut shape and design, we did not add any highlights or lowlights. The Julianna is a very classic, yet contemporary look with the beautiful undertones we chose to show off. There were no professional hairstyling products used to create this hair design, except for a soft finishing spray to give it a light hold.”

My Inspirations: “While working with the other Method Alliance Hair Icons on this new Trend Collection, I determined to use suitability for my models instead of forming any kind of cohesiveness for our models’ looks with the other Hair Icons.”

New Hair Icon: “I admire Jean-Baptiste Mazella, and Dove Palmer of Mazella Palmer. They have really broken free from their previous roles for Sassoon UK. They are creating a strong following internationally, taking the precision haircut to an entirely new level and audience. I also love Mario Mesaric of ZGAT Academy from Croatia. He has taken the artistic conceptualism of our craft to a whole different dimension. It's the hybrid formula of precision work with a strong disregard for the rules that draws my attention and Mazella & Palmer and Mario have it down to a science.”

Who Can Wear Hair Like This: “Any salon client with the right hair and desire!”

The Skin Fade Pomp: By Hector Rodriguez

“As a Method Alliance Hair Icon, my men’s Skin Fade Pomp Haircut on Cielo was created with all scissor on the skin technique; to go down to naked fade on the bottom 2 to 3 inches on the nape and sides with my BMSC USA GeneX Scissors. Then, with the same scissor tilting out to start gradation, I started blending out to my desired length. With a super thin YS Park comb, I again then used a scissor-over-comb cutting technique to create the gradation. Once gradation was established, I kept round-layering in the back and nape. It was designed to be more square on the left and right sides. The top was cut short to long. It was short from the back to long in front by then using my BMAC ratio 3:1 Fine Texturizing Scissor to soften and blend the entire haircut and throughout the top middle length on a 45% angle to the ends. This helps keep hair up in the style. I then blow-dried with a Denman Hairbrush, lifting at the root, while smoothing the sides and back. Once the height and shape was established, I finished his hair with Paste and Pomade with a little hairspray.”

My Inspiration: “Men’s barbering has become extremely popular now. Many hair designers want to become barbers. Many barbers want to become hair designers. I am inspired by the classics which never go out of style. I created a hard line with scissors, while not using clippers for my men’s Skin Fade Pomp Haircut on Cielo.”

Who Can Wear Hair Like This: “Take a look at GQ Magazine! Many male models and men can wear this look. It can be created to be a bit more loose and longer while keeping the same general shape and haircut as it is styled to be classic. The same haircut could be blown dry and styled forward for a more contemporary loo. This haircut will easily translate into 3 to 4 finished hairstyle designs, by using various haircare styling products. Cielo had a beard and mustache. I softened the hard lines with a texturizing shears, while keeping and trimming his handle bar mustache.”

New Hair Icon: I truly admireStephanie Von Meijer; the Founder & Creator of No Rest To Success, from Las Vegas. She has only been a salon professional for the past 5 years, yet last year alone she invested about $20,000 in self-improvement to enhance her career with endless new advanced haircut, hair design and salon business building workshops. She truly inspires me! She goes to every workshop and class she can from trade shows, manufacturers and distributors – with no specific product preference or bias. No Rest To Success is her education platform.”

Pastel Pixie: By Hector Rodriguez

“I lightened my Pastel Pixie model hair thinking of the shape. I used two contrasting pastels to go with the haircut including a pink fringe to break up the haircut. I applied silver grey over the rest of the head. Her haircut was created using a scissor-over-comb technique with my BMAC USA Leggera dry scissors on wet hair, keeping in mind to maintain the soft nape and hairline for more enhanced femininity."

"Staying from 1.1/2 to 2.0 inches off the head also created more of a round shape, opposed to a square shape like you would use on a male. For the top, I cut in a pyramid shape longer on the center top of her head with a slicing technique to create texture and movement. Then, I used my BMAC USA Texture Scissor ratio 47's also with my BMAC ratio 31 for a softer blend in back and sides with scissor-over-comb and down slicing action for softness and weight removal."

"I blow-dried her hair to add extra height to the center top of her head. I finished with Paste and Clay for that great additional texture you see here.”

Soft Bob Cutoloring: By Alan Benfield Bush

“I created this trendy new haircut and style for Annacamielle involving a very soft layering technique by using geometrics and volumetrics to expand and show off her natural curls. The hair was cut knowing that we wanted to leave her with maximized manageability and versatility from this hair design."

"To enhance the texture and curls, I used three foils to add eye-catching red haircolor accents with our Cutoloring Technique to enhance her entire hair design. I again invite you to come attend one of our upcoming Method Alliance Cutoloring Workshops to learn how to do this extraordinary haircut with versatility of styles.”

Short Hair Flat Top AKA Warrior Rebel: By Allan Ngo

“I wanted to create a strong and masculine haircut on a woman. Because the name of this haircut – The Warrior Rebel, I wanted to represent a very strong look. I used a diagonal clipper fade technique fade with a clipper, because it creates a perfect vertical straight up fade. I used the clipper on the side and the top was created with square layers."

"For the creative haircolor, I used a natural level 2. I lifted her hair with 20-volume to a level 9, using back-to-back foils with a slicing technique. I then toned the hair with a vivid purple at the root and yellow pastel at the ends. I mixed two parts of clear and one part of violet at the root with a 3/4 part clear and 1/4 yellow at the ends. She was one of the best models I ever worked with, because she was so willing to do whatever I wanted to create for her hair.”

Shatter Splash / Mohawk Haircut #1: By Alexander Baron

“Chealy was the first model I cut on stage for the Hair Icon Trend Collection. She had natural warm brown haircolor. I was on a quest to create something amazing for her. I first pre-bleached 25% of the left side of the fringe for this Mohawk Channel to a yellow blonde going back to the nape of the neck. The sides and 75% of the right-side of the fringe was colored black to be the same as the sides and the outer back sides. This became like an ‘S’ shaped Mohawk Channel. I pre-bleached and colored the S shaped Mohawk hair blue."

"Thus, I created a Channel cut from the front of the hairline to the top of her head. I did color her fringe on the left side of her head. It was 1.5 inches thick, so I continued working back into a Mohawk Haircut to the back of the neckline about 3 inches wide. I pre-bleached her Mohawk Channel hair to a yellow blonde, before coloring it blue. I shampooed and then dried her hair before applying a midnight blue haircolor formula. Her Shatter Splash Haircut fringe was all one length. By creating ‘The Convertible’ effect with midnight blue, Chealy can part her hair to the right and all of the front will be midnight blue. If she parts her hair to the right, her fringe will be totally black."

"For the Shatter Splash Haircut, I started off with a round shape on the sides. By taking clippers with a 1 Guard, I shaved the sides of her head. Next, I worked with my Shatterblade to blend the sides and to add the potential for texture as well as smoothness. I went from the shaved area to blending to the black. The Channeled Mohawk was cut with diagonal crisscross sections cut at 90 degrees straight out from each section. I then blow dried the hair and added a little hair fiber to add more shape, definitions and texture to this haircut.”

Shatter Splash / Shag Flip Haircut #2: By Alexander Baron

“My second Hair Icon Trend Collection haircut model was Alaijsha. Her hair was one length half way down her back. I did the haircut first to eliminate all the excess length. This was an asymmetric haircut that I created with a razor and my Shatterblade shears. I started by cutting off about 9 inches of hair with my Shatterblade to create softness and to establish the length that I was looking for by working from the exterior through the Interior. I used diagonal sections at 90 degrees, using horizontal and vertical sections from the top back and one side, while also keeping a long fringe on the front right side. I used my ShatterBlade with a blade over comb technique to create the desired short asymmetric look. I kept some length in the back, to create a Shag-Flip. This Shatter Splash haircut has a 1960's feel with modern haircolor."

"For the haircolor, I took the sides and back to black. I pre-bleached the top to a yellow blonde. I then dried the hair before I applied a purple and a splash of pink on the shorter fringe on the right side with purple on the 1 length side of the fringe . The top was made purple. At the back top, I left a splash of blonde.“

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Hair, Makeup & Photography Credits: The Method Alliance Team

Alan Benfield Bush: Concept, Haircut and Cutoloring

Haircut & Haircolor Designs: The Hair Icons Team