Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a part of an art team?
In the hairdressing industry, there is nothing better than collaborating - it’s how we progress as individuals, how the industry evolves and of course, a way in which education is shared. Yet, what is it really like to be part of an Artistic Team? What’s involved, what do they do and what does a normal art team schedule look like?
Here, we chat to MOOD Creative Director Tracey Ann Smith on her role with the brand and what a typical life looks like for the MOOD Lifestyle Team!
“I’ve always loved being part of a team, and I knew in order to evolve the brand, the right thing to do was to bring together a group of likeminded individuals to help evolve the creative side,” says Tracey. “Our lifestyle team is one that has both a creative and consumer head on. We work together to not only create collaborative visions for the hairdresser but also develop commercial imagery which reflects current salon trends. Likewise, we actively educate and come together to uncover new trends, learn new techniques and create brand excitement!”
The last six months for the team have been great fun, with them getting involved in different creative areas and new experiences:
Education Day with Colin McAndrew
The team travelled up to Scotland for an education day with Colin McAndrew, all focused on cutting. The day itself was tailored with Colin demonstrating different cutting techniques, whist also giving top tips on cutting hair whilst working on stage or preparing for shoot, setting the team up for their appearance at Salon International.
Connie Graham, MOOD Lifestyle Team member said, “The first half of the year has been packed with education, creativity and lots of fun. We’ve had brilliant brand education, created content, and attended HairCon together as a team, which was a great experience - we got to meet so many people and learn from so many others. We also had an education day with Colin McAndrew, who was my Project Scotland Mentor and that was fantastic. Colin is fantastic and has so much knowledge - I always learn so much from him. He took us through cutting education; it was full on bit such an amazing experience.”
Assisting on Shoots
Next on the agenda was an experience like no other, assisting ad experiencing a British Hairdressing Awards shoot with Creative Director Tracey Ann Smith. This was a one-of-a-kind moment, with the team seeing the process all come together, and the collection as the finished masterpiece.
“One of the biggest highlights for me was assisting Tracey on her BHA shoot. That was such an incredible experience and something I’ll remember for a long time. Seeing everything that goes on behind the scenes and being involved in the creative process was such a great learning experience. Tracey has also been an amazing mentor. I’ve really enjoyed learning from her, not just creatively but also seeing how she approaches shoots, planning and working as part of a team,” said Kate Ledbrook.
In-Salon and Internal Training
Throughout the past 6 months, the team have also spent numerous days together, receiving education in a salon setting and finding out all about new formulations, ingredients and changes within the MOOD brand. This continual education has been a breath of fresh hair, with the motto of never stop learning, incredibly true.
“We spent a day with Kevin Hamm learning more about the MOOD colour portfolio and product range. It was brilliant to gain a deeper understanding of the products and see the passion and innovation behind the brand. It’s given me even more confidence and excitement to use MOOD every day. I’ve also loved spending time in the salon with Tracey learning her signature curls and session styling techniques. Watching her work and understanding the attention to detail that goes into creating those looks has been invaluable,” explains Connor McIntyre.