Steven Robertson
While Steven Robertson was studying biology in college, his life suddenly took a turn for the best. Originally to pay his tuition through academics, he quickly moved to Salt Lake City to attend Paul Mitchell the school. Throughout his education at Paul Mitchell, Steven developed a love and skill for dresswork and finishing. By a friends recommendation, he participated in the school’s first photo shoot, after which spawned a desire to continue to produce and progress in photo work. Following graduation, Steven decided to develop talents in the education field as a Learning Leader at Paul Mitchell the school as well as joining the Lunatic Fringe Salons to help motivate those who were/are also coming in to the industry with no experience or background in the beauty and fashion industry. Continuing to showcase his love and talent in cutting and finish work, Steven has been privileged to work as an active leading member of the Lunatic Fringe Artistic Team, to further his skills as an educator, coach, and hair dresser. His unique and visual approach to hair dressing has continued to be inspired by his greatest mentors: Stephanie Kocielski, Pamela Peretti, Noogie Thai, Lucie Doughty, Nicholas French and the ultimate visionary, Robert Lobetta.
You do it all... educate, artistic creation and work behind a chair. What about each thing keeps you there?
I do! I've had myself on a continued journey for the past 5 years, all with a purpose of course. Let me explain :)
Educate: I started educating to learn how to speak in front of people. It used to scare the hell out of me. I've gotten much better since but I still have my moments.
Artistic Creation: The definite core of why I stayed in the industry. All I wanted to do after hair school was photo work. Everyone always told me I should move to LA and New York to be able to make that possible. When I'm told something's not possible, I refocus my energy to show them it was (to prove them wrong really!). I was able to create quite the reputation in the industry from little 'ole Salt Lake City.
Behind-the-Chair: I originally had zero desire to work behind-the-chair. All I wanted to do was educate and do photo work. But then I noticed something happening with other educators I knew. They were telling me, hair students, and other hairdressers how to do 'salon hair' and build 'a salon business' all without having never worked in a salon or no longer work in a salon. I decided that if I were to pursue educating on a higher lever, that I must 'do as I preach'. Coincidentally, I've fallen in love working behind-the-chair and Lunatic Fringe and now do that more than I educate and photo artistic expression.
It's all a journey. And a journey that will continue to change.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the pressure of juggling so many different projects?
Overwhelmed.. Definitely! But being overwhelmed makes me focus much more than having little to do. Pressure....not so much. The good thing about it all (and is the soul reason I have chosen to NOT educate for a manufacturing company as of now) is that I create, educate and do what I want to do, not what somebody is telling me to do. The only time I feel pressured is when I'm hired by a company to educate or style for a specific campaign. It's a healthy pressure!
Why do you feel it is important for stylists to shoot their work?
I'm not sure anymore if I feel like it is important to shoot work, or not. It depends on the area of the industry that you choose to work in. I used to think it was the best way to build your business behind the chair, but let's get real, you're current guests will build your business for you faster than anything else. Now, for freelance bridal work or the freelance session styling world, it's the top reason you will be hired, next to reputation and who you know. I simply do it so I can see how my work has progressed throughout the years. It's like looking the progression of your K-12 school pics!
The Hair Nerds have spent quite a bit of time stalking your blog. Yourseries on digital manipulation and what you are able to achieve without vs. with was incredibly thought provoking... Will you share?
This may be a bit preemptive to say, however, but I see that the new-comers of the industry that pursue photographic styling heavily rely on digital manipulation to fix, adjust, completely remove, or what have you. There is less focus today on the practice of hair manipulation, precision, and formulation in hair. Because a computer can fix it. And it's not just the hairdressers fault either...I've mentored on photo sets where the photographer told the stylist "don't worry about it, I'll just fix it photoshop". It drives me CRAZY!
On the flip-side, I believe digital manipulation can create some awesome art work. It has enabled the world to create and view things photographically that were not remotely possible before digital photography. It is an awesome tool! I simply think that hairdressers need to feel proud of their work. And with that proud feeling, should be the honesty of informing what was created by them, and what was digitally produced. That's it!
What do you feel is the biggest issue in the industry today?
There is a huge feeling of entitlement with a lot of the youngsters entering the workforce. I've read a bunch on the Millennial Generation which has helped kind of cope with this. Essentially what is happening is that employees are thinking that they're entitled to certain rewards, positions, salary, etc from the companies they work for simply because they show up everyday. There's less sense of 'hard work', no need for putting in 'extra time and energy', more requests for tangible rewards for doing bare-minimum work. Specifically, I think there are less hairdressers searching out extended education, because they think their company should pay for it, again, for simply showing up. I think it wise to set aside even $30 every paycheck, to be able to offer yourself at least one 3-5 day education experience a year.
Fashion Week has just passed. Will you share your first FW experience?
Fashion week was great! I had the pleasure to work with Janine Jarman from the Sebastian creative team and Shear Genius and Michele Catalanello. It was a series of 10 hour days for three days. There was a lot of prepping hair extensions, a lot of crazy back-stage craziness, and bit of stress involved, but it was a fantastic first experience with New York in general. If I were to ever leave Salt Lake City, it would definitely be to New York.
You have achieved a tremendous amount in a short amount of time. What is the secret to your success?
I like to work and I work hard, every single day! There was a quote that was up in our Lunatic Fringe corporate office that now defines my work life and it is as follows: "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." -Steve Jobs 1955-2011. That's my secret to success!
Top 3 Stylists you would love to work with:
1. Vivienne Mackinder
2. Robert Lobetta
3. Trevor Sorbie
Which classes/ techniques have blown your mind ?
I love any of Vivienne Mackinder's classes. She's a damn genius!
How do you use your talents to make a difference?
I like to volunteer anytime I can! I donate complimentary services behind-the-chair to various non-profit events; I annually oversee the styling team for the Help Portrait event in Salt Lake City, and I co-produce Lunatic Fringe's annual "Giving Back is the New Black" event that benefits the "Fun"raising efforts for Paul Mitchell Schools.
What 3 items would you die without?
1. Hair Spray 2. Bobby Pins 3. 1" Curling Iron
What has been the most amazing opportunity you have had in this industry so far?
Oh hell....so many cool ones! I think the Help Portrait is BY FAR the most rewarding opportunity I've had! NY Fashion week was excellent! And I've loved doing the artistic presentation for Lunatic Fringe at the Paul Mitchell School's Caper event every year. There's many others, I'm sure!
Have you ever had an "OMG, what the hell am I doing here?!" moment? Share.
OMG as in good? or bad? HA! My first time on stage at Caper was a pretty cool moment I've had. That would a good one. Bad one was that I accidentally got thrown in to a make up training for Paul Mitchell School's Advanced Academy Make Up Team. I went through a series of INTENSE presentations and coaching sessions on make up techniques that I'd never even heard of (not my forte!). I would go home at night and freak out trying to study all this material for an hour presentation by myself the next day. SUPER stressful :) I found out at the end that I wasn't not supposed to have been put in the training. Real cool...!
Words to live by...
hard one........I'm not good with single, influential words.....!! Ummm.... Discipline, Charity, Integrity.
What do people find most surprising about you?
Too many things.... I'm pretty kept to myself. Let's see.....I play the piano. I've also been stabbed in the stomach. That's a pretty intense one. I get quite the faces from that story. Don't worry....I fell on the knife playing hide and seek (in 5th grade). It was not gang-related... haha!
What is your next BIG goal?
I'm currently focusing on building the largest behind-the-chair business to help fund my future artistic endeavors!
Balance, how do you maintain yours?
I've gotten to a reputable point to where I'm able to pass on projects without the feeling that it would prevent me from getting future work from saying 'no'. Allows me some free-time to enjoy my personal life these days!
What is one of your #hairstylistproblems?
There is a colorist at our salon, Nichole Forsey, who's one of the most genius colorists I've even met. My current challenge, and goal, is to make all my guests colors look as perfect as all her guests! It's a difficult task....one I may or may not achieve in the time frame I'd like to, or ever. She really is so brilliant!
I knew I was a Hair Nerd when….
The first photo shoot I ever did, with less than 500 hours in school, was published in a Paul Mitchell beauty magazine. Got me hooked and wanting more!!!