Sue Pemberton
When I started my career back in the 90’s I worked in a departmentalized salon. Naturally I chose color over cutting because I’m fascinated by the chemistry behind the mixing. But it wasn’t until the early new millennium that my passion for color became an obsession. The reason why was because I discovered the captivating talents of Sue Pemberton. Since then Sue has claimed her places as The Queen Of Joico, The Queen Of NAHA, and also The Queen Of Color! After nervously meeting Sue at 2012 NAHA, I was happy to find her to be one of the most approachable and friendly people that I have ever dealt with in the hair industry. From that point on I was destined to interview her!
Hi Sue! Just so you know, I have been “planning” this interview in my head since the early 2000’s! I’m so excited to chat with you.
Let’s talk about the early days. What made you want to get into the Hair industry?
In the UK you leave school at 16, before leaving school I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I went to work has a saturday girl in a salon, sweeping up and making tea and coffee and the good old shampoo girl, I was super shy, I liked that the clients would chat with me and actually bring me out of my shell, I also found that I liked talking to people and generally cared about them, so I thought... Well I can't spell very good, horrible at math, but I have a great imagination and love people and want to help them if I can, doing hair makes them feel good, which then makes me feel good, so that was the start of it.
I’m going to make a BOLD statement here, but in my opinion I really feel like you really took Joico to a much higher level!
Tell me about Sid Cook and Joico... how did that meeting come about?
I had been approached by a JOICO sales representative to do some classes and be an Educator, I was using JOICO product and Vero K-Pak Color, I said no to being an Educator because I was shy and did not like talking in front of an audience, the sales representative (Jim) I wonder where he is now? Jim said "Oh come on, you talk to your clients all day long and you love the product, what's the difference if you talk to more people and stylists, you would be very good at it" so I said I don't think so.
Anyway there was a Vero K-Pak Color training that weekend that Jim invited me too, So I went loved what I heard as it was the laws of color and figured, why not let's give this ago. Anyway after doing several classes Jim the DSC wanted to do a bigger class with more stylist. Anyway the bigger class turned into a show with another experienced Artist. All of a sudden the entire corporate staff from JOICO was attending, to cut a long story short, I was doing the show and the other Artist was asking me questions that did not make sense, so I though, what do I do this is silly, so I thought, just tell them what you like about Vero K-Pak Color.
Whilst I was talking and wanted to die, I looked at Sid Cook and he was nodding his head, as in, Yes, Yes keep going. I got off stage went to the bathroom because I wanted to cry and I heard outside , "is Sue in there" from Sid Cook. I was devastated, went outside and he said "can you call me tomorrow I would like to work with you" My thoughts "work with me or on my performance" Yikes? Anyway I called him the next day and he basically told me that "If I can preform under those circumstance then I can do anything and would I join his team of colorists and trainers" That's how it all started, after a few months Sid wanted me to become full time at JOICO and be his right hand at that time it was just Sid, it took him six months to convince me, eventually I gave up the salon and went full time as the VeroColor manager, Sid was the Director.
My first project was to work with the color chemists and test color as JOICO (Steve Stefano) wanted to manufacture his own color line instead of bringing the color in form Italy. I was told the color had to be equivalent if not better, so that's what I did made it better of course. My second project was to launch the color line world wide to all distributors, sales and education and explain and show the differences.
For me personally, I fell in love with your work during your “Future Elements 2003 Winter Collection,” and have been following you every since. That’s why I’m always excited to meet up with you at Industry events!
Do you have a particular collection that you’ve done that just blows you away every time?
Yes, my NAHA win 2007 was very strong and I am very proud of that, also my recent NAHA nominee this year 2012 and Hair Color 101 DVD images I am proud of, but I also did some work with Vivienne Mackinder and that was really pushing the color boundaries, that was our Editorial 2012 nominee, there are more images in that collection it was done for Intercoiffure, I personal am very proud of the work I submitted and the work I submitted with Viv, a little disappointed in not winning both categories but, you never know with NAHA and either way its okay, just keep doing what I love and keep entering, to be a nominee is a great honor as well, to be a winner even more, but I feel the industry respects winner's and nominee's, and everyone has an opinion of what they personally like.
Since we’re on the subject, North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) is where it’s really at as far as being recognized and respected by our industry peers. You really do frequent the show as a winner and nominee every year...
Do you still get surprised and moved when you find out you are nominated?
Yes, absolutely, you wait for the phone call or this year they did the DVD announcement, I know for me I am sitting anxiously waiting, my sister sitting with me said "why do you do this to your self" I said " because its worth it and it's a personal achievement for me, no one else and it's to make a difference in our industry and to be recognized for that". I love NAHA and what they have done for our industry, they have elevated our craft and even better, I love that you can walk around a room with some of our industry bests and say hi and chat.
NAHA is not about representing a brand or product it's about celebrating and respecting Artists and our industry and that's what I like about it and I will always attend, nominee or not, just to say hi to my industry friends and usually when we see each other on the show circuit we are obviously working and NAHA is celebrating our artistry and we are not at work, just socializing with each other.
Yea, when I saw I was seated directly behind you at NAHA this year, all day before the show I was beyond excited! So tell me, you finish your busy day and go home. What does Sue do when she’s not formulating in her head and it’s time to relax?
I actually am extremely passionate about my artistry and what I do, so to be honest I am generally looking at art, or the fashion runways, walking with a camera and taking pictures of flowers, plants, water, light reflection, I find all that inspiring so I don't consider it work, even when I am coloring and creating I am in a zen zone, it relaxes me actually, put me on a head of hair that I can create on I am in the zone.
Work to me is formatting a show, typing up a class or an event, doing my taxes, getting up at 5:00am to do a show or event or up at 4:00am to get on a plane to travel to a show or event and anything to do with administrative work, paying bills, emails that are not about what I do, dealing with the rest of administrative life etc....
So when I am totally done and I mean done and I need to just stop, I am a gamer, as in Play Station, Xbox, Wii, I have them all and when I play them, that is when I am done and pretty much just want to check my head out of my passion and do something else.
Okay, I’ve been making it a point to ask everyone I interview... any advice for an upcoming stylist who wants to follow in Sue Pemberton’s footsteps?
Yes, education, education, did I say education? Whether you want to be a NAHA winner, platform artist, salon owner, stylist, colorist whatever it maybe, you have got to be good at what you are doing, take pride in your abilities, have a signature of your own, learn, learn, learn, always have a plan when doing hair and as in what's next for you as an individual, go for it, surround yourself with like minded and talented people, be fearless, life is for what?
A question my sister asked, I said " to share my knowledge, experience, passion and to make people feel good, a client, a stylist or a model but to have a sense of accomplishment and pride in what I have done "
If you chat amongst our greatest Artists, they will all tell you, it is not easy being at the top, because being there only means you have to work harder, be one step ahead of the game, what's next for the industry and what's next for me and that's the hardest part of what I do, not what I create that's the easy part.