1. Age of Enlightenment
A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H A L A N W H I T E
THE JOURNAL
MAGAZINE
ISSUE 2/16
It seems we can all learn something
from Alan White. An artist, a visionary,
a businessman - whatever you choose to
call him, there’s no denying this man’s
incredible impact on the hairdressing
industry. Year after year Alan creates
something new, innovative and
inspirational to captivate this industry
and 2016 is no different. This year, Alan
White Anthology has joined forces with
the 2016 FAME Team to support their
journey as their craft is challenged,
questioned and refined. We caught up
with Alan to chat about his motivations
behind Alan White Anthology, his
inspiration behind the “Anthology” shoot
and to congratulate him on his upcoming
FAME Team journey.
TJ: How do you like to spend your days
when you aren’t working?
AW: I am not a guy who can sit still for
too long. I need to be active and recharge
myself – so generally this means a mix of
surfing, mountain biking or swimming laps
at the Bondi Icebergs pool - whichever
activity it may be it’s always followed by a
great coffee in good company.
TJ: What is your favourite thing about
working with hair?
AW: What I really love about hair is that you
always start with a relatively blank canvas
that can be created into whatever you
want. Often when I look at a head of hair
I see the challenge of pushing boundaries
and creating something that others would
be inspired by. To me, hair is an evolving,
changing, raw textural material just
waiting to be manipulated into something
extraordinary.
TJ: How do you continue to stay inspired
after a long, successful career in the hair
industry?
AW: I continue to be excited and inspired
by all things new and I still feel as hungry
for fashion as I did in my early teens.
The access we have these days makes
inspiration instant especially video, online
imagery and industry social media. It’s the
most inspiring industry you could ever wish
for – the world of hairdressing is forever
evolving and changing along with fashion.
TJ: What is your take on the relationship
between hair and fashion?
AW: Hair emulates a vibe that fashion
creates, but hair in a way is what gives
fashion it’s character, hair creates a sense
of belonging, a reality, a defined meaning
and a point of direction. It can be simple
or hard hitting, the combination of great
hair and incredible fashion are in complete
alignment, one without the other will
always lack something, but together
they enhance and celebrate the form and
function of each other.
“It means a great deal for me to give
back to the industry and I can do this by
imparting my knowledge, sharing my
experiences and nurturing young talent.”
TJ: Tell us about Alan White Anthology.
AW: Alan White Anthology has grown
organically into a major business but its
core remains the same. Yes, it is about
supplying equipment to hairdressers
that can make a difference to their work
at the same time AWA is a platform to
help the development of hairdressing
through advice, mentorship and education.
Anthology is the sum of all the
amazing parts I have pulled together
throughout my career and travels.
TJ: Tell us about your approach to the
photo shoot “Anthology”.
AW: It was a unique collaboration with
two of my favourite artists, makeup artist
Nadine Monley and photographer David
Mannah. We were inspired to create
simplicity with a point of view. It was an
opportunity to be creative and just play
with looks without any restrictions, briefs
or boundaries.
TJ: What advice would you love to instil in
up and coming hairdressers?
AW: Go hard, don’t be complacent or
patient, go out and go for it. Allow yourself
and your art to evolve. Watch, create and
go with your gut feelings, and remember
that sometimes less is more. Visualise your
end result and then create what you want
to see. Allow the hair to flow - even if it’s
grungy it still needs to be beautiful. It’s all in
the prep - hair will do anything you want it
to do if it’s prepped correctly.
TJ: What does the future look like for Alan
White?
AW: I am really excited to be working with
the FAME Team as I am truly passionate
about mentoring and educating young
stylists. It’s an industry that has given me
so much opportunity from my beginnings
in an East London barber shop to where I
am now, and it is an honour for me to be
able to return the love by mentoring these
talented artists. For Alan White Anthology
we are looking into many new and exciting
products and opportunities – we want to
stay ahead of the game so you’ll just have to
wait and see what happens next!
“It means a great deal for me to give back to the industry
and I can do this by imparting my knowledge, sharing
my experiences and nurturing young talent.”