Where
have you trained?
Akshata: I started learning in the 8th standard and then continued
with L’Oréal and travelled to London and Singapore.
I studied at Vidal Sassoon, with Toni&Guy and the schools there.
I never really thought I’d get into hair, but I figured that
I had the passion and the skill for it.
Rukmini:
I started this initially as a hobby years ago and then went abroad
and trained. I also thought I had the talent and passion for this
field, so went on upgrading myself… then, there was no looking
back.
Tell us about
the level of change and progress that the beauty industry has experienced
over the years.
Rukmini: Initially, colouring was not popular at all. It was
up to us to motivate clients and it was really tough initially to
get them to do some adventurous styling. I remember the days when
I used to go to London and learn some new hairstyles—I could
never utilise these in Bombay because people were not that adventurous.
When L’Oréal was launched in India, they started training
and upgrading the standard of the hairdressing industry. Then onwards,
colouring became more popular because of the ads, media exposure
and the training that hairdressers got. So, people also became more
aware of colour and how good it is.
And, of course, the product being good and the training being proper,
the application and delivery of colour was quite good. People started
accepting it. Otherwise, initially, it was only hair dye! The concept
that hair dye is bad and affects your eyes made people very touchy
about using ‘colour’; by colour, they meant the dye.
Slowly, people started travelling abroad; they were experiencing
what was happening all around the world. So, the acceptance of styling
was much faster and better.
At one point, beauty and styling was not a highly respected
field. However, there’s been a massive change in how the industry
is now perceived. What do you think are the reasons behind the same?
Rukmini: I started at a time when beauty and styling was looked
down upon. We were the first people who took up beauty as a career.
It was not regarded as a career back then, but just as something
that women could do to earn money. In our days, everything was operated
from home. There were very few big salons, for a very different
type of crowd—just for the elite crowd; normal people would
not indulge in all these things. That was when I started. There
were very few training schools and very few salons at which to train.
Similarly, I also started it as a hobby because I didn’t want
to sit idle. I wanted to be with my children, so I too started from
home initially.
What, according to you, is essential to becoming a successful
stylist?
Akshata: (laughs) Well, you need to have a passion for
hair. You have to know the right people. And you have to be happy
all the time, I guess!
Rukmini: A technical back-up is essential, but foremost
is the passion; you should want to do it, not be forced to do it.
If you want to do it, you will take interest and will thus be happy
doing it. You should have the sense of creativity. Another thing
is you are with people all the time, so you should have a lot of
patience, a good nature and lots of positive vibes and energy. That
makes you a perfect stylist. A stylist is somebody whom clients
grow emotionally close to. So, if you can give them that emotional
security and support, a client is always with you. That bonding
has to happen. That’s my way of looking at my profession.
Akshata: It’s important to understand your client
because every client who walks in is different.
Do you think beauty and styling is an industry where creativity
is important or do you feel that
training is imperative?
Akshata: Training does enhance it and can channelise the
talent into a certain pattern, but the skill has to come from within.
Are there any memories or embarrassing moments in your profession
that you would like to
share with readers?
Akshata: (laughs) Definitely some, but not in front of
the client or the person whose hair is being done. It’s really
up to you how you convince the client and how you handle them. I
don’t think we have faced that problem really.
What are Mamma’s words of wisdom for her daughter?
Rukmini: Akshata is really very talented. I feel she has
the capacity and is very capable. She’s also got the talent
and the patience and puts in a lot of effort. In this field, you
need to have lots of patience and have to actually put in a lot
of hard work…with a smiling face. That’s
me and that’s how I want my daughter to be, and, luckily,
she is like that. I have seen some stylists who are arrogant and
whimsical. It’s their life and it’s how they handle
it. But I’m not that type of person and I want my daughter
also to be like I am, because you actually get blessings when you
do something good to others. That is what I believe in. I don’t
look at this as only a business; I feel I’m doing something
good for people. And I think Akshata has taken after me, so I’m
very happy the way it’s going. Of course, there’s always
scope to do much better.
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