The cover of Tribu-te Magazine Spring 2024 edition is a striking image from a collection called With The Band, by international hairdresser Tom Connell who is Davines Hair Art Director. It instantly amassing hundreds of comments on social media when we revealed the collection. [READ THE MAGAZINE HERE]
Tom Connell
We asked Tom to give us an insight into his thinking behind the creation of a collection and its name. How much does it matter where a title comes from?
Please talk us through the creating of a collection and how you choose a name… if they go in that order?
“The names assigned to my collections are not mere labels but integral components of the artistic narrative. They encapsulate the essence of the creations they represent, offering a glimpse into the inspiration and creative process behind each piece of work.”
With The Band: Tom Connell
“When approaching my craft, I adopt a dual perspective. In commercial settings and salonwork, I believe in allowing the hair to guide the creative process. It’s akin to engaging in
a conversation with the hair itself, understanding its natural movement and organic shapes.
“Rejecting the confines of excessive sectioning or rigid techniques, I prefer to sculpt the hair organically, letting it speak and guide me toward the desired outcome. To do it correctly requires a solid foundation of technique, and an understanding of the rules before beginning to break them.”
With The Band: Tom Connell
“Conversely, in the realm of creative imagery, I seek to explore what’s possible with hair simply following my instincts into uncharted territories. Drawing inspiration from my interests outside of hairdressing It’s about reframing multiple concepts that would never normally meet and forearming them into conversations.”
With The Band: Naming a collection
Tom chatting with Tribu-te discussing creativity
How do you name a collection such as With The Band?
“The process of naming my collections is a reflection of this approach. I have a file of ideas. After documenting anything that catches my attention, I make a note of it, photograph it or write it down and put it into my file. So that could be a texture, a colour pattern, a song I hear, a style of cinematography in a film, something funny that I overhear in a bar. It’s anything that I feel like I can use, if something makes me look twice I look a third time, document it, and put it in my file of ideas. Then roughly every two months I’ll sit down and I’ll try to make a connection between those ideas and inevitably my imagination is sparked.”
With The Band: Tom Connell
“We’re all exposed to the same cultural things – music, film, TV, fashion and when you notice those things and you start to look through the ideas there’s inevitably a connection. These connections start to develop an idea for a shoot or an idea for a show, or an idea for a hair image. I think this is the purest, most organic way to produce work that is very original to me. And I think if you want to have a successful career in the creative side of hairdressing you need to produce work that is recognisably yours.”
With The Band: Tom Connell
“With The Band was born from a desire to infuse musical elements into the visual narrative. Inspired by the notion of a headband accessory, we colour matched it to the pattern and depth of the clothes. Shooting in natural daylight on a low aperture to create soft focus meant that the conceptual strong colour ideas still had a grounding in relativity. In my opinion, even the most conceptual ideas need to be believable. I’m not so interested in fantasy.”
The Importance of Music
How important is it to get the music right for your shows?
“Each collection is accompanied by a carefully curated playlist, with songs dictating the thematic direction, emotion & pace of the show. When I heard Arctic Monkeys Sculptures of Anything Goes I knew I wanted that as the opening track of my upcoming show,“A pile of not-so-little things” last Summer in Paris. This included my work for With The Band.
Paris: 2023
“Sometimes it can take me a while to hear the right music. When I was shooting With the Band, I had a Paul McCartney song on with the artwork on Spotify playing in the background which was of a record spinning around. Obviously, the headband theme and seeing this gave me the idea of the title and video that presents this section of the show, but I couldn’t’immediately think of the right music. So I got on my bike, cycled around for a few hours listening to music on shuffle, and until I found the Black Pumas song “Oct 33” which was the right fit.”
“The show is like a movie in my head playing over and over again for months until the moment of the show, this is why the soundtrack is so important. In the realm of hair shows and presentations, the importance of music cannot be overstated. It’s not merely background noise but a vital component of the sensory experience, enhancing the impact and importance of the visuals. From the selection of tracks to the arrangement of lighting, every detail is meticulously orchestrated to transcend just aesthetics.
More than just labels
“Ultimately, the names of my collections serve as more than just labels; they are portals into the creative process, offering insight into the inspiration and vision behind each piece of work. Every part of the show has a connection and a reason for being there are always layers to peel back for anyone who cares to look.
“In a world where substance trumps spectacle, I think it’s the depth of thought and emotion instilled within each creation that resonates most deeply with the audience. And in this ever-evolving landscape of creativity, it’s the thoughtful, nuanced approach that stands the test of time.”
Thank you Tom for a valuable insight … and our Spring 2024 cover. See it all HERE
Credit due:
With The Band: Hair & Art Direction: Tom Connell • Photography: Tom Connell • Colour: Nadina Ray • Make-up: Michelle Guandalini • Assisting: Alessandro Tammaro
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