In Conversation with Patrick Cameron

Patrick Cameron is arguably the master of dressing long hair. His consummate professionalism and specific technique have reshaped the hairdressing industry, taking him to showcase his iconic work on notable stages and being a regular presenter at the most prestigious global hairdressing events.

“My passion for long hair was something I always had,” Cameron confesses.

Having worked in the Middle East and India, his technique is also quite popular in the region “due to how important long hair is in their culture”.

“Many hairdressers love the structure of my work as it allows them to give their clients trendy fashionable styles with great foundations.”

But it all started when he forged a career in London, where it enabled the Kiwi hairdresser to follow his dreams and become an educator and work with global manufacturer, Wella.

“The main reason I chose this area of hairdressing is because when I arrived in London in 1987, no one was teaching how to dress long hair in a modern way that hairdressers could understand,” he says.  “It was then that I realized that dressing long hair was not something that hairdressers did a lot of yet there were plenty of clients asking for this service for weddings and parties. I started to teach the craft whilst working for a large hair company. Wella saw me perform some classes and they asked me to do some seminars for them.  It all started there really.

Cameron is also an educator at his Training School in London where students from all over the world attend to be taught on a one-to-one basis. Recently students attended from Germany, Ireland, and as far afield as the USA, New Zealand and Australia.

Just before the lockdown restrictions given the coronavirus pandemic, he wanted to reach out to the hairdressing industry.

“That was my first thought and then I wanted to give them inspiration and motivation and to suggest to them that all was not lost, they could use the time to educate themselves on a new skill or indeed learn something different,” he said.  “Hairdressers are busy people and a lot don’t have the time to go on courses so I wondered if some might want to go on a little journey with me every week to long- hair land. My work is my happy place and so I thought other creatives might feel the same. I wanted to have fun too but at the same time I wanted to do something constructive. “

He didn’t expect his debut broadcast to be much more than an hour’s seminar and given the great feedback he received, Cameron launched ‘Education in Isolation’ with an aim to host free weekly online broadcasts that feature two of his classic looks in a one hour demonstration every Monday 10.30am (UK Time)

“Education is always needed and it’s also a way of taking your mind off things that are beyond your control,” he says. “Mentoring is one of the most important areas of education. Everyone needs someone to look up to, and to be inspired by another person is part of human nature. We all need to follow dreams and push forward, and mentors help us to do that”.  

This has proven to be the case given that 200,000 hairdressers worldwide are tuning in, proving the growing appetite for virtual long hair education is increasing every week.

“People want great education but also they want a good time. Never before has continuity been more important and hairdressers want to see people they believe in and trust. I am so proud to have been able to create a global Patrick Cameron Family who tune in to my LIVE’s each week but not only that. I find they are communicating with each other through the live comments. I love that.”

On June 8, the internationally-acclaimed hairdresser also launched his own webinars dedicated to bridal hair.

The industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, shuttering salons and staff layoffs. Various countries have gradually allowed hairdressers and barbers to return to salons and need to follow specific guidelines for the safety of clients.

Connecting with other hairdresser and clients amid the global pandemic is also undoubtedly be difficult. As strict confinement and movement restrictions occurred worldwide, he was also about to launch his new collection ‘House of Luxury’. But he confesses that he doesn’t worry about the small things in life.

“I think we as an industry are amazing. We have taken the strongest measures possible by closing our salons during the pandemic and now opening them again as the pandemic curve lessens with social distancing measures,” Cameron shares. “I’m proud of our industry and how we have responded. Hairdressing will return, a little slower to normality in the salons, but our industry will emerge at a more elevated position in our society and one which will at last get the recognition it has always deserved.”

During this unprecedented time, he believes the role or the responsibility of a hairdresser in today’s society is “to do the best they can be to make sure their clients have a positive experience with a great hair result”.  Yet, he says the biggest responsibility is making themselves and clients feel safe, which is also the biggest challenge hairdressers face today. Safety is the key word when talking about a hairdresser’s responsibility.

Despite this, he continues to inspire as a hairstylist and as an educator by being a ‘hairdresser’s hairdresser’.

“My job is to try and help others create looks using the best education possible which empowers them to be more creative. I am flattered to see so many of my techniques being used by hairdressers – it means I made a difference to their work,” Cameron concludes.