“We were one of the lucky ones. Our home and salon were untouched by the terrible fires,” says Bridget Stannard. Bridget owns The Ladies’ Club Salon in Knysna and her husband Bob owns The Men’s Club Barber Shop. “The local community have been amazing with donations of accommodation, food, clothing, and bedding. We are also receiving help from afar, with trucks arriving from Johannesburg, Cape Town and surrounding towns. At present, the emphasis is on returning electricity and water to the affected areas. You cannot believe how many of our clients have lost everything. It is so sad. We hope and pray for some rain. Clients from Europe, who have holiday homes here, have been contacting us by email, to send their good wishes. The biggest problem in Knysna is trying to find accommodation for all the homeless people. Lots of outsiders with holiday homes have made their homes available. There are centres throughout the town offering temporary accommodation with people donating mattresses, sleeping bags and bedding. There are so many charity organisations that people can send donations to. A popular one is :- Nedbank, Knysna. Acc.name Emergency Fund Acc.No. 1147 920 699 Ref.Knysna Fire According to Nicci from Nicci Philips Hair Design, it seems like every other client has lost houses, homes or possessions. “The salon opened again on Friday and it was quite traumatic with clients breaking down having lost everything. They were not there to have their hair done, they just came in to share and commiserate with each other. Many of the clients are in the age group 60 to 80. Driving around the devastation is indescribable but the spirit in the Knysna community is so strong – the community will recover: like the Phoenix, Knysna will rise from the ashes stronger and better.” While everyone is still in shock and trying to process this tragic disaster there is no doubt that this is going to have a profound knock-on effect on the town. So many have lost their homes and, because Knysna is a mostly a rental town, all their earthly possessions. Rental property owners have been offering their holiday homes out for no charge until the season starts in September. Many will have to leave the town however because, as it is, there are not enough rental properties in the town. There are so many charities that have been set up, however donors must be aware of the many scams doing the rounds. A long-standing, reputable estate agency in Knysna is setting up a charity with storage facilities for household items, appliances and furniture which will become necessary as people try to set up home again. Their contact details are: email vanessa@dreamknysna.co.za or call 082 361 6873. Closer to home, one of Nicci’s employees, stylist Laura Westcott , her partner and their dog, have lost all their possessions in the fire and kudos go out to Simon Clark Hairdressing in Port Elizabeth who have started a charity drive to assist them. They are offering their clients a R100 voucher in return for donations and anything that Laura and her partner can use to rebuild their lives. Free haircuts are also offered in exchange for donations of dog food. See their Facebook page www.facebook.com/SCHairdressing. Finally, a huge thank you to Joico South Africa who has donated shampoos and conditioners to the value of R105,000 to the people affected by the Knysna disasters.

This stunning transformation was done in the salon by Donne Christof from Bscene Hairdesign in Durban, using Goldwell Topchic. Here is the recipe she used: Goldwell Topchic: roots section 10cm down: 20mls 6N@RV and 20mls 6VV MAX and 40mls 20Vol TOPCHIC, then for the remainder of hair strand: TOPCHIC 20mls 700@GK and 20mls 20 vol.

Congratulations to Simone Black, owner of Lonehill Hair, who won the fabulous Indola hamper sign-up incentive. Your prize will be winging its way to you soon – and keep a lookout for more exciting prizes ahead!

Take a look round this magical, sophisticated, mirrored high-fashion salon.

Want to make a quick donation and help those who have been left suffering and homeless after the Knysna fires? Animals SMS: Donate R25 to the NSPCA by smsing Care to 38018 EFT Donations: Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, PMB, A/C: 052137228, Branch: 057525, ref: #Knysna. Deposit slip to sooliman@giftofthegivers.org Online Shopping: You can do an online shop through Pick n Pay and goods will be distributed to the victims of the fire. On checkout, select "Add New Collection Point", click on the Western Cape on the map, and choose Knysna Fire Relief. Items that are most needed are baby food, cereal, nappies, tinned food, long life milk, energy bars and energy drinks, pet food, toiletries, Dettol, eye drops and sanitaryware. In an upcoming news release, we’ll be talking to Knysna salons about how the fire has affected their businesses and clients.

Intercoiffure South Africa celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. At the recent congress in Japan, chairman Ezra Isaacs accepted a trophy to celebrate this milestone. We love these photos capturing the excitement and glamour of this event. Stay tuned for updates on Intercoiffure’s 60th anniversary celebration events, which will take place in Cape Town.

“I’m not interested in competing with other hairstylists. My only competition is with the stylist I was yesterday.” Kevin Givens – Behindthechair.com

Superstar stylist Brian Warfield recently created a stunning hair colour for a L’Oréal Professionnel campaign, at Tanaz in Illovo. We were able to have a quick interview with Brian, and bring you before and after shots of this stunning, funky work. Look out for the official photo shoot by L’Oréal Professionnel, which will include this model as well as fabulous, colourful looks by other top stylists.

Your client looks at her brand new hairstyle... and she bursts into tears! It’s a stylist’s worst nightmare, but how do you handle the situation? We asked Maritza van Jaarsveld, a successful Pretoria salon owner who relocated to Cape Town due to family commitments, and is now working for Mop Hair. Short term solution. Remember her tears are not criticism of you, but only feedback of what is in her heart. Turn her chair so that you can look her in the eyes, sit with her if you can. Listen to the client, share with her that you can understand where she is coming from. Apologise for her hurt or disappointment. Calm her down with your calm tone of voice and soft eyes. If possible change the music to something relaxing. Bring her a glass of water and a tissue. Offer to change what you can, to improve her hairdo, do so patiently and caringly. If the hairdo did not work out because of a mistake you made, or if you did not set her up for success, offer the service free of charge. If the hairdo did not work out because she changed her mind or thought the face will come with the hair, offer her a free treatment and blow-dry on her next appointment. Remember, we are building relationships, not dockets. Give her a courtesy call the next day. We need to create experiences for our guests which ooze connection and caring. Never want to see your client burst into tears again? Empowering our guests to reflect and project confidence takes a comprehensive approach, involving all the aspects of their image, from inner to outward appearance. Giving sound advice on their image, how to accentuate some features and camouflage others, helps clients lead a happier, more successful life. Advice can include make-up, wardrobe, and especially product tips. Keep up to date in order to deliver current and relevant advice on fashion and lifestyle based on the client’s individual needs and attributes, to remedy any challenges and create the best “them”. Our purpose - dressing hair while spreading love and changing the world one guest at a time.

Global Collection by Steven Carey, Mayfair, UK This stunning collection is inspired by ethnic and tribal headwear from around the world. These intricately created styles took four months to plan, and required innovative use of tools and techniques. HAIR: Stephen Carey, Mayfair, London MAKE-UP: Keith Way CLOTHES STYLING: Bernard Connolly PHOTOGRAPHER: Stellanour

The stunning Carlton Hair Hyde Park salon, headed up by industry icon David Gillson, recently revamped their interior. Here is a look book of the fabulously clean, sophisticated, modern and classic salon interior. Have you recently revamped your salon? Send your photos to info@hairnews.co.za and we’ll let the industry know!

Anthony and Pat Mascolo have spent their working lives building brands, educating hairdressers and creating inspiring imagery. Now, in a brand new book, they take a personal look at the culture, artistry and symbolism of hair. INFRINGE explores the world of hair creatives including art, design, fashion and beauty. This stunning 500-page book will be inspirational reading for hairdressers and clients alike. The book costs 20 pounds (approximately R335) excluding postage, and you can order online from: www.INFRINGE.com. Here are a few of the stunning images from the book.