Ella&Jade’s William Webb was invited to direct his first New York Fashion Week show, collaborating with ANTI collection on the Duncan SS20 show, we look at how William has embraced the ANTI culture in its origin of New York City.
What was the most overwhelming aspect about being hair director hair for your first NYFW show?
I would say the most overwhelming aspect of directing my first show at NYFW was not wanting to disappoint the creative vision of the designer. They work so hard on the collection to bring it to fruition, it’s an honor and super overwhelming at the same time.
If you could describe the experience in three words what would they be?
Exhilarating, Intoxicating, Nerve wracking
What was it about the ANTI Fashion Week experience you valued the most?
I love fashion week it’s honestly my favourite time. I’ve always been very hard on myself and I don’t think that’s ever going to change, but I learnt to trust myself a little more and believe in my skill set. Having someone like Nick Irwin mentoring and supporting you is mind blowing especially as I was that kid that used to collect copies of dazed and confused and ID magazine it’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.
What inspires you about fashion?
I’m inspired by the strange and the unusually beautiful and somewhat ‘weirder’ side of fashion. I love anything that has a bit of an edge but still manages to be beautiful. I think fashion is the birthplace of the beautiful and I think that’s why I’m so drawn to it.
How is fashion crucial to the Ella and Jade Brand?
I think fashion is crucial to every salon brand as everyone chooses their outfit in the morning. Everyone decides how they want to present themselves to the world and we as hairdressers are the only link to the fashion industry for most people. Yes they read magazines and follow designers and celebrities on Instagram but there hairdresser is tangible, it’s a physical link so I believe every salon every hairdresser should have their eye on the fashion world. At Ella&Jade we filter these experiences through to our entire team so that we are talking to our clients from a place of fashion and always referencing fashion at every point. I don’t mean everyone should do the hair from the Gucci campaign on every client but find a designer that you love to be inspired by and create some bloody cool hair.
If you could work on any Fashion Week show in the world what would it be?There are honestly so many I would love to do. I love Gareth Pugh, I think he’s super creative and would love to understand his brain a little. junya watanabe is also one of my favourite designers – I think his use of fabrics and construction is minds blowing and translation that into hair would be a hairdresser wet dream
How did you prepare for the experience?
I’m a big believer in practice makes perfect so I try and practice fundamental session work like ponytails wig wrapping braiding and directional blow drying as often as I can I think if your core foundations are strong you can roll with whatever gets thrown at you. Also, if you don’t understand, ask! I can’t stress that enough.
What does working with ANTI mean to you? Getting to do what I love with a company like ANTI who’s values of acceptance creativity and individuality was something I truly valued. I’ve never really fit in as a kid growing up I always felt out of place not cool enough never interested in the same things as the people around me but with ANTI I feel like that is everything that is celebrated.
They champion the individual and that is super powerful and has somehow managed to bring out a level of confidence in me I have never had before I cannot that I, Francesco Nick and all the people involved enough for the experience it truly changed me for the better.
What are your sights set on next?
That’s a hard question to answer as I don’t know where I’ll be because of my visa issues. But I would love to do more of what I’m doing now, more travel, more fashion work and more editorial, that’s the dream really.
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