Hair artists need education and empowerment: Taniya Naz

Having seen the phase of evolution of the salon industry over the last 17 years, Taniya Naz, Founder of Shear Talent School of Hair Designing still feels that the industry is in need of nurturing talent for hair designing. Over the last 8.5 years she has trained more than 14,000 hair dressers across the country and is willing to train much larger number of students through her academy based in Pune. She is also willing to work with the government in terms of trying to upgrade the skills of underprivileged children. Hence, in a Candid conversation with Wellnessindia, Taniya spoke about evolution of the industry, need of education, her academy, trends in hair designing, among other aspects on the sidelines of the press conference organised by Salonex in Mumbai recently.

What is your view on the need of education in the salon industry?
I truly believe in education. Not every hairdresser wants to give out knowledge that he/she has in fear of losing business with skilling people. We must thank all these hair companies like Salonex and individual professionals who volunteered to impart their knowledge. I travel a lot and learn a lot and I am going to impart the same knowledge through Salonex for professionals across. So, I think with that it‘s a great change and its only growing more and more with the help of all the hair and beauty companies.

I do a lot of seminars, workshops for smaller towns and cities. If I was gifted with this art, then I think there are so many other artists in the country who only need true education and true empowerment and they can all become a great success.

According to you how has the Industry evolved over the years?
There has always been an evolving change in the market. When I started, there were no hair straightening products, we use to do straightening with flour and pome lotion and we use to make conditioners with hydrogen and products like that. Today, there are various hair types like strong, normal and sensitised. Today, the industry has evolved at a rapid pace that there are hair specific products for every hair type, scalp type and the hair dressers and beauticians are educated as much for that.

Please tell us about Shear Talent School of Hair Designing?
I started hair designing when I was 12. I have been a part of the industry for 17 years. I am running a school that trains hair dressers primarily in Pune. We are running basic course six months with having two batches and 14 students per batch. We keep it minimal to give out one on one education, which is more important.

How are you nurturing the talent and what is the future target?
I am training hair dressers, helping every artist and nurturing talent that helps them grow. In the last 8.5 years, I have already trained more than 14,000 hair dressers across the country. Not everyone is meant for formal education and not everyone is supposed to do an MBA or engineering. Some have an artist in them and that artist needs to be nurtured, so I am working in parallel with a lot of organisations to help underprivileged children.

I am only looking at nurturing larger number of students by calling them over to the academy for a full fledged course. I would want to work with the government in terms of trying to upgrade skills of underprivileged children.

Currently what are the trends in hair designing?
Things have changed constantly and women with shorter hair have become more adaptable to bob cuts. There are multiple trends in graduated bobs and colors. Since Indian skin tones have warmer shades, a lot of warm shades like mohaginis, burganginis are coming back in trend. With a lot of long hair, there are many long layers, bangs and braded stuff like that.

Which are the influencing factors for these trends?
Our country is highly associated with Bollywood and cricket. People do take a lot of influence from well known Bollywood and Cricket personalities. People also do take influence form Hollywood.

What is the ratio of men opting for professional hair designing?
Today, men are getting so much conscious about styling their hair. There is still a 70:30 ratio for women and men and largely it is 20-35 age group, donning with hair styles, but 35 plus age group men also request for hair styling. Men also do fashionable corporate styling.