From supermodel Cindy Crawford to Bollywood supremo like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the name Asgar is synonymous with cutting edge and attention grabbing hairstyles. The UK-based hair maestro has worked magic on scores of celebrities and dignitaries across the globe, making the front covers of several leading fashion magazines and item publications with his show-stopping and inspirational coiffures.
His distinguished celebrity clientele includes supermodels Cindy Crawford and Twiggy as well as Bollywood A List stars like Karisma Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan and legendary actress Rekha. He is also pivotal in the styling of business moguls, ultra-high net worth individuals and royalty such as members of the Sultan of Brunei’s household.
Here is the success story of Hair maestro Saboo to encourage those who are into hair styling profession.
First milestone in the career
I was introduced to hairdressing by my sister, who herself was a stylist at a trendy salon in London’s Bond Street. I began my hairdressing career almost twenty years ago, and started at the Daniel Galvin salon in London’s West End.
Journey so far
It’s been a wonderful journey so far, infact, beyond my expectations. I am very fortunate. I got the chance to do magazine covers, fashion shows, film shoots, and cinema premieres, and could travel to many exciting places due to my profession.
USP & strength
I love to create! Seeing that I have made a difference to others’ lives motivate and inspire me. I have always been motivated by the desire to do a good job.
Inspiration in styling profession
Inspiration is something I get primarily from what I do. If I pull off something wonderful with hair like creating an amazing style, it gives me immense inspiration to do even better. I also get inspiration from both high fashion and street fashion. Exciting ideas come from the work of fashion houses like McQueen, Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana, but equally, the abundant creativity surrounding me in the streets of London also inspires me.
Overcoming the challenges
Making a mark in the hair industry is not easy, as the trendsand styles keep changing. To keep up with the constantly evolving trends and making a mark amidst competition was the biggest challenge I came across with. I constantly practiced, studied and created my own styles and always accepted feedback from the clients positively to improve my work.
Styling product to rely on
Aussie Anti-frizz cream: Most people use much oil in their hair so I tend to use a bit of this anti-frizz cream to smooth the mane- before and after styling.
Views over hair colour demand
There is no particular brand that I support for hair colour. There are a lot of good brands in the market and it depends on what suits the clients.
Dip-dye hair colour has been popping up on the red carpet for over a year now and there is no sign of slowing down in endorsing this look. Dip dye colour, in which, the ends are dipped in colour whilst the rest is left natural is popping up on women (and men) of all ages.
Permanent hair dyes are also known as ‘oxidation’, according to Cuannane Phillips. This is because an oxidizer like hydrogen peroxide and ammonia are mixed with the colouring agent before application. Permanent dyes don't have to be applied as often as semi-permanent or temporary colours. The formulation of permanent dyes is very complicated, and manufacturers go to great lengths to attain long-lasting colour that does minimal damage to the strength and elasticity of the hair. There is a wider range of permanent colour, and these colour shades are often more natural-looking. However, permanent dyes can be more damaging to the hair. The chemicals used are stronger and the mixture usually has to be left on for a longer period of time.
Celebrity style icon for hair industry
In my opinion, Halle Berry has definitely mastered the art of the short pixie hairstyle. She keeps the pixie cut fresh and modern; it’s one of my favourite looks. Also, I’m a huge fan of Rihana’s hair as I love the way she experiments with her hair from blonde to black and red. Her experiments with curly bob, sleep hair, straight hair, all look amazing!
In Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan has amazing hair and alsohas a great sense of style. He knows exactly what he wants. Aishwarya Rai is another star that I have worked with, has natural beauty and an amazing sense of style for hair.
Roadmap ahead
I’ve been working on developing a truly superb hair care line that actually feeds the scalp and makes your hair naturally luxuriant and glossy. My clients demand world-class quality, and I felt that the products out there are simply not doing enough to nourish the scalp and encourage healthy, strong, gorgeous hair from inside. You should eat as organic as possible to, even your hair products should also be as natural as possible. As I feel a strong connection with nature, I’ve founded a charitable trust, which aims to preserve biodiversity and the rainforest. More news coming soon!
