A hundred years of inspiration

MANILA, Philippines - From the humble beginnings of founder, Eugene Schueller, when he formulated his own hair dye and sold it door to door to salons, to the modern day where the company is recognized as the largest beauty company in the world, L’Oréal has continued to inspire the world with its breakthrough products and services for and by the world’s greatest hairstylists.

For 100 years, L’Oreal has inspired the world with its breakthrough products and services for and by the world’s greatest hairstylists. To celebrate the milestone, one of its leading salon brands, L’Oreal Professionnel, held a grand celebration at the very place where it all began — Paris, last June 7 to 9.

L’Oreal has always been a staunch partner since we began the Hair Asia competitions two decades ago. So I was delighted when Bram Timmer and Luc Marquet of L’Oreal Philippines invited me to join the celebrations as part of the Philippine delegation.

Our contingent also included Charisse Hernandez, marketing manager of L’Oreal Professionnel; Pauline Juan, editor-in-chief of Preview Magazine; Alex Carbonell and Paolo of Bench Fix Salon; Les and Dina Reyes with their daughters Celeste and Dina Marie; Teng Roma and Lourd Ramos of Emphasis Salon; Andrea and Anton Zulueta of Piandre Salon; Lorna Sandoval, Ino Amoyo, Raul Barrios, Jade Mercado, Zernan Olandez of David’s Salon; Maria Lyn Kho, Edwin Samot and Phillip Tordjman

We arrived in Paris early morning of June 6, a day early to catch up on some rest before the three-day series of events. But of course, who would want to rest when you’re in the most romantic city in the world? The weather was surprisingly cold but it would take more than the light rain to dampen our spirits. After taking just a few moments to settle in at Bedford Hotel, we hit the streets to tour the sights.

We took the chance to visit Coco Chanel’s opulent four-storey apartment at 31 Rue Cambon, and scour through the fabulous boutiques of Hermès in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Louis Vuitton along Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

We picked up on more sightseeing the next day, and indulged in a romantic cruise in Bateaux Parisiens. We concluded our Sunday morning with a sumptuous lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower while enjoying the breathtaking view of Paris. By mid-afternoon, we were back at Bedford to get ready for the evening. We had welcome drink cocktails at Jardin des Tuileries in Rue Royale where we met other attendees from all over the world for the first time.

The next two days at the Jardin des Tuileries and Le Zenith were a whirl of activities — incredible workshops and truly inspirational shows that showcased, more than anything else, L’Oreal’s exciting outlook for the global salon industry — from hair, fashion and product trends to visions of the salon future.

It opened officially with a welcome speech by Nicolas Hieronimus, international president of L’Oreal Professionnel Products. The lineup of guest artists featured the most revered hairstylists from around the globe including Trevor Sorbie, Angelo Seminara, Aldo Coppola and Jean-Luc Minetti of Alexandre de Paris.

The workshops were in the format of Master Shows which featured Inspiration Shows in Cut and Styling by H3, a team of stylists from different countries and cultures that showcased the latest trends in hairstyles. There were also Inspiration Shows in Fashion to demonstrate the intricate relationship between hair and fashion and the importance of achieving a unified overall total look.

Workshops in Consumers and Services were also held, pushing the envelope for improved customer service, more accurate in-salon diagnosis, and more dynamic recommendations for salon clients.

I cannot begin to describe the remarkable shows we were fortunate enough to watch. The Great Inspirations Shows (100 Years of Hairdressing) was especially memorable. It featured Sorbie and Seminara of the United Kingdom, Coppola of Italy and The Ambassadors of France.

Seminara, during his presentation, took a playful jab at his mentor, Sorbie, by asking him to be his aide when he failed to find his assistant for the show. Trevor, obviously in on the joke, came into the stage with a broom, magnanimously dismissing the demotion, saying it is about time the younger generation gets some spotlight anyway.

However, there was one particular segment in the show that truly had me spellbound — the great Coppola’s take on the “Beauty of the Future.”

Despite or perhaps because of his advanced years, his sure and steady hands adeptly worked magic before our very eyes — equally graceful with the shears as with the handful of glitters he showered on his models to complete his whimsical masterpieces. In all my years in this industry, I have had the good fortune to watch countless performing hair artists from all over the world. Unlike the many others who make full use of body movements to enhance their interpretations. Coppola only mesmerized his audience with his hands — like the fluid hands of a master-conductor commanding his orchestra as it creates the most beautiful of symphonies.

His showmanship was truly awe-inspiring and he was, undeniably, the star on the stage, meriting the standing ovation he was given at the end of his presentation. His creations were surreal in their perfection and borne of imagination that others can only hope to comprehend, much less attain.

The three-day event was over much too soon and culminated with a Gala Dinner and a wonderful night of dancing at the Grand Palais. Wine was overflowing and fresh peonies in various colors cascaded on every tabletop. The ballroom was splendidly adorned in pink, black and white (the motif for the affair), and the changing colors of the domed ceiling and magnificent chandeliers added to the magical quality the night had taken on.

The night was all the more unforgettable when I got the chance to personally meet Coppola who had enthralled us all during his performance the day before. The experience of being in such close proximity to Coppola was unbelievable. I was also able to personally thank Sorbie for all his contributions to Hair Asia magazine all these years. Trevor is the very first British hairdresser who supported Hair Asia 20 years ago and his friendship with Hair Asia continues to this day.

Whoever said business and pleasure do not go together must never have attended an event by L’Oreal Professionnel. My deepest thanks to the L’Oreal team who took such great care of the Philippine delegation — from the impeccably planned tours, to the endless banquets of foie gras and overflowing wine. Cheers to L’Oreal and more power to you as you continue to inspire salons, salon clients, and the world to dream of endless, beautiful possibilities.