So let me "Bb. See"...

It has taken an entire week. Time enough to mentally download and fully comprehend what I witnessed in Los Angeles. It was a happening, or a gathering if you will; hundreds of people who think so much alike you could literally see the mental cloud hovering above them like a thick, brightly colored blanket of energy. My preconception was that I was there to be inspired, impressed, humbled. I knew I would change and grow, but I had no idea how much.

Curious as hell, we wound our way down an industrial roadway covered by asphalt and dirt, finally arriving at our destination. Skeptical of any place named the "Screaming Broccoli", we discovered a warehouse building next to a storage facility and a, well, I don't know what. All I know is that I was pleasantly surprised. Happy to learn we were not at a hair show, packed into a crappy convention center filled with a bunch of nobodies trying to push a bunch of bull-shit ideas and products down your throat. We immediately began to recognize the faces of our colleagues and before we knew it, we've passed an hour in a dodgy parking lot with 200 very well-dressed champions for better style.

Without warning, two french doors encased in red brick, swung open and a crowd of funky hairdressers funneled down a dark hallway toward a low white light and the drown of a bass driven, down-tempo soundtrack. Upon turning the corner and stepping into the light, my body shivered from head to toe.

The stage, the background, the seating . . . all white. Flickering from the back of the house, a barrage of projectors cast fast moving images of amazing hairdressing.

Howard McClarren took the stage and began a visual onslaught of thought provoking imagery. Crafting his way through the first model's hair while simultaneously sharing with us his thoughts about what has just happened in our world and more importantly, to our industry. Taking an introspective look at culture, mentality and the perception of hairdressing and those who practice the craft. It becomes blindingly obvious we are being made aware that hairdressers are more than service providers, we are artists. Strangely enough, we are often our own worst enemy. Allowing an entire generation of creative, style conscious consumers slip through our grasp because we are unable, or unwilling, to look and listen well enough to understand what is needed. Now, more than ever, individuals are opposed to average, paint by numbers hairdressing and are crafting far more interesting color, cut and style on their own.

I'm not going to share with you the details of how the hair was crafted or even what the future of hairdressing may look like . . . not in this post anyway.

You should know that eyes everywhere are opening; your input is valid.

The past is the future and the vision is king.

My heroes challenge the average and ordinary.

I beg you to do the same.

Thank you Sally Lessner . . . Thank you Bumble . . .

Yours in style,

Mark Yori

www.markdoeshair.com