Meet Jacky Chan Of Oscar Oscars Salon in Melbourne

From being involved in events and featured in fashion magazines for hair advice and styling tips, Australia’s Oscar Oscar Salons is home to some of the renowned hairdressers in the country.

Among them is Salon Partners and Master Stylist Jacky Chan, who is well-known for his ability to create “technical up-styles, high street glamour and immaculate style-cuts with a rock star edge”.

Alongside hairdresser Nathan Armagnacq, the Chinese-bred talent’s base is at Oscar Oscar Chadstone, Melbourne since it first opened its doors in 2009. His fashion-forward personality and creative soul has gotten him working with a number of high-profile figures in Australia such as Natalie Bassingthwaite and Zoe Foster Blake and alongside brands like Redken Australia, Mac Cosmetics and Shu Uemura.

In 2018, he was awarded Australian Hair Fashion Awards (AHFA) Victorian Hairdresser of the Year for his collection his ‘Eve’ collection inspired by German photographer Helmut Newton’s 1950s work developed over the last 12 months.

Experience, passion for the hairdressing industry

“It has been positive and very rewarding, to be able to express my creative side while working on the floor with my guests day-to-day is important,” he says. “To be able to share my creative work with my team and guests inspires me and feeds my passion for hair.”

Taking on various roles, winning awards

“I always tackle the hardest job first and take it from there. Also winning awards takes determination and guts to put yourself out there and there is always a feeling that perhaps you are not good enough but hey you have to be in it to win it,” he adds. “Also I look at when all of my submissions need to be in and plan my year around this. My day-to-day inspo is to continue running a successful profitable business while growing the next generation of hairdressers.”  

Getting Inspiration

“I get my inspo visually from my surroundings and it varies from photographers, artists and fashion designers.  Seeing my business partner Oscar Cullinan run a successful empire and having won 2 Aus HOTY inspires me to be a great hairdresser and I didn’t always want to be a hairdresser. I studied fashion design before I was a hairdresser however the cross over between the two is sooo similar.”

Creative process behind ‘Time’ collection

“I start with a mood board and then refine this with my photographer over the course of the three months leading up to the shoot then a month out I start all my hair prep and research many different techniques and textures for my looks then work on achieving and refining them to make them my own. I guess the inspo comes from the refinement of my mood board, this is the most exciting part. The reason is that even with the strongest ideas on the day the pic and hair take on a life of their own on the day.  

The inspiration for this collection was the birthed by fashion editorial photographer Szilveszter Mako. What drew me to the images was the juxtaposition of mood, using old world art as a backdrop colliding with edgy, boundary pushing new world fashion. The idea that old and new can coexist in the construct of time. The hair is polished while progressive and enhanced by modern cutting with pops of colour added in an abstract way for maximum Impact,” Chan says.

“Time” is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events that occur in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through to the present, into the future. A collection of images by me, individually could be hung as art pieces in any museum, and when placed together give the feeling of strength in classic shape and with modern colour techniques to add depth, dimension, light and shade, this culminates in a collection that will withstand the changes of time.

Andrew and I came up with this concept of wanting to pay homage to the rapidly changing concerns around us. We wanted to bring something beautiful during a time of crisis while representing the hardship many of us were facing, with strength in the wardrobe and vulnerability of the environment in the backdrops.  Wanting to evoke a feeling of the chaos that was happening at the time with a polished edge 

Make up helped to compliment the wardrobe and had hints of renaissance cheeks and minimal eyes. Each model had something slightly different to compliment the shape and style of the hair. If the shape or colour was strong it was more subtle to balance the look with elegance.”

Avant-garde styles

“I have always liked to challenge myself beyond the norm of what people expect from hair. I spend many hours building, constructing, testing and then refining.”

Creating a collection, entering a competition or being a photoshoot

“The only thing I can say is think outside the box and beyond what we learn as hairdressers. And a huge amount of trial and error.”

Work changed during time of self-reflection

“My aesthetic has grown up and taken a real turn doing what I LOVE that pleases my eyes and taste and hoping that it inspires other creatives.”

Translating ideas/ vision into hair? How much of the process is a collaboration and how much comes from you? 

“Mostly comes from me and then it’s “how do I work this out?” “How can it be done unconventionally and elevate to the next level?” otherwise its purely mimicry not innovation.”

When it comes to your work, what are your personal standards for a finished look?

I accept nothing but a very practiced and solid execution. Its not always perfect but it gets there.

What do you believe is the role or the responsibility of the contemporary hairdresser in today’s society?

To train and retain the younger generation so that the art of hair is not lost.

Who would be your ideal person to style, color or give a complete change, who would it be and why?

The Queen! She hasn’t had an update for 50 years and how cool would it be to go to the palace and do liz’s hair.

How does the hairdressing industry excite you?

It gives me the opportunity to do guests and the creative stuff that feeds me mentally.

Who inspires you and which creative hair stylist/hair artist do you follow?

Angelo Seminara, Xpresion Creativos, and Sasoons.

Credits
Images: Jacky
Interview: Romy