Inspired by the Dutch Masters, the latest collection from awardwinning
husband and wife duo at Stafford Hair Paul and Leisa
Stafford is more than just evocative; Muse challenges the
very essence of what it takes to nurture creativity. ‘Our initial
idea was about capturing the light and shadows of the Dutch
school of painting in the 17th century, to recreate the textures
associated with Vermeer and Rembrandt,’ explains Leisa, whose
own creative approach has won her a place in the finals of
this year’s British Hairdressing Awards in November. ‘But this
triggered a fascination with the Old Masters themselves and the
subjects behind the paintings. We began to think about all the
muses who, through the years, have inspired artists, such as Edie
Sedgwick with Andy Warhol. It made us wonder what happened
to them.’ Paul and Leisa’s focus on the relationship between
muse and artist has led to a stunningly contemporary and
thought-provoking collection. ‘Many of these relationships
were tragic, ending badly for the muse, leaving her in obscurity
and poverty,’ adds Paul. ‘We decided to bring a voyeuristic
element into the shoot with our regular photographer, Lee
Mitchell, where we isolate the muse from the painting, looking
behind the art to the source.’ Between them, Paul and Leisa
have won seven major awards to date. Earlier this year, Paul was
recognised in Canadian Hairdresser magazine’s 21st anniversary
Mirror Awards as one of the greats in International Hairdressing.
Hair: Leisa Stafford @ Stafford Hair- UK
Collection: Muse
Ph: Lee Mitchell
Make-up: Pamela Smyth
Styling: Sara O’Neill
Art Direction: Paul Stafford
Assistant: Amy Cartwright
