Angelo Seminara; a man famed as much for his passionate disposition as his artisanal mastery, aesthetic vision and prolific career portfolio.

One of the industry’s pivotal figures, the Davines Artistic Director and 4 x British Hairdresser of the Year is every inch the creative, ceaselessly fracturing the perimeters of hair and art, one vibrantly-hued creation at a time.

We caught up with Senior Seminara to chat Hair Expo, Davines’ new sustainable village and the transcendent power of beauty.

TJ: What do you think about Australia?

AS: It’s great to be here once again as an international guest for Hair Expo; Australia is an amazing country! I really love Melbourne, I find it has more of a European/American influence; there’s a mixture of so many different elements. Sydney is more solid; still beautiful and elegant, though a bit more complicated.

TJ: What are your thoughts on the Australian hair industry?

AS: Hairdressers here always have their antennas tuned; they’re always researching something new and are very open minded. I’ve met some incredibly talented Australian hairdressers; people who have been working here for years such as Nicolas Jurnjack and Kerry Warne – who are amazing. You also have a new generation of really talented people like Joey Scandizzo, Frank Apostolopoulos and of course my friend Renya (Xydis).

TJ: You’re here as an international headliner for Hair Expo; what have you been up to since you arrived?

AS: The last few days have been all about casting, prepping and education. Yesterday we had a class on the Imprinter with twenty hairdressers; so far students have responded very well and have really enjoyed using it. They were great students, very open to everything; we had a fantastic day. Today we presented before 700 people which was great. We also had a live interview between myself and Andrew O’Toole; it was enjoyable to have a chat about my past, present and future. I’m always willing to share and give a part of myself to my audience.

TJ: Tell us about your tool, The Imprinter.

AS: The Imprinter allows you to create unique patterns on the hair – from Scottish tartan, to fish scales, to simple textured colours, to three dimensional colours, to pixelated colours – anything you want! We say it allows you to make the impossible, possible.

TJ: What’s one of the strangest techniques you’ve used to create a desired result?

AS: That would definitely be flocking! For those who were there for today’s seminar, you would have seen me demonstrate this technique on the models. Flocking is basically an old technique that was used for interior design (especially in the royal families); objects were flocked to make them velvety – inside drawers, chairs, clothing. Very small particles (similar to fibres) are electro-statically planted on a surface to create a textured finish; they look like mini hairs or shavings. You can intermix colours for different results.

TJ: Davines recently hosted their World Wide Hair Tour in Parma, Italy. How was it?

AS: It was one of the best events we’ve ever had! Everyone worked so hard; to see it all come together was beautiful. We had 3500 guests from around the world in Parma (the home of Davines) for three days; each sharing the same vision and a dedication to beauty. We had a variety of activities and shows – everything from education, sustainability and concept salons to products, shows and entertainment. It was amazing!

TJ: Tell us about the new Davines Village.

AS: The new Davines Village was made by an incredible architect named Matteo Thun. We’ve taken the concept of a small Italian village and modernised it to create a new home for the brand. After first seeing it in its construction phase, I was completely blown away by the finished result. It’s an incredibly well balanced region, with a beautiful design and surroundings – it’s just like a small village.

TJ: How long has this idea been in the pipeline?

AS: It’s been a plan of ours to create a sustainable village for many years, but it’s a very expensive project (around 40 million dollars!). We really wanted to create something that’s good for the environment; a space where people could work in a warm environment. There’s no walls, just mirrors; you can see through to every office – there are no secrets!

TJ: Where do you draw your inspiration?

AS: For me, inspiration comes in many forms. I’m always inspired by the beauty of women. When I’m styling a model or a client I like to look at the person she is, what she needs and what will elevate the beauty she has; even if the hairstyle is crazy it still needs to be beautiful. I’m also inspired by Mother Nature; she is in everything – the air, the water, the elements. I think this is where most of my creativity stems from.

TJ: Earlier today you said, ‘Beauty can save the world’; care to expand?

AS: I believe that beauty can save the world because it psychologically pleases you; beauty lifts you to a whole new level. It’s very important for humans to be surrounded by beauty – though not all the time – otherwise you cannot appreciate it’s value. To weave in and out of beauty is always a beautiful thing.

TJ: What is beauty for you?

AS: For me, beauty is a combination of elements; balanced together to create emotions, interest and feelings in human beings. Beauty is a harmony of elements.

TJ: What’s next for yourself and Davines?

AS: After Australia, I’ll be heading to Tokyo, London and Milan. After that I’m presenting a new collection to the Davines Master Trainers and creating a new collection with Andrew (O’Toole) in July. I’ll also be working on a fashion exhibition on a private island in Venice and meeting with the Davines marketing team for product development and planning. Then I will spend some time in the village and enjoy it properly – it’s such an amazing development.

TJ: Do you ever stop?

AS: (Laughs) No; after this I’m going to sleep.

Visit: http://www.davines.com