Florence Recalde speaks with Vidhi Arya from Professional Beauty India about her journey from France to India and also shares insights on the nuances of education in India in view of trending techniques and styles shaping the industry.
Florence Recalde, Hair Director and Transformation Specialist from France, is affiliated with JCB Salon in Mumbai. With over 23 years of expertise in the luxury salon industry, Florence is celebrated for her transformative hair work, blending technical accuracy with creative artistry. As a French Trainer at Jean Claude Biguine in Mumbai, Florence Recalde introduces Indian clients to the finesse of French hair techniques and global trends, delivering personalised consultations and cutting-edge styling.
What key differences have you observed between French hair techniques and Indian preferences, and how do you merge the two in your styling at JCB Salon?
French customers prefer natural and easy-to-maintain hairstyles for everyday life. In contrast, Indian customers tend to favour more elaborate and glamorous styles, even for daily wear. I adapt my approach to provide advice that helps them feel confident with their natural hair, showing them how to manage it effortlessly and maintain a polished look as part of their daily routine.
The luxury salon industry often caters to clients looking for personalised care. How do you ensure that each consultation and service is uniquely tailored to individual clients?
First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand the needs and lifestyles of my clients. The consultation process, and understanding their habits and quality of life are key to providing perfect personalisation in haircut, colour, and care, and ensuring the quality of the results. This requires effective communication, mutual understanding, and a lot of trust between both parties.
In your experience as a French trainer, what are the most important techniques or skills that you focus on when training on Indian hairstylists?
As far as I know, the French and Indian markets, I want to share my insights with my Indian team. I aim to share my tips in a playful and engaging way, introducing interesting techniques to help them improve easily. I want them to enjoy their work, become more creative and confident, and enhance their ability to provide personalised, high-quality, and efficient services
What are some current global hair trends you’re excited about, and how do you plan to incorporate them into your work here in India?
I feel it’s a real challenge to pick up trends in India. For example, the bob is a super trendy style with a lot of character; it can be personalised for most clients. A bob can be short, medium, shaggy, or layered — there are many options. We can play with face-framing and natural balayage. This combination can create an amazing look, especially on wavy and curly hair. It’s so trendy and effortless to maintain. Short hair in general!
Having worked in such a fast-evolving industry, how do you strike the balance between technical precision and artistic creativity in hair transformations?
It involves understanding the client, mastering fundamental techniques, and paying attention to detail. We need to draw inspiration from various sources and be open to new ideas. Tailor each transformation and adjust based on individual characteristics and feedback. We must keep up with trends while refining our skills. This approach ensures that transformations are both technically flawless and creatively inspiring.
What are some of your favourite hair transformation success stories from your time at Jean Claude Biguine, and how did you approach those projects?
One of my favourite clients, who is usually uneasy with any kind of technical services due to a previous bad experience, trusted me for a full hair balayage transformation. This required bleaching to achieve the desired result. She allowed me to proceed as I saw fit, and I delivered the perfect outcome without causing any damage, resulting in an unexpectedly wonderful result for her. It involved a lot of communication and trust on both sides. I had to explain the technical aspects thoroughly to convince her and make her feel comfortable and confident.
What advice would you give to aspiring hairstylists looking to break into the luxury salon space, especially in a competitive market like India? What aspect of training do you think plays a vital role in this context?
It’s not an easy job. It’s not just about coming in, cutting hair, and going home. The unforgettable experience a hairdresser provides involves sharing a part of their soul, heart, and love for hair texture and the human experience. Creativity is crucial, but building a good relationship and connection with trust and personalised advice makes all the difference. When you put your soul, heart, and love into your work, it truly stands out. Apart from the technical side, sharing love and giving hairdressers self-confidence will foster creativity.
