Wella Passionista Elton Steve Vessoaker takes the glam factor notches up as he gives Prakruti Mishra a fun and trendy look with #ElectricCopper.
Elton Steve Vessoaker, Hair Specialist & Educator and Wella Passionista, teamed up with actor, singer and National Award winner Prakruti Mishra to create the #ElectricCopper look for the Kromatic 2.0 Collection. True to her personality, Prakruti wanted her hair colour to look playful, fun and trendy. Elton came up with the perfect palette for her that was as sparkling and striking as Prakruti herself is. Elton was sure about using copper for her hair but the tones and techniques were decided after much deliberation as he wanted to create a stand-out look for her without making it too loud. As tricky as copper can be, it is his technique, Wella’s wide colour palette and Prakruti’s playful personality that makes #ElectricCopper a stunning hair trend to look forward to.
Elton has used Koleston Perfect and Blondorplex to create the #ElectricCopper look on Prakruti. Kanishka Ramchandani quizzes him about his inspiration and thought process behind it in an exclusive interaction.
How does it feel like to be a Wella Passionista?
Quite exciting, to be honest. I grew up at Nalini’s, watching Natasha and other stylists being Wella Ambassadors. It was something I was looking forward to being a part of as well. It was not just for the title but for the exposure that Wella has given their ambassadors over the past 15 years. The Indian Wella ambassadors are trained and educated by international trainers. They in turn came and taught us. That’s the kind of strong upbringing I received in hairdressing. Now I am looking forward to passing on my knowledge to others. To finally reach this position of being a Wella Passionista was touching and humbling for me, but it’s also a moment of pride because Wella focusses so much on education and on making sure that their amazing range of products are used in innovative ways. You need to be well versed with state-of-the-art techniques and that’s what we get abreast with by being a Wella Passionista.
How has the experience of working on the Kromatic 2.0 Collection been for you?
I got so excited right from that very first call! Before they even finished the sentence, I was already planning my looks. It’s very exciting because this is what I really want, to get the opportunity to create something from scratch. It’s not about creating a collection, it’s about the whole principle and a teaching opportunity behind each of those looks. The Kromatic 2.0 collection is here to make a change in societal preconceived notions about hair color and offers something edgy or trendy for people who like to experiment with different looks and not blend in with what everyone else is doing. The road shows conducted by Wella Professionals give us a chance to share our knowledge with a wide pool of hairstylists and are a brilliant way to connect with the community. It’s the small things that the stylists are able to learn at our events that matter the most to them. The messages that we get online post our shows are all very touching. We get a chance to help someone in their art, in their craft, in their career. That’s what Wella Professionals is doing through us!
Tell us about this look – #ElectricCopper – that you have created for Prakruti Mishra.
Although I coined the term #ElectricCopper much later, when I met Prakruti it was very evident that she had a spark of energy. I looked at her Instagram page to know what kind of person she is and to get her vibe as a person. She was extremely energetic! She’s singing and dancing and doing a whole range of other things. When I spoke to her, the first thing she said was that she wants something different from regular and she likes something vibrant. So, it was clear that she likes to stand out. We decided to do something fiery. Generally, we tend to gravitate towards reds, plums and burgundies, but for Prakruti we went for a fiery copper. It is fun, electric, and truly stands out.
Do you think copper is one of the most misunderstood warm colour?
Yes definitely, because there’s such a fine line when you’re experimenting with copper tones. The Wella portfolio allows you to mix and match, which expands the colour portfolio with multiple combinations of different shades. It’s important to find the right copper, to suit your skin, your natural hair colour, your eyes, your lifestyle. If you have too many greys, the copper can end up looking slightly like henna. So, you have to get the right copper tone to make the hair look luxurious and expensive.
What technique did you use?
I’ve created the stunning #ElectricCopper look with different copper hues of Koleston Perfect. I wanted to create something that is versatile. So basically, it’s concentric circles or tear drop sections. I am teaching this technique at the roadshow as well. The way you place the colour is slightly different, it’s a process of moving from something very blended to something quite vivid. Concentric sections of different tones around the head help create this beautiful craziness!
How do you think this look suits Prakruti in the various roles that she has as a singer, an actor, etc.?
Prakruti’s such a versatile personality- she’s a singer, an actor, an influencer and in all of this she stands out. The #ElectricCopper hair color is designed for people who like to stand out and flaunt their unique style. The color is fun yet playful, just like Prakruti and it gives her a distinct look that sets her apart. It suits her personality with a spark, and works so brilliantly for her.
#ElectricCopper ft. Prakruti Mishra and Elton Steve
What advice would you like to give to colourists when they’re recreating this look in the salons?
We’ve got a great portfolio in the Wella Koleston perfect for coppers as there are lots of options to choose from. The one thing you need to be cautious about with the #ElectricCopper look is the placement of the sections. There are few ways in which you change the placement and it’ll drastically impact the way the colour looks. Even an inch here or there can take it from being very soft and blended to being very striking. An advice I would like to give to hairstylists and customers as well is their aim needs to be to find what works best for them and their clients.
By – Kanishka Ramchandani
