Joseph Koniak is the founder and director of Joseph Koniak Hair and artistic director on the smash show Downton Abbey.¬†He is a renowned and established artist, an authority in the industry and a popular choice for high-profile hairstyling of all kinds.¬†He has spent over 23 years in the industry, styling for clients, celebrities and for movie sets and international events. Here’s what Joesph had to say..
Getting the job on Downton is a massive achievement. How did you go about learning those period styles and do you think they are still relevant today?
Learning period hair styles takes¬†a lot¬†of research and practice. ¬†My¬†journey¬†actually began on period hair dressing when i did ‘The Golden Ball’ directed by Kenneth Branagh. ¬†After which, I fell in love with period hairdressing¬†as i felt it was the heart of pure hairdressing. ¬†Period styles are¬†particular¬†relevant¬†today as the modern woman looks to seek an elegant stylish and¬†often¬†a¬†vintage feel.
You run a successful salon with an impressive portfolio, what advice would you give to an ambitious salon owner wanting to emulate your success?
One piece of advice I always give myself is “if you want to fly¬†with the the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks”. Find your idols in business and/or hairdressing and copy¬†their systems¬†until¬†they become your own.
What product could you not live without in your salon and why?
Diva is¬†particularly special for me as it embraces the¬†professional¬† art of hairdressing with the ability to create styles at home. Very hard to choose a ‘must have’ but if i have too… it would be my Diva Hot Pod.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
What I would love to see is for the government to recognise hairdressing as a valued art and skill. To do well in this industry, training is key.  One thing that I would like to see a change in, is having a higher level of education at NVQ level not just the technical side but also having a balance between the creative and the business side of hairdressing.
What trends do you predict being big in 2014 and how do you ensure your salon is always up on the latest trends?
They key to following trends is keeping your eyes and ears open.  Still focusing on quality of hair through treatments such as keratin blow drys and now the implementation of Argan Style hair tools (Diva being a great promotor of this) one can create great texture whilst marinating gloss and finish.  Im off to New York Fashion week tomorrow with my tools in hand ready for the Spring Summer trends. The styles this coming year are very much vintage edged, with a glossy tousle. Big Waves with random texture.
