THE JOURNEY of Viktoriia Vradii

Viktoriia Vradii shot to fame in the world of hair by winning the International Collection of the Year Award at British Hairdressing Awards 2022. She is undoubtedly a talent to vouch for, and behind it all lies an amazing story of passion and perseverance. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with her about her aweinspiring journey.

The British Hairdressing Awards (BHA) are touted as the Oscars of the hairdressing world. Millions of hairdressers across the globe dream of attending the Awards function and watch their favourite mentors in action. Being nominated for the BHAs is truly an honour and winning one of its coveted trophies definitely exceeds expectations. Viktoriia of Le Salon VRV was able to achieve both when she stepped on the stage to receive the winning trophy for the International Collection Category at BHA 2023. She has become an overnight sensation and an inspiration to those who are aspiring to one day represent their nations at this prestigious event.

If you think that participating in any international competition, more so at the 2022 sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, is an impossible task, one look at Viktoriia’s incredible story will change your mind forever. She has lived the maxim ‘anything is possible.’

An internationally renowned hairdresser, Viktorria was a star artist and owner of the salon Le Salon VRV, located in the heart of Ukraine. But that was in the pre-war days. During the war, she escaped the country and came to the UK, seeking asylum as a refugee. She built a new life for herself and her family in the UK, and reclaimed her core expertise and professional skills as a hairdresser. She then entered the International Collection category of BHA 2022, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In this excerpt, Viktoriia talks about how she crafted an award-winning collection:

How does it feel to win an award at the prestigious British Hairdressing Awards?

I was very happy to hear my name as the winner in the international category. I almost fell off my chair and was in seventh heaven.

My latest collection -Gothic - was a big hit last year. I also won at the British Hairdressing Awards with this collection. For several years, winning this competition has been my dream. I spent a lot of time creating this collection and I consider this victory well deserved. For me, this victory marks a new level in my professional life as a hairdresser, and such recognition pushes me forward and gives me more self-confidence.

What was the inspiration behind this collection?

To create the Gothic collection, I drew inspiration from Gothic styles. In a way, it can be seen as a transformed view on art. In earlier days, this trend used to be considered barbarian, controversial and non-conventional. Over time, the Gothic style blended with rock and metal and has turned into something mesmerising and magnificent. Everything is thought out, down to the smallest detail. All the elements are connected and resonate with each other. Despite the domineering dark shades, the images are strong and vibrant.

how long did it take you to create this collection - from planning to execution?

From planning to execution, I spent six months on it. I had prepared sketches of the future looks and had drawn up a plan to follow during the work with models. It made my job way easier and helped take all the small things into account.

Is there a method that can guarantee an impeccable result?

I would like to share the lifehacks that can ease the exhausting process of creating a new collection. Unfortunately, there are none. Constantly sharpening your skills, working on past mistakes (which are inevitable), doing revision of your experience, participating in contests, and putting relentless efforts in selfimprovement will help reveal all your hidden talents.

The only magic way to create a successful collection – seek new experiences and never stop learning. For a prestigious competition like the British Hairdressing Awards, there is no way to save on the money either as the best of the best compete there.

What tips would you like to give to the aspirants who want to participate in BhA’s International Category?

a) All images in the collection and the entire collection should look like a single whole.

b) Pay more attention to details.

c) To win, you must do more than you can.

What are your plans after winning this prestigious award?

My main goal right now is to win the British Hairdressing Awards two more times and be part of its Hall of Fame.

INDIA GEARS UP

Taking a cue from Viktoriia Vradii, our aim at Professional Beauty x Hairdressers Journal is to ensure that we have at least one entrant in 2023 from the amazing talent pool in India. So far, South Asia has remained unrepresented at the British Hairdressing Awards. We hope that India is able to take the lead and show the world what skill and creativity can really do.

To give our hairdressers a morale boost, we engaged with top mentors from the industry to understand what can be done to make Indian hairdressers ready to take on such high profile international competitions.

Seema Jerajani, Founder, SVJ Academy

“Hairdressing industry here is quite different. It’s so focused on the bridal industry or season, as we call it in India. The kind of work one needs to do to compete internationally is very different. More exposure to international trends and styling is needed. Awareness and even online education from award winning international artists can make a big difference.”

Savio John Pereira, Artistic Director and CEO, Savio John Pereira Salon

“India is totally ready to participate at the awards. I am planning to participate, too. The most important factor is working with a mentor and putting a great hair and colour team together, with a strong individual skill set for colouring, cutting and styling, which will assist in achieving your vision. And last but not the least, one needs a strong team when participating as an individual at BHAs.”

Vipul Chudasama, Director and Founder, Vipul Chudasama Salon and Academy

“The Indian hairdressing industry has grown by leaps and bounds, with many talented hairstylists making their mark on the international stage. While a few artists may participate, the production cost is a big question.

The five key areas to train the new generation to be BHA-ready include:

• Vision to showcase hair art

• Detailed understanding of core hairdressing

• Create to recreate

• Business and marketing skills

• Respect for hair and talent

With proper training and education, Indian hairdressers can make their mark on the global stage and bring glory to the Indian hairdressing industry.”

 -Complied by Priyanka Parshurami