In 1979 Clancey left New York to train at the Sassoon Academy in Westwood Village, Los Angeles, quite simply because “it was the be all and end all, the top of the industry. If I was to be a hairdresser, I wanted to be the best.”
By 1991 she was head colourist for North America, creating teaching programmes, helping product development, staging shows and tending to her clientele. She sees the Sassoon philosophy as liberating: “How we handle hair is always fresh, we never stay in the same place for too long, we’re constantly moving – and more importantly we make people | happy with great colour and a great cut – then I know I’ve done my job.”
Clancey’s love of colour stems from Sunday afternoons at the Tate Gallery when she was based in London, in particular the experiments with light and colour by the painters Turner and Constable, “where you can clearly see how colour works, what complements and what conflicts”.
She is a dynamic teacher, committed to helping others reach their full potential and emulate her love of her craft. As she puts it, “colour talks to me”. |
