A little bit of HairMeetWardrobe comes to town!

Mark Hampton in his element.

You’d think that someone so young, a someone who’s rubbed shoulders with the kings and queens of the style and music world – the Kings of Leon and Alexander McQueens (literally) – would be half a prima donna himself. But Mark Hampton, global hair ambassador for Toni&Guy’s Hair Meet Wardrobe initiative is down to earth and competent. I guess when you know your craft you don’t need the airs and graces to ride on. That said Adele, he shared in the chat we had at the Unilever head office in Pakistan, is quite the diva. Despite being uber talented.

With the very experienced Mark Hampton of Toni & Guy in Karachi.

And so is Mark, uber talented that is. His sleeves were rolled down, covering the tattoos that decorate his forearms and the stud on his lower lip removed (a faintly visible perforation left as evidence) probably for Pakistan. But he was quite relaxed considering the warnings that precede everyone’s trip to Pakistan, Karachi especially.

“Yeah, my mother was worried,” he brushed off any personal apprehensions in a second. “For me it’s work and it starts the second you jump on a plane for an assignment.” In Mark’s case, he had jumped on a plane from Paris, doing the fashion week rounds. He recently did hair for Vivienne Westwood and Tod Lynn shows, amongst others. Call me crazy but I felt he brought a little bit of the magic with him; at least I stayed happy for the rest of the day…and what a day it was, you’ll agree.

In Karachi with the Hair Meet Wardrobe experience for Toni&Guy, he explained how hair was such a valuable component of fashion and fashion week. “You can’t have the clothes without the hair; it’s the complete look you’re constructing at fashion week,” he explained the details, which will appear in an interview I’ll be sending to Herald. I will say, however, that this would be a good time to elevate the standard of hair styled at Fashion Weeks in Pakistan. Till now the hair and makeup artist has been more of a technician, adapting styles according to the dictation of designers but having no real vision himself/herself.

Mark posing with some of the great products that will be coming to Pakistan soon. And yes, I was given a bagful to take away and try!

 Mark, to my delight, explained how ‘looks’ were established for a show. And holding up a can of Toni&Guy mousse (left), added that 120 of these cans were emptied backstage at the last show he did. I guess many more will be used tonight, when Mark will work with the equally young and dynamic Feeha Jamshed to recreate the HairMeetWardrobe experience in Karachi. It should be a great experience; I wish I were around to see it. But I strongly suggest he be flown in for fashion week! Why ever not!

Till then, ladies can benefit from his expertise (I did) and be sure to get a can of the Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturising Spray, which will be available soon. The sea salt absorbs excess oil (we know how oily our scalp can get in this hot and humid climate) and the spray leaves a matte glow to thick hair. Yep, that’s for us. This product is tailor made for our type and this is coming from someone (me) who never puts product in the hair!