Creative Stylist and Educator with LOOKS Salon in GK2, Delhi, Gourav Bhardwaj is not your regular hairstylist. His robust experience has taught him to style hair keeping in mind its natural flow and a person’s personality
early childhood
I was born and bought up in Gwalior and belong to a jeweller’s family. In the beginning, my family was against my entering the line of hair dressing, but it wasn’t their fault as their lifestyle was totally different.
getting into hairdressing
I was 16 when I got into hairdressing. It was too early for me to decide what I wanted to do, but during school, it was my dream to become drummer and even wanted to join a rock band. I didn’t want to study and at the same time, I wanted to support my mom financially, who is a make-up artist. At this juncture, I decided to do foundation course in hair dressing. I did a three-month foundation course from Jawed Habib in Kolkata. After completing the course, I started assisting my seniors. I didn’t face any difficulties as such, I guess I was blessed with good seniors especially Naushad Ahmed, my faculty, who I still admire. After assisting him for a month, I started taking on clients and that’s where my actual struggling period started. I had very little experience and a young face, so I had to try harder, and perhaps, even make mistakes. I learnt from all the mistakes, which was good.
first job and then
I worked with Jawed Habib for three years and six months in Kolkata, eight months in Ahmedabad, one and a half years in Baroda and VLCC for two years where I met Rukmini Honawar who helped me in sharpening my skills. Then I moved to BBLUNT where I worked for two and a half years. It was a turning point for me when I joined and I take this opportunity to thank the entire BBLUNT team. I’ve now been with LOOKS Salon for nine months.
current job
Working as a Creative Stylist and Educator is a big responsibility to share with new comers. l I have to take care of in-house training and shoots, movies and fashion shows. Since the beginning, I’ve been using L’Oréal Professionnel products so am comfortable with them. Eight years of making people look beautiful!
fav tools
Tong and dryer. With them, I can turn any bad hair day into a good one.
trends for the season
We have covered everything till now – loud colours, ombré, soft colour, short haircut, undercut, long cuts asymmetric and lots more. I believe, to work according to a season is to make clones, so I work as per a client’s hair texture and lifestyle. Everything is in vogue, but it’s all about you and how you can carry it off.
my success mantra
If you will do what you are doing, you will get what you’ve got. So to get something you have to do something.
my view on this industry
I have seen lot of changes in industry. I remember when I started, the industry was in a sad state, but now we have fantastic opportunities! We can get into movies, fashion show, editorials, consultancy, education – the works. So far, we doing good, but it’s still far from excellent. When I see people coming from abroad to train us or to judge Indian Hairdressing Awards, I ask myself why is it that there is no one from India who is training hairstylists at British Hairdressing Awards (BHA) or any competition in the world? We have talent, but we have to work very hard to sharpen our skills.
advice for aspirants
Be focused, be grounded, sharpen your basics as to break the rule, one should know the rule.
awards won
I won the first-ever reality show based on hairdressing on Zoom called A Cut Above.
my future plan
To become a good mentor.
would love to style
Rihanna…I just love her!
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