60 Second Interview Sam Burnett

from SURREY ROCKS OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE

Ria Elaina – The Show Must Go On

SAM BURNETT

CONGRATS ON YOUR ESHER HARE & BONE ANNIVERSARY, ARE YOU AND THE TEAM DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL TO CELEBRATE?

Thanks a million, it’s amazing! I can’t quite believe we are already approaching 4. We will of course be eating cake and popping a few bottles of bubbly with our clients and as a celebratory thank you we are offering a ‘Birthday Blow Dry’ and indulgent Dual Sense Treatment, including a complimentary glass of Prosecco for £39.

WHAT SETS YOUR SALONS APART?

All our stylists are hand-picked by me, trained to the highest technical standards, we are active in the hairdressing industry teaching and mentoring, we work in the fashion industry where our stylist can be found backstage at London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks working on shows like Burberry, Chanel, Dior creating the trends, translating them, then bringing them back in to the salon. Above all else we truly care about our clients and their hair journey.

WHAT ARE HIGHLIGHTS AND PITFALLS OF OWNING YOUR OWN SALONS?

Being your own boss and being your own boss, ha-ha. In all seriousness I would say the main pitfalls are keeping everyone happy, I mean it’s a people business all the way from the Salon teams to our client. We strive to always deliver the highest standards even with the past few year’s challenges, that we have over come by being proactive, responsive, and pulling together as a team. I love all the work I do externally to Hare & Bone, but being in the salon is my ‘happy place’, where I can connect with my clients and team, so having a Hare home and family is the highlight.

YOU ARE ALWAYS UP TO DATE ON CURRENT TRENDS, WHERE DO YOU GET MOST OF YOUR INSPIRATION?

Street fashion, working backstage at Fashion Weeks, exhibitions and working with people’s individuality.

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS AUTUMN/ WINTER?

Lux coppers, classic blonde highlights with a golden hue, face framing panels of colour, embrace those curls or add some volume with a perm, more polished hair with stunning blow outs like we saw at Chanel.

HAVING STYLED THE BIGGEST AND BEST MUSIC STARS, MODELS AND PRESENTERS, WHO WAS THE BEST TO WORK WITH AND WHY?

Awww this is tricky questions as each of them have their own special memories and stand out moments but if I had to choose one, I’d have to say Charli XCX as we worked together for about 7 years, travelling all over the world shooting music videos, red carpets, festivals, fashion weeks. I had a lot of firsts with Charli and definitely got into mischief and had fun.

YOU ALSO STYLE FOR FASHION WEEKS, HOW HAVE THE SHOWS GONE THIS YEAR?

The shows have been amazing and I’m actually answering these questions whilst at Paris Fashion Week in between shows. Actually, come to think of it we did have last minute reshuffle to squeeze in the Burberry show in London the day we travelling to Paris as it was originally scheduled for the day of our late Queen’s funeral. WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING

Sam Burnett is an award-winning hair stylist and owner of the Esher and Fitzrovia based salons, Hare & Bone. At just 23 years old, Sam won the prestigious ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award at the British Hairdressing Awards and was honoured as a member of the Fellowship F.A.M.E team. Sam has also worked as a session stylist with editorial work featuring in publications including Elle, In Style, Indie, Wonderland, Dazed and Nylon. He has also styled A list celebrities including Dua Lipa, Erin O’Conner, Jessie J, Emma Willis, Charli XCX, Rizzle Kicks and Laura Whitmore to name a few. On the eve of Hare & Bone Esher’s 4th anniversary Surrey Rocks caught up with our fab columnist and the main man behind the Hare & Bone brand.

THAT’S HAPPENED TO YOU WHILE STYLING?

This is funny now, but it wasn’t at the time. I was styling the hair for a music artist who was performing on a yacht at Cannes Film Festival, I extended their hair with a long ponytail, I was told it would be static performance so I only lightly pinned it in; to my absolute horror they ramped up the performance, vigorously swinging her hair around and around and around, all I could envisage was the 20 inch ponytail flying off and landing in the Mediterranean sea. Thankfully it just about held on, and I lived to work another day.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT?

Opening Hare & Bone, the first time I was lead stylist at a Fashion Show, winning ‘British Newcomer’ at The British Hairdressing Awards and being invited to Buckingham Palace for services to The Royal Family.

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE 3 THINGS TO A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

My dog Reggie, Music, Chocolate.

WHO WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL CELEBRITY DINNER PARTY GUESTS?

Ru Paul, Oprah Winfrey, Oscar Wilde, Adele & Vivienne Westwood.

BEST ADVICE EVER GIVEN?

Be yourself as everyone else is already taken. Thanks Oscar Wilde.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE GROWING UP?

I have known since the age of three that I wanted to be a hairstylist.

WE HEAR YOU GREW UP IN SURREY, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

I grew up in Sutton, it’s a London Borough with a Surrey post code so I can swing either way, ha-ha. It’s such a fantastic location to grow up in with easy access to the countryside, the coast and central London. Growing up I was drawn to the city and always knew that’s where I wanted to be, as I have matured, I find myself being pulled more towards the country life, so the Esher salon makes a lot of sense.

ARE THERE PLANS TO EXPAND BEYOND YOUR SURREY AND LONDON SALONS IN THE FUTURE?

I have always said we will grow Hare & Bone organically so if and when the time is right there could well be additional salons and I could see Hare & Bone adding new strings to its bow so watch this space.