Episode 4 Do or Dye - Hair Academy

Hairdressing is a glamorous industry...

Unless you're bleeding from every orifice, you can't be off sick.

..but it's also a competitive one,

with more than 10,000 hairdressers in Scotland,

where the top stylists can earn over £70,000 a year.

Award-winning hairdressers Rainbow Room International

run Scotland's biggest training academy...

I have sent them home for having bad fake tan

or when their make-up is not done properly.

I went for more of a natural kinda look.

..where they play just as hard as they work.

It's like a big dysfunctional family.

That's exactly what it's like.

For one year, we follow students

through their basic hairdressing qualification Level 2...

I can do that, you know what I mean?

And I just get nervous on the day.

..and others in their second year Level 3 advanced qualification.

My ambition is to be one of the best.

You've got to be on it. Like, see if you're not on it one day,

-honestly you're screwed, you're literally screwed.

-Yeah.

But do they have what it takes to make it through the Hair Academy?

You're probably a better hairdresser than...

-Everybody.

-Aye(!)

Coming up.

The assistants are under pressure to host their own catwalk show...

I'm a little stressed out right now.

We'll see what happens. Hopefully, I don't die.

..stylist Sarah Jane ties the knot...

Och, I'm just dead excited, I just cannae wait.

..and our Level 2 students find out if they're being kept on.

We have to be very clear that we're getting the right person through.

Our Level 2 assistants are coming towards the end of their first year

at the Rainbow Rooms. It's an important stage in their training.

Control that enthusiasm coming through there!

Angel's friend Eilidh has come in to the academy for a funky haircut

after recently shaving part of her hair off.

I can't believe that. I would be freaked out if that was me.

Angel is being assessed on a short graduation

and clipper over-comb cut by teacher Sarah Jane.

I think we should take it a lot more funkier.

Cos it's so heavy through the back. Ha-ha.

And, although not part of the assessment,

before Angel cuts the hair, she will be colouring it blonde.

Something completely different.

I can't believe I'm making you go blonde.

In my defence, your skin colour

and your eye colour is telling you to go blonde.

-How's your head feeling? Heavy?

-Yeah.

No going back now!

But the bleach hasn't fully worked,

so the plan has changed for Angel's client.

It'd just be more fun to add different colours in it

and make it quite mad that way. Quite exciting, innit?

-OK, follow me.

-Good, well done.

And with their Rainbow Room career at stake,

the pressure is on for all of the Level 2 students.

I would be really, really ecstatic to be kept on in the Rainbow Room,

it's like a really big deal to me.

I'd be dead grateful to get kept on for my Level 3.

Once you've worked that hard to get through one level,

it's just natural to want to go on and complete the whole thing.

It's not me that makes the decision

as to whether they're going to get kept on or not.

The directors will find out from us how their training has gone.

It's purely down to their own effort that they've put into it.

I've still got a few colours to do,

work my way through the cuts.

It's fine, I'm enjoying it.

Some bits I have been quite struggling

and then other bits have been quite easy.

Styling and setting, that's been quite hard so I'm just kinda, like,

working with them a bit more and then eventually get them passed off.

It's not just about passing off everything,

it's about experience and the more heads of hair you can get through

at the end of your qualification,

you'll be a better hairdresser for it.

On the salon floor,

Angel has decided on some new colours for Eilidh's hair.

So you want copper here and then red and copper through the ends.

OK, I can do that, I'll mix it up.

I'm very excited to see Angel.

I'm freaking out, I'm telling you.

-You're freaking out, Is that a good thing?

-So hold the hair here.

With the colour all done,

it's just a matter of the finishing touches

to the short graduation haircut.

So this was your short graduation and then you over combed.

-That was scissor over comb.

-And clipper over comb.

Yeah, and clipper over comb, yeah.

-Yeah, on the top it was more just, like, different.

-Mm-hm.

So after finishing the haircut,

it's time for Angel to find out

if her short graduation assessment has been passed off.

A really good transformation.

And the client seems really pleased with it as well. Well done.

Much more confidence in you now doing haircuts.

-Pleased to tell you your assessment's been passed.

-Thanks.

Keep up the good work and all that.

I was nervous to start with

because, obviously, the client's hair was a wee bit longer

and then going dead short, so you just need to overcome that

and not, like, show you're nervous or anything like that.

But, no, I'm really, really pleased with my results.

She's developed and come on so far throughout the year,

it's been a joy to see.

She's always been a big personality

and now her skills kinda match her personality.

Well, it's good.

For the assistants in the Great Western Road salon,

there's some welcome relief from their training

as John is taking them for their annual awayday.

This year, they're going white water rafting.

16 hairdressers going down the Tay in a boat with wet suits on,

so it should be good fun.

Anybody else need some waterproof mascara?

I brought some talcum powder as well. That'll help you get in a wet suit.

-You ready?

-Go!

The stretch of river is six miles long

and the second half is when the rapids begin

and we save the biggest and best till the last, sound cool?

Wicked.

I love it. I'm going to wear this wetsuit on a night out

-under my dress, it kind of sucks you in.

-Like Spanx?

-A wee bit.

Get right in...

SCREAMING

Lean back together and dip the top of the helmet in the river.

I'm not letting you fall in.

Ah, Mammy!

Two hours down the river

and we're just one big unit,

all the blades were going perfectly in the water,

like Vikings! Perfect!

Soaking wet, we had a great laugh.

Academy teacher and stylist Sarah Jane

is busy preparing for her wedding to army sergeant Jamie.

-Sparkle, sparkle!

-Yeah, they're lovely though.

Preparations began at Christmas

when he hid the engagement ring in a cracker.

I thought it was a bit cowardly putting it in a cracker, but...

No, it was lovely.

I kinda went through that moment in my head millions of times,

but it was perfect how you did it.

Yeah. And then I just cried for like 20 minutes.

I looked like Alice Cooper!

And with most of the preparations taken care of...

Hello there, guys, how are you?

..it's just a small matter of choosing their wedding rings.

It's exciting. But I definitely like that. I like the simplicity of it.

-How does that feel?

-Weird!

-Guys and girls are so different, aren't they?

-I'm comfortable with mine.

-Thankfully, yeah.

-Do you think that's the one?

-I think it might be.

Oh, I don't want to take it off!

But despite the excitement, fiance Jamie will be deploying

to Afghanistan for one more tour before their marriage.

When he's away, I think it hits me mostly

about two weeks after he's gone and that's when I cannae phone him,

I cannae pick up the phone.

If I've had a good day or a bad day, I cannae share it wi' him.

I'm fortunate enough that I've got loads of friends,

loads of family to help get me through it.

Salon director Will looks after

both the Stirling and Buchanan Street salons

and has brought assistants Angel and Alijah in to tell them

if they've passed their first year of formal training.

We have to be very, very clear

that we're getting the right person through. So with you two guys,

we've talked about you, we've talked about you and, unfortunately,

we've decided that...

..you two are definitely people

we would like to progress through to your second year.

I was actually...

..going to be let go.

-That was cruelty.

-Congratulations.

Really good, well done for making it through to your Level 3.

This is it, you're into the big time now.

-How do you feel?

-I feel nervous, good...

-Excited?

-Yeah!

-Excited?

-Yeah!

Give me a high-five.

Let's get it on, we can do this today.

That was actually sore!

I'm getting on quite well.

I've just finished Level 2 so I'm really happy about that.

Now I'm moving onto harder things to do, like, colours and cut wise,

so I'm quite excited.

I passed my Level 2 so that's really good.

But I've been doing it ever since I was 14, 15, 16, 17

so, when you're 17, it's good to finally get a qualification of it

and be like, "Yes. I can do..." Do you know what I mean?

So officially Level 2 hairdresser, yeah.

So I'm pure happy about that.

..I'm happy about that.

Having started at the academy three months after Angel and Alijah,

Austin and his class still have a few cuts to pass off

before finishing their first year at the academy.

Good morning, everybody. What I want you to do today

is have a wee look through your folders, write up about models

you've got in and what yous are going to pass off today.

To help him practise a cut and style dry,

Austin's friend Hayley has come up to the academy to model for him.

So about an inch off and no more?

Maybe we should just cut it all off.

-Just go for a bald and start again?

-Aye.

All right, Austin.

Why do you have to keep it as wet the whole way through?

Cos if it's not all the same as what it was to start, it springs up.

With the style dry done, teacher Tara has a quick look.

-So is it what you hoped?

-More. When are you next free?

-Aw, that's nice.

-You've done well.

You know what I feel? I feel a bit like Rod Stewart. I'm kidding.

I've got not too much left to do -

a couple of colours and some styling and setting and then that'll be me.

When I've finished, like, my Level 2, I think that will be like

one of the highlights and achievements, so, waiting for that.

With Jamie back safely from Afghanistan,

the big day has finally arrived for Sarah Jane,

but so far, she's taking it all in her stride.

I might fall asleep, I'm that relaxed.

Och, I'm just dead excited.

I cannae wait to see all my planning and preparation just unfold.

Aye, just really excited, dead chilled out.

I've had a lovely wee morning.

And the responsibility for doing Sarah Jane's hair on the day

has fallen to fellow stylist Tiffany.

There will be a lot of hairdressers at the wedding

so that will be a little bit of pressure.

Sarah Jane told me last night that she wanted her hair down

and all we'd been doing is trials for having it up

so that's a little bit of pressure

cos I don't know exactly how or what we're doing.

We're just winging it the day, going with the flow.

-It'll be good, no matter what.

-Aye.

And looking after Jamie's hair, is Sarah Jane's boss John.

Only thing is, does that still look like him?

No point in changing it so he looks like someone else. Yeah? OK.

Thanks very much.

CELEBRANT: Good afternoon, everyone.

MUSIC DROWNS OUT SPEECH

I solemnly and sincerely declare...

..and sincerely declare...

-..that I Jamie...

-..that I Sarah Jane...

-..accept you, Sarah Jane...

-..accept you, Jamie...

..as my lawful wedded wife.

..as my lawful wedded husband.

It is my very pleasant duty to pronounce you husband and wife.

I've had the best day ever.

I just can't wait to get on with it

and have a party with my new husband!

At the academy, the 12 salon directors have come together

to discuss the forthcoming Assistants' Show.

The Assistants' Show is a chance for every single assistant

in this company to be able to show their parents and family and friends

exactly what it is that they do.

Alan and his team still have to decide

on what format this year's show will take.

Would it not be a good idea just for each salon to identify

with a fashion and you do it like a runway show?

If you've got five assistants that want to do five models,

then it's up to them to style in whatever fashion you want to do.

I think it's more important

to actually have each salon identified individually.

So why not... You've got two or three minutes of change

and, as you said, like a runway and bang.

It's not a competition, but it is really competitive

and that's just the nature of hairdressing.

There are no rules in it, but most people really want to be artistic

and show off their talents and the skills they've learnt

in the short time that they've been with us.

Each salon has chosen a different theme

for the models' hair and make-up.

At the Uddingston salon, they've been inspired by the circus

and are trying out some ideas ahead of the Assistants' Show.

On the scalp, I'm going to have pleats and then I'm going to get

some padding and it's going to have this big, long ponytail.

I'm thinking about covering all this with blue and green here

and then making some flowers and having them coming out of the top.

This is ambitious, but it's fun because a lot of it is just padding

and things like that, so it's more visual work than technical work.

It's very, very important for us to put on a really good show,

we want our guys to, you know,

go out there and look great and do their best and have a lot of fun,

so it's exciting.

Level 3 assistant Lesley

is based in the George Square salon run by Dylan.

Lesley is a great girl, do you know that?

I mean, she's got a very charismatic personality, she's very bubbly,

she's always smiley, she's very creative

and she's got all the aspects of what could potentially go on

and make a good hairdresser.

And when it comes to hair styling,

Lesley has a unique way of remembering

the left side of the head from the right.

So I used to remember that you set the table and you always put

the fork on the left and the fork's the loser and it's on the left,

so, like, if your fork and your knife were to have a fight,

your fork would lose.

Naw, I just do that... >

That's an L and that's not, so, like, left and not left.

I was on a roundabout and he went go right and I went left.

-Why is that funny?

-You're so ridiculous!

Having come to the end of her second year of training,

Lesley has just been told she'll be getting kept on

as a stylist in the George Square salon.

In a way, I'm proud of myself for working so hard and getting it.

Having worked with Jasmine and Dylan for so long,

you feel like you owe it to them

to do well in your next step and what you're doing.

When she first started at the Rainbow Room,

Lesley would commute daily back and forth to her hometown of Dunoon,

before taking the decision to move to Glasgow full-time.

Coming up to Glasgow has been a great thing for her

and you can see the change in her in the last couple of years

and she's became far more the SJP from Dunoon.

Since moving to Glasgow,

Lesley has lived in a city centre flat along with seven other girls.

Tonight, it's one of her flatmates 21st birthdays

and, as usual, Lesley is doing all the hair.

Like, all the nurses in the ward are,

"I love your hair." And I'm like, "Yeah, my flatmate's a hairdresser!"

They all want her to do their hair.

She does my sister's hair, and she does Beth's mum and sister's hair

and Beth's sister wants her to do her wedding hair.

It is really handy to know people in good places.

With all the hair done, Lesley can finally join the party downstairs.

Hi! How are you? Oh, my God, you're soaking!

ALL: # Happy Birthday to you! # Hip hip hooray!

The party's going really well.

Everyone seems to be having a good time, the birthday girl seems happy.

It always ends up pretty messy with these guys,

so it'll be good to see what the rest of the night holds

and, hopefully, there won't be too many sore heads in the morning.

After working hard for the last year,

it's time for our six remaining Level 2 students to find out

if they're going to be kept on for their second year of training.

This is you coming to the very end of your first year of apprenticeship

and I've been really impressed with how far all of you have come on.

There was seven of this group when we started and Roisin left.

It is tough and I think you've probably realised

that it was a little bit harder doing your first year apprenticeship

than you thought it was going to be.

So it's the moment of truth for our young assistants.

The six of you have made it.

Congratulations, well done.

See you for the next year to do your Level 3.

It was a surprise but it was really good to know

that she's going to keep you on.

I feel brilliant that I'm getting kept on.

Not everybody gets kept on so I'm glad that I'm getting to do it.

Moving up to the next level, I feel a bit scared.

I feel a wee bit nervous because it's a bit more of a challenge

but I kinda like more of a challenge.

I feel great about being kept on. It's a good feeling.

I'm so excited, I can't wait, I think it will be so good,

loads of new things to learn and make yourself a better hairdresser.

It's show time for the young students as they get the opportunity

to flaunt their creative skills at the Assistants' Show.

Angel and the other Stirling students

have come to Buchanan Street to prepare the models.

The theme we're doing is metallic

so, basically, like, we had to spray paint the kirbies

to get them, like, silver

so when you go through the neon, the lights and everything like that,

it will be nice and metallic-y.

We're just doing like kirbies all the way back

and then it's just going to be like a big afro with extensions,

with metallic extensions all at the bottom.

Our theme is kinda like dark fairy tale, avant garde kinda thing,

so it's going to be kind of like a Mohican

but all the sides are all slipped back and everything

so it's going to be crazy messy and everything, so it's really cool.

I actually can't look at this.

I'm a little stressed out right now, there's a lot still to do,

she needs to get her make-up done

so, hopefully, that goes smoothly, but I don't know.

I'm sure when it gets to it, I'll be pure freaking out

but just now I'm all good, I'm still breathing.

I've got my inhaler in my bag so it's all good.

You think I'm kidding by the way!

With time running out, the students head down to the venue

where they will continue to prep the models

and rehearse for the catwalk show tonight.

I've enjoyed being in control of my model

and being able to do what I want

and doing massive, over the top.

I like doing all that instead of just simple things.

It's brought the team closer together, I'm proud of them.

I cannae wait to see the whole effect and their wee faces after it.

But it's nice to see the creative side coming out in them

and, as I'm sure you can see,

they've all got very, very grand ideas.

They break the rules a lot easier than what we do.

It's nice to see - it teaches us as well.

Hairdressing is a real creativity

and that's why people come into the industry,

so it's a really crucial part of the training that they get to show off.

You start at the front and do your back combing,

the way you normally would do it, and we'll try and create a shape.

Happy chappy!

Looking absolutely fantastic!

Get all these out, doll.

How long have we got till we go down?

A couple of minutes and then come back up.

-East Kilbride?

-Yeah!

-Brilliant.

OK, Clarkston, you're on fourth.

East Kilbride, you are on... One, two, three, four... ..sixth!

It's a complete normal short, back and sides.

It's what you would see every week on Buchanan Street in Glasgow.

My hands are actually sweating right now, I'm not kidding.

No, I am pure nervous.

When I get really nervous, I don't know, I just die.

We'll see what happens though.

Hopefully I don't die. Hopefully not. I'm pure nervous.

After a frantic afternoon,

the families and friends arrive for the Assistants' Show.

It's their first time on stage for a lot of them,

so we're looking for a huge amount of support.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the first team.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

We wanted the audience to ask, like, how did we do it kind of thing?

-So we did just a bunch of random stuff!

-There you go,

that's the technical description - "We did some random stuff"!

It went so well! I loved it.

It was, like, the first of many hair shows that we're going to do,

for sure.

A great experience, definitely. Loved it.

At the start, I didn't know if I was more nervous or more excited

but, see once they got on, I had a pure buzz and it was great.

It was absolutely amazing. Amazing.

I am so proud of every single person and I am absolutely delighted.

My year has been great.

It's just taught me a lot more about hairdressing

and about life in general.

Austin's got love bites!

I feel good that I've been kept on.

I didn't expect it, but I'm just going to go for it.

I'm quite chuffed to actually start doing, like, more difficult things

and give myself more of a challenge.

I've learnt a lot since I started.

I really want to be the sort of guy... "Who cut your hair?" "Jack."

We're going to have words.

I really would love to work for Rainbow Rooms when I'm a stylist.

Is that OK? I don't want to get my hopes up too high

but I think that it's possible.

Don't you worry about that, my friend.

When you first come in,

you don't realise what you can be in hairdressing.

-Binky...

-What is it?

-Star!

You don't realise how busy things can get and how exciting it can be.

I really want to go down the route of photo-shoots and catwalk shows.

Being able to work up

and being able to do that as a career would be amazing.

I'm dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead chuffed.

Oh, I'm having a moment!

It's a smidge cheeseball!

Let's go and do a model.

The reality has made me want to do it even more, to be honest with you.

I definitely still love it, still want to do it completely.

It's just given me more drive to do...to become a better hairdresser.

I feel really good.