Drawing Hair Inspo From Classical Paintings

Posted in People People | 17 January 2019

Born and raised in Montréal, Québec, hair and session stylist Letizia Slaayer Sprio always knew she was going to follow a creative life path. “I think my parents had other plans for me, but I just wanted freedom” she explains. Sprio started working at a local hair shop when she was just 14, learning her craft after school as well as on weekends until she turned 18, when she enrolled in an academy and was scouted. She began training with L’Oréal Professional, took part in shows and competitions, and assisted great creative talents. “The majority of my time was spent shadowing stylists and colourists” she remembers, “This is where I realised I wanted to be and learn; it was precise, intimate, and personal.” Sprio’s technical skills developed and thrived but it was important to her to nurture her creative and artistic side as well.

You seem to be very interested in fine art. How do you draw inspiration from classical paintings for your work with hair? Fine art can be so ethereal. The emotions that fine art portrays, the blend of vulnerability and strength. There’s a side to colouring and cutting that is very demanding and needs a balance of vulnerable beauty and technical strength in order to be visually arresting, like these paintings. Vulnerability can be a mystery at times, but when successfully demonstrated, the aspect of strength comes through too.

Growing up, when did you know you wanted to become a session stylist? Session styling came to me as I fell in love with art history. I wanted to create that emotion, challenge my creativity and develop my skills. I refuse to plan ahead, instead I tap into the moment that engulfs the creative team and just let myself get lost. I like looking at modern shoots and magazines, but never want to simulate what I see. I always felt a deep connection to anything that had a little more age to it.

Your hair colouring imagery has a coherent dreamy or romantic feeling. How do you translate these feelings or ideas into practice? I believe it’s a blend of close analysis and liberty, polar opposites, and the mystery that links the two. Trusting in my skill set while also accepting to discover my weaknesses – failure, as some might perceive. Being somewhat aloof translates just as it should, for me.

In what ways can the hair industry become more hair conscious and sustainable? It starts from within. If you are conscious of your breathing and well-being, you will then appreciate your existence and power here on earth. We are part of an ecosystem where we have the ability to save, preserve and also heal. Green circle salon has given me hope in preserving these values. They create so many alternatives with our otherwise wasted goods. The institution I am part of, Freyja, is like no other. Our founders deserve major love. I can now connect my values to my craft.

Whose hair would you ideally like to get your hands on? I’m not celebrity obsessed, I like technical challenges and personal connections. So, I would say my father.

What’s your favourite hair trend at the moment? I love to bleach and tone to a translucent base and then – splatter! And least favourite? Foils will forever give me anxiety. Would you say you have a distinctive ‘signature’ approach to your hair work? #Dreamy. What’s your favourite thing about your profession? Succeeding with my knowledge, but equally, the prospects of succeeding with knowledge that I have yet to learn. What is your ultimate goal to achieve with your work? For you to feel emotions and for me to make history.