Over the next few months, Michael will be interviewing some of the industry’s most influential people, often the power behind the most high-profile brands. Michael chose Claire Shread, owner of salon and product brand Umberto Giannini, as his first interviewee. You can listen to the full podcast here , but here are some highlights from when Michael met Claire.
Michael
Tell me a little of your story. You started out as an artist, didn’t you?
Claire
Yes, I did. After leaving art college I worked for many years as a mural painter. I created large-scale murals, working mostly in the nightclub industry. My first commission, after leaving art college, was at the Barbican Centre in London. I had to look up how to paint a mural but soon realised I could make money doing this!
I’d say I was always thinking in a self-employed way. My dad was a builder and I grew up in a house where my dad ran his own business. I always thought I would work for myself. I didn’t ever plan too far ahead in terms of my career, I think it’s important not to have too rigid a plan, especially when you are young. Just do what you would do if nobody paid you, because that is what you will become and be able to sustain the energy for throughout your life.
Michael
How have you ended up in hair?
Claire
I met Umberto in the early 90’s when he was about to open a salon in the centre of Birmingham. I had my company, which had diversified, and he contacted me to design the new salon. We met and became partners. My mum was a client of his and had shown him pictures of some of my work. He loved the big, dramatic mural idea for his salon, which was very different to anything anyone else was doing with their salons at the time. We had everything hand-made. I was, and still am, a big believer in supporting artists, so if you want a piece of furniture, look and see if there is someone making something near you rather than going to the usual retailers.
Michael
I remember Umberto. He was a really big deal. What was he like when you met him?
Claire
Before I met Umberto, I thought I was the most motivated person I knew, but his energy levels were incredible. He was really creative and loved people. So, a massive part of hairdressing for him was that interaction. He was a big character, lots of fun, and much loved by his clients and the wider industry.
Michael
Had you ever considered the hair world as a career?
Claire
No. As someone with naturally curly hair, the last person I wanted to see was my hairdresser! They would always be like ‘sorry you’ve got curls’. I honestly hardly ever went into hair salons. I could only really do my hair myself. Even Umberto said ‘Thank goodness, a girlfriend who won’t want me to do her hair 24/7!’.
Michael
Did you immerse yourself in his business?
Claire
Not at all, my own business was doing really well. I just supported Umberto in a few areas, especially when he wanted to launch his own products. I got involved at that point. Umberto contacted Robin Derrick, who was British Vogue’s artistic director, and asked him to design the bottle. Robin, thankfully, said yes and we had a fantastic time designing the range.
Michael
How did the range come about?
Claire
It really was off the back of the professional haircare market growing. What Umberto did differently was launch a range of products from a beauty aspect. It was all about real women, from the very first advert in 1998 which used real women rather than models. Hair was completely undone and totally different to the hairdressing of the time. It was more about making you look your best, and that is very much still at the heart of the brand.
Michael
Was it difficult to get it off the ground?
Claire
Yes, it was extremely difficult. Originally the brand was launched in partnership with a manufacturer. After Umberto’s tragic early death there was an issue with having a range featuring the name of someone who was no longer there.
Michael
At what point did Umberto become ill?
Claire
I was pregnant with our second child when Umberto became ill. He was ill for about 18 months and died at the age of 33. He’d been travelling as artistic director for Schwarzkopf and came back from a trip not feeling well and it escalated from there.
Originally, I stepped in to look after the business while Umberto was getting treatment. Then when everything went horribly and tragically the wrong way, I was determined his name was going to live on. I really threw myself into making sure the brand had a future.
Michael
It’s an amazing legacy to keep alive, as I’m sure a lot of people did wonder how the brand would survive without the figurehead.
Claire
I think creativity saved it. It’s a beautiful name. You know it has finesse and is cosmopolitan. There are a whole load of cues. I just built on that.
I focused on curls, because that was one area of hairdressing I understood. In my experience, what a woman does at home with her hair is totally different to what is done in the salon. You need completely different products. That allowed new products to be developed which really set the course for the legacy. There are now around 70 products in the range covering pretty much every hair type.
We’re fully vegan as a brand. I’m a lifelong vegetarian and mostly vegan. It was important for me to make it totally vegan which was very difficult. Now it’s a real trend.
Listen to the full podcast on PodBean
