BEHIND THE LENS Cyfnos

Casey Coleman shares the story behind his collection, Cyfnos meaning ‘dusk’ in Welsh

HAIR: CASEY COLEMAN

MAKE-UP: ROSEANNA VELIN

STYLING: ANNA LATHAM

PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD MILES

What do you love about this collection?

I love that it’s all me. I love pushing the commercial norm to see how we can take trends and elevate them to feel high end and unusual. I love finding beauty in the weird, whether it’s creative shapes enhanced by strong colour or unusual styling, this collection is an expression of what goes on in my head.

What was the inspiration behind the hair?

I generally take an image that isn’t hair related and use the emotion it portrays to create looks. I wanted the hair to feel extreme but also beautiful. I always try and find ways to push a look one step further, and the hair was a reflection of me doing that. I don’t consider myself a ‘cutter’, so I wanted to include haircuts that challenged me.

How did you go about setting up the shoot?

I always work out a date that me and my team are available first. It’s important that I have support on a shoot and my team who I’ve worked with for years are the most important asset. I generally plan my shoot after I’ve finished my last one, so it takes time curating the aesthetic and finding models to pair with looks that match the vibe. After several meetings with my photographer, we plan how the day will run and what we need to do to create the final images.

Did anything go wrong on the day?

Nothing on the shoot went wrong… but my carpenter drilled into a pipe at my newly opened salon so as I was starting my day I’d found out my new space had been slightly flooded and water damaged. Because I was in London there was nothing I could do so I just got on with my day and dealt with it later!

Do you have a significant memory from the day?

The end was the standout memory because I felt like this was my best shoot to date. I felt extremely proud and also grateful that I’d had a support team to make my vision a reality. This is my one project a year where it’s all mine; nobody else’s ideas, just my creativity. So when it’s finished and you see the results, it’s just the best feeling in the world.