The Ed.
Well-Known Member
Every day for the delectable David Barton is different: whether it's editorials, fashion shows, photo shoots, celebrities or clients, David Barton is constantly in demand as one of the kick-ass nail professionals in London Town. Salon Geek took some (well-deserved) time out to sit down and have a chat with him about this year's fashion week. Here's what he had to say...
1. First up, can you tell us a little bit about how you got into session tech work?
It all started off here on Salon Geek. I met Marian Newman at a trade show where she was selling her autograph. I bought her a cup of tea (rule number one if you want to get on), had a little chat and a few weeks later was given the opportunity to join her team for her salon work. Often I would get a call asking if I could go and assist Marian on shoots. This is where I was taught my session etiquette and it was the most valuable training I could have ever received; seeing how things work behind the scenes, when to move in to do your work and when to stand back so you're not in the way of the make up or hair artists, how and when to apply session nails and all the little tricks of the trade that you wouldnt do in everyday life as a technician.
2. Do you remember the first time you worked at fashion week? Any stories?
It was nerve racking but exciting. You just don't know what to expect. It's not as glamorous backstage as you may think. It's hard intense work with all hands on deck and everyone from hair, make up and nails working together to create the look to work for the show. All of our work is often crawling around the floors and under tables to get to models whilst other artists work on their hair and make up and, lo and behold, if there is a model arriving late, she can have up to eight people working on her and you also have to get in there to do their nails. Being tall, I quickly realised that it was easier to push someone else in to do this job rather than me getting into some funny position and being stuck there with cramp and not able to get up when everyone else had left the building!
3. What shows did you do this year? What were the briefs? Got any pictures?
This season in London my shows were Kinder Aguggini, Mark Fast, Todd Lynn and Aminaka Wilmont. My briefs this season were along the lines of goth, ghost, punk, glamorous and grunge. You start prepping and get your ideas together then present them on a model at the test we do before the show. This doesn't mean to say that the designer will go with the look, often they want the colour changed slightly or they decide to tone it down and go nude or they go to the opposite end of the scale and take it to the extreme. In Paris, I assisted and worked on Marian's Team where she headed up the shows for Gareth Pugh, Mugler, Vivenne Westwood, Giambatista Valli, McQueen and Louis Vuitton. The nails created for these shows blew me away......Marian, if your reading this 'Kick a Pigeon'!
4. Was there a stand out show for you?
I loved doing the Aminaka Wilmont show. The brief was a heavenly ghost image. I got to do something a bit different on this show which was fun to do. The nails were painted black but not perfectly then dipped in chunky glitter to give some texture to parts of the nail bed. I then used Essentials Air Brush Kit (kindly loaned to me by Martin John Bamborough) and sprayed the fingers black and shadowed the black up to the hand. Messy but fun...
5. What's a typical day at fashion week for a nail master such as yourself?
It can vary as no day is the same. Some days you can be on a 4am call time and then straight into another show then onto a test or you maybe prepping nails for a show the next day. You may have 2 shows at the same time so you have to plan your team as to who you send on to start the other show while the rest of the team work on the other. You're constantly planning and thinking over fashion weeks and everything else goes out the window......i
6. What products were you using?
Being Maybelline New York nail expert all of my shows were sponsored by Maybelline New York. The products I used were from the Forever Strong Collection and Salon Manicure range for base and top coats.
7. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to do what you do?
Get in touch with the people who head up shows and ask to assist. Be prepared to work hard, listen, be seen and not heard.
8. What do you do when you're not killing it at fashion week?
When I'm not at fashion weeks, I'm either looking after my clients, press days or working on a photoshoot. There is always something to do!
9. What do you do to relax...if there is any time to relax!
Coming from a circus background of trapeze artists, when I get time to relax, I always go and travel to wherever my family are working/peforming and spend time with them. Occasionaly if I'm feeling stressed I will get on the bar and throw a few tumbles to get it out of me.
(Ha! I'd love to see that...The Ed.)
Enjoyed this interview? There'll be more where this came from.
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
1. First up, can you tell us a little bit about how you got into session tech work?
It all started off here on Salon Geek. I met Marian Newman at a trade show where she was selling her autograph. I bought her a cup of tea (rule number one if you want to get on), had a little chat and a few weeks later was given the opportunity to join her team for her salon work. Often I would get a call asking if I could go and assist Marian on shoots. This is where I was taught my session etiquette and it was the most valuable training I could have ever received; seeing how things work behind the scenes, when to move in to do your work and when to stand back so you're not in the way of the make up or hair artists, how and when to apply session nails and all the little tricks of the trade that you wouldnt do in everyday life as a technician.
2. Do you remember the first time you worked at fashion week? Any stories?
It was nerve racking but exciting. You just don't know what to expect. It's not as glamorous backstage as you may think. It's hard intense work with all hands on deck and everyone from hair, make up and nails working together to create the look to work for the show. All of our work is often crawling around the floors and under tables to get to models whilst other artists work on their hair and make up and, lo and behold, if there is a model arriving late, she can have up to eight people working on her and you also have to get in there to do their nails. Being tall, I quickly realised that it was easier to push someone else in to do this job rather than me getting into some funny position and being stuck there with cramp and not able to get up when everyone else had left the building!
3. What shows did you do this year? What were the briefs? Got any pictures?
This season in London my shows were Kinder Aguggini, Mark Fast, Todd Lynn and Aminaka Wilmont. My briefs this season were along the lines of goth, ghost, punk, glamorous and grunge. You start prepping and get your ideas together then present them on a model at the test we do before the show. This doesn't mean to say that the designer will go with the look, often they want the colour changed slightly or they decide to tone it down and go nude or they go to the opposite end of the scale and take it to the extreme. In Paris, I assisted and worked on Marian's Team where she headed up the shows for Gareth Pugh, Mugler, Vivenne Westwood, Giambatista Valli, McQueen and Louis Vuitton. The nails created for these shows blew me away......Marian, if your reading this 'Kick a Pigeon'!
4. Was there a stand out show for you?
I loved doing the Aminaka Wilmont show. The brief was a heavenly ghost image. I got to do something a bit different on this show which was fun to do. The nails were painted black but not perfectly then dipped in chunky glitter to give some texture to parts of the nail bed. I then used Essentials Air Brush Kit (kindly loaned to me by Martin John Bamborough) and sprayed the fingers black and shadowed the black up to the hand. Messy but fun...
5. What's a typical day at fashion week for a nail master such as yourself?
It can vary as no day is the same. Some days you can be on a 4am call time and then straight into another show then onto a test or you maybe prepping nails for a show the next day. You may have 2 shows at the same time so you have to plan your team as to who you send on to start the other show while the rest of the team work on the other. You're constantly planning and thinking over fashion weeks and everything else goes out the window......i
6. What products were you using?
Being Maybelline New York nail expert all of my shows were sponsored by Maybelline New York. The products I used were from the Forever Strong Collection and Salon Manicure range for base and top coats.
7. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to do what you do?
Get in touch with the people who head up shows and ask to assist. Be prepared to work hard, listen, be seen and not heard.
8. What do you do when you're not killing it at fashion week?
When I'm not at fashion weeks, I'm either looking after my clients, press days or working on a photoshoot. There is always something to do!
9. What do you do to relax...if there is any time to relax!
Coming from a circus background of trapeze artists, when I get time to relax, I always go and travel to wherever my family are working/peforming and spend time with them. Occasionaly if I'm feeling stressed I will get on the bar and throw a few tumbles to get it out of me.
(Ha! I'd love to see that...The Ed.)
Enjoyed this interview? There'll be more where this came from.
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
