In his initial years as a hairstylist, he toyed with the idea of working in partnership with a reputed designer. However, it didn’t take long for Jawed Habib to realise that on the runway it is the designer alone who calls the shot. This was the scenario in India two decades ago and continues to be now. The celebrated hair stylist plans to have a unique hair show of his own.
“When it is Jawed Habib show, then hair has to be given importance. I would work with designers but here clothes would play a minor role. It would be our show all the way. Reality is that India needs hair education and this platform would be an excellent vehicle for that,” says Habib, as his blond hair look as shimmery as it was a decade ago.
Justifying his roadmap, he says: “The first fashion statement made on this earth was hair and not garment. You can wear fancy designer clothes but if you don’t have stylish hair what is the point. Both have to complement each other,” he says on the sidelines of the launch of Novex Hair Care in India by Ozone Organic Advantage.
Reminiscing his early days, he says: “Initially, I was part of Miss India pageant but soon realised that this wasn’t what I had envisaged. I didn’t want to be dictated by designers. Abroad, designers and hair professionals work together. Now things are changing; in future they would have to give equal importance to hair stylist. Whether it is hair expert or jewellery expert, all have to work in cohesion as a team.”
Knowledge on hair
What irks Jawed, who comes from an illustrious pedigree of hair experts, is that guys and even girls in metros have incorrect notion on how to look after their hair. “Unfortunately, people are ignorant about hair. They should desist from using oil as it is a moisturiser. It cannot revive lost hair. I use oil on my scalp but after five minutes I shampoo my hair. Massaging the head with oil is not good and for God’s sake don’t sleep after rubbing head with hair oil.”
Jawed is not enamoured by the fashion statement made by the Men in Blue. This die-hard cricket fan gets excited when one asks him about our cricketers’ fixation with beards. “Today our players want to look good and dazzling both on and off the field. Their looks get them endorsements . Unfortunately, the game has now become blatantly commercial. And it is true for other sports as well. Every sport in the world demands glamour. And when there is glamour, marketing forces come into play.”
Recalling his cricket playing days on the pitch of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, Jawed says: “I was passionate about the gentleman’s game. While undertaking Masters in French from JNU, I was obsessed with the game and captained the cricket team of the institution. When I was captain, I was never bothered about my hair. Even cricketers then were completely at sea vis a vis fashion when compared to today’s cricketing icons . For Sunny, Kapil, Azhar, fashion had no meaning. Kapil’s curly hair style was natural. So was Gavaskar’s and Azhar’s. Now times have changed. It seems for current generation of cricketers fashion is as much a priority as excelling in the game. Virat Kohli has a new style every series.”
Guys with beard
His beard has become a big craze in metros. “True, lot of men, particularly guys in their 20s, come for such looks. Honestly, as a fashion statement, beard is not meant for India. Beard looks nice and enhances an individual’s personality if he happens to be fair. Virat is quite fair; so naturally his beard fits the bill,” says Jawed.
In Bollywood, he says, the actors no longer carry a look beyond a film. “It is not like the 70s when thick side buns lasted for a long time. It is more character driven style now.”
Jawed’s focus is now on imparting knowledge in hair dressing in a scientific way. “Nobody thought imparting skills on hair styling could be converted into a business model. I have proved that and want to continue providing livelihood opportunities to those wanting to make a career in cosmetology. Our number is our biggest asset. We are a nation of 130 billion population,” he underlines.
