Ellesmere Port salon team enjoys working at London Fashion Week

Working backstage at the major fashion event were rising stars of The Boutique Atelier and local young stylists, Holly Kershaw and Olivia Seddon.

This was the pair's first experience of working at London Fashion Week, and saw them joining owner Richard Phillipart, who arranged for them to work backstage to help style 120 models for the Central Saint Martins showcase.

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Richard has close ties with the famed fashion college attended by Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Stella McCartney. Richard has spent many summers on the university’s short courses expanding his knowledge and training his fashion eye.

The young stylists travelled down to London and had a fantastic day where they helped to create the hairstyles, worked with other hairdressers from across the country and got to experience the intense, fast, busy world of working backstage at a fashion show.

A team from award-winning Ellesmere Port salon The Boutique Atelier was honoured to work at this year's London Fashion Week.

Graduate stylist Holly completed her three-year apprenticeship with Richard recently and is developing a strong and busy clientele at The Boutique Atelier, where she accepts clients full time.

Olivia is Richard's current senior apprentice and is in her final year of her apprenticeship, she accepts clients every Saturday.

Holly said: “This was my first time getting to work backstage at London Fashion Week and having the chance to experience it is something I will never forget! I cannot wait till next season and getting to do it all again."

Richard started working backstage at the age of 26 after winning a national competition with L’Oreal Professional. He won a two-year mentoring program with the brand where they expose young up and coming hairdressers to everything the industry has to offer.

Richard was mentored by Trevor Sorbie among other leading industry names. During this time with the brand, Richard was taught how to speak on stage at trade shows, teach seminars, work on photoshoots, write education and style hair backstage at runway shows exposing him to the many aspects of the hairdressing industry.

It was working backstage at Graduate Fashion Week where Richard was spotted by one of the hairdressing bookers for London Fashion Week and the rest as they say is history.

Twelve years later and Richard’s many high end photoshoots appear in magazines across the globe such as Vogue, ELLE, Harpers Bazzar and many more.

He said: “Designing the hairstyles for London Fashion Week was a life long dream and something I have to pinch myself year time I get asked to do it. Working with designers and being part of their creative team is so inspiring.”

This year, Richard was booked to style the hair for luxury British fashion house Edward Crutchley. Having designed the hair for the designer's previous collection in September 2022 the pair teamed up again to create the models looks for the autumn/winter 2023 runway collection.

Richard used products from Italian luxury hair care range My.Organics to create the hairstyles and will be launching the range of products in March at The Boutique Atelier.

Fashion accolades don’t come much higher then when British Vogue recently recommended Richard and The Boutique Atelier team to its readers: “Best known for leading backstage fashion week hair for Chanel, Burberry and Dior, Richard Phillipart is a sought-after name when it comes to hair styling.

"Whether he’s looking after private clients in his Cheshire-based salon or jet-setting across Europe for a Côte d’Azur wedding, he and his team will give you exactly what you want – and more.”

For more information on The Boutique Atelier, visit www.theboutiqueatelier.co.uk