Sam Villa
 New Discoveries - Sam Villa's Compression Cutting
Sam has more than 30 years teaching experience and is currently at the top of his game as Redken's Education Artistic Director and Chairman of his own digital education and styling tools company. Part of the Redken family for the past 16 years, He is in constant demand at international and domestic trade shows and in-salon programs where his progressive teaching approach enables stylists to absorb new techniques quickly and for practical use in the salon. Sam is a lead Facilitator at the Redken Exchange in New York City where he teaches a variety of design and trend sessions to salon professionals from around the world. He is also part of the team that trains the entire Redken artist network worldwide.
 Motivating, creative, passionate, energetic, inspiring… these are just a few thoughts that come to mind at the mention of Sam Villa's name. Known as the Hairdressers hairdresser, Sam has been chosen as the industry's Favorite Platform Artist and Educator at the prestigious Behind The Chair Stylist Choice Awards in 2007, 2011 and again in 2012. Sam possesses a unique blend of technical and artistic skills - and a contagious spirit that draws people in and makes them want to learn.
So when Sam Villa grabbed a section of hair and demonstrated Compression Cutting to a Montreal audience, some stylists actually gasped. "That's not how I was taught… that's not what I do… how can I explain this to my clients!?" said others. "New discoveries are made all the time, you have to figure out what to hold on to and what to let go of in order to grow," said Villa.
Hairdressers all over the world have been trained to take small sections at one point of their career. It's no wonder they gasped when Villa grabbed mega sections of hair and created modern looks with soft edges and movement in half the time they expected. Rules were meant to be broken.
 "It may not be what you were taught, but new discoveries have a way of catching on. I'm just a messenger, you can either accept or reject the information, but it's working for me, why not take the challenge?" says Villa who compares Compression Cutting to using a paper cutter - if many pages are cut at one time, the edge gets soft, if a few are cut, the edge is sharp.
Villa suggests advising clients about the new technique prior to a service. "I discovered a new way to cut your hair, instead of taking 30-40 minutes, it only takes 10-15, so I can now teach you how to style your hair in a couple different ways so you have double identity!"
Advantages:
Women are busy working and caring for family, they don't have as much time to spend in the salon - they want to get in and out, Compression Cutting gets the job done without having to go back and texturise as much.
 Women have less time to wash/style hair everyday, so they need options. Some women get a professional blow dry once a week, the other 6 days they are on their own. Teach them how to get creative with products like Redken Powder Grip 03 to maintain volume and a matte finish between blow dries and add grip for updo's and other styles.
For those that dry their own hair, teach them how to blow dryer with confidence with techniques like Wrap Drying and Stretch Drying using styling products like Redken wool shake 08 to maintain texture and volume and that can be redefined for multiple looks in multiple days.
"Believe me, I would have never cut hair like this 20 years ago, but Compression Cutting takes half the time and produces soft edges with movement. I've learned what to hold on to and what to let go of," concludes Villa.
Sam graduated from Ponce Beauty School in San Mateo, California. Growing up in his Dad's barbershop, Sam never considered the hair industry as a career choice until he saw his first hair show - and changed his mind. Sam went on to open Avant Hair Studio, an award-winning salon in the San Francisco Bay area, which he called home for 20 years.
Sam's accolades include: Behindthechair.com Favorite Platform Artist and Educator 2007, 2011, 2012; Favorite top-five finalist from 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010; Redken Platform Artist of the Year 1998; "Master of the Craft" Award from the Art & Fashion Group 1992; and finalist in the North American Hairdressing Awards - Classic Category 1991. |
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