Winn Claybaugh Interviews Ruth Roche

Winn Claybaugh is the dean and cofounder of Paul Mitchell Schools and the founder of MASTERS Audio Club. He interviewed Ruth Roche, salon owner, editorial stylist, platform artist, and educator. Ruth's work has appeared in major fashion magazines and she has worked with renowned photographers like Annie Leibovitz. Ruth's celebrity clients have included Anne Hathaway, Mariah Carey, Lindsay Lohan, Sheryl Crow, Kelly Ripa, and many others. Ruth was Redken's Global Artistic Director of Design and previously worked with Trevor Sorbie. Currently, Ruth is the Artistic Ambassador for Pureology. In 2003 she opened RARE Salon and Academy in New York City, passing the torch to stylist Fatima Sheikh in 2010, who now owns Rare Salon. Ruth has been honored multiple times by the North American Hairstyling Awards, including Master Stylist of the Year, and is featured in the documentary "Stars Behind the Chair: The Leading Ladies of Hair." There is nothing Ruth loves more than learning from and sharing knowledge with her fellow hairdressers.

WC: In 2009, you entered NAHA in the Salon Team category for the first time. What was that like?

RR: I had had my salon for about six years at the time and never done a shoot with my team before (they had assisted at my shoots). We did a beautiful shoot and were really excited because we loved the collection. Then came the day NAHA was notifying the finalists. As the day went on and we didn't get a phone call, everybody's face got a little longer. Eight o'clock rolled around, and we still hadn't heard anything. We didn't place as finalists. One of my stylists said something like, "Well, that sucks. They don't know what they're talking about." Because I've won before, they thought we'd win again. It was a humbling experience to realize we didn't place, but we had to ask ourselves, "Are we going to give up and never do it again, or are we going to try again next year?" It's more about entering, being a part of it, and acknowledging your own success for completing a collection. It all counts, and you have to celebrate all of it.

WC: James Morrison tells the joke: How many hairdressers does it take to teach a haircut? One hundred: one to do the cut, and 99 to stand there and say, "Oh, I could do that." That's the attitude some people have about entering NAHA. They say, "Well, I could do that," but they didn't.

RR: I can't remember who it was, but somebody said they don't enter NAHA because they can't afford to be seen losing; their reputation is too important. But I think it gives people more courage to see both the disappointments and the exciting times. All of those things make you the strongest person.

Continue to Stylist Voice to read the full interview.

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