Common Goals: In Conversation with John Moroney & Angelo Seminara

Common Goals: In Conversation with John Moroney & Angelo Seminara

After the brilliant news that Angelo Seminara has been appointed Global Brand Ambassador for Goldwell, Estetica wanted to find out more –  so we held an exclusive Zoom interview with he and Kao Salon Division Vice President Creative & Communications, John Moroney.  

Now that you are Global Brand Ambassador for Goldwell, Angelo, will we be seeing more of you in Germany, being Goldwell’s headquarters? 

Angelo: It depends on the plans but I really hope so. 

John: I will definitely say, yes he will. He’s made one trip already to our headquarters in Darmstadt. But also as part of his collaboration with us he will be working with our  R&D team here in Darmstadt. Additionally when we will start having our photo shoots next year, he’ll be in Berlin with us. 

When I look at your collection it looks very much like Angelo and somehow not like Goldwell… 

Angelo: This is my first collection we have been collaborating and I’ve worked with their colours. I have done 2 collections, both were shot in Iceland. I asked my colourist one day and said: “Listen, I want to do a night shot in the moonlight but we need some bright colours.” So he brought some Goldwell Elumen. We used it and I said: That’s it! And it didn’t fade. It’s permanent, it’s durable. It really does what it says. This is how we really started. And yes, we wanted to do something that is still myself. 

So you are both growing together? 

John: Yes and our intention is not to try and make him Goldwell but rather to show what a visionary hairdresser like Angelo will do with Goldwell. You’ve got an established brand image with Angelo and you’ve got an established brand image with Goldwell and we want them both to grow (together). In his past Angelo has created so many iconic things such as the imprinter or the flamboyage. In the last few months he was having virtual education with one of my creative managers, talking all about Elumen, @Pure Pigments, Topchic and so on. I’m dying to see what he creates with things when he adds @Pure Pigments! Holographic colours, three-dimensional colours…

Your main source of inspiration is… ?

Angelo: I haven’t been very fortunate as a young boy. I was born in a small village so I  used my imagination quite a lot as there was not much around to explore. And I am curious. If I see a box, I really need to know what’s in there. The other thing is observing, watching things. Sometimes the interest in the research, in the development is missing. I think that is quite important. If you open a magazine, you are inspired. But then it will always be a copy of a copy. I love originality. Sometimes I’ve done things and broke the rules. I wouldn’t say I put the hair on fire but I made the hair look like fire. Research and experimenting has always been my passion – since I was a kid. And nature has always been my main fond of inspiration. It doesn’t mean a plant or a tree. Nature is everything. 

It was mentioned that Angelo will be involved in R& D as well. Does that mean Goldwell will soon have another colour line?

John: Angelo is really interested in formulations and products and has all these ideas. And our R&D department loves inspiration like that. I am waiting for the time when I can have Angelo and all of our crazy, visionary inventor chemists together and see what happens. I think it’s not necessarily about a new colour line. It’s also about styling or care or colour. Maybe more about using our existing, amazing products in a whole new way we haven’t thought of. We want him to make connection not only with our R&D team in Germany but in Tokyo as well. The question is not what he will responsible for but what can we draw from him, from his experience and creativity. 

Angelo, will you teach other hairdressers as well? 

Angelo: I think my role will be a little bit different. Goldwell has already a great number of amazing artists out there. There is a team in place for that but I will maybe work closer with them – inspire them, share ideas. 

What is your favourite hair colour in 2020?

Angelo: Oh, there I have a big list. I like the idea of mixing warm and cool shades together. And I love three-dimensional colours, too. That’s what we’re working on. If I was the owner of a salon, then what I would like to see is rather than a full orange head a touch of colour. In general we have to always understand that the hair has melanin. You have to keep this in mind when you mix the shades. When we talk about colour we should also talk about style. They compliment each other.  And there is another thing: People like to see a bit more heavy hair at the moment, not so layered. Hairdressers are more avantgarde right now with layering, shaving, undercut, all on one head. 

Photo (l-r): Angelo Seminara, Goldwell’s new Global Brand Ambassador; John Moroney, Kao Salon Division Vice President Creative & Communications