There are haircuts, and then there are Rossano Ferretti haircuts. I recently had the opportunity to meet the legendary hair maestro himself and experience his famed “invisible” haircut technique.
The Man
Ferretti is the man behind the tresses of royalty and celebrities, including Kate Middleton and Charlize Theron, charging $1,500 for a cut. Thankfully, a much more affordable experience is provided at the Rossano Ferretti HairSpa located in the chic Abu Dhabi Edition hotel. A hair cut by his staff, who are highly-trained on all of the Ferretti techniques, costs Dh400 to Dh500.
Upon meeting Ferretti, I was struck by his disarming warmth and his impeccable, understated elegance. He was dressed in a casual, well-tailored blue suit and donned thick-rimmed black spectacles. He spoke to me about his firm belief in individuality, embracing natural beauty and the importance of hair health.
In other words, the philosophy of his invisible cut and general hair approach, is to create hair results without seeing the ‘effect’ of scissors or any other form of unnatural or aggressive manipulation.
One thing that Ferretti clearly abhors is the idea of following trends, as his approach to hair is all about personalisation. “It sends the wrong message, as everyone is unique. There’s not one style that fits all. If we are not able to personalise beauty, we’re in the wrong business,” he explained.
At his luxurious hair spas, clients receive a personal consultation that takes into account their face shape, features, hair colour, and texture. Ferretti’s “invisible cut” is a testament to this philosophy, with the end result creating harmony, softness, and gentleness, without seeing the ‘effect’ of scissors.
With my hair in a tight bun and my fringe on display, I eagerly awaited the magic of the invisible cut that would soon be bestowed upon me. His brutally honest critique of my bangs only heightened my anticipation, and I knew I was in for a transformative experience.
“I would never do bangs like yours,” he said. I finally got a dose of the bluntness I was waiting for. As it turns out, my fringe, was also, too blunt. “You look great, but geometrical cuts don’t work as people are not geometrical,” he added. What would you suggest? I asked. “More harmony, softness and gentleness.”
In addition to his mastery of hair, Ferretti has also created an award-winning line of hair products and a global TV talent show called Hairstyle TV Show. The show aims to educate consumers, elevate the hair industry, and inspire future generations to take a more mindful approach to hair care.
For Rossano, ensuring hair health is very crucial. “We cannot be beautiful if we’re not healthy. If you don’t take care of yourself, nothing works”, and that also means bleaching and damaging hair, he added.
The Cut
As I sat in the chair, the hair master wielded his signature texturising scissors and skillfully transformed my fringe and hair length in a matter of minutes. “I don’t cut at an angle, I just follow the natural hair falls,” he said.
The end result was an effortlessly textured and naturally wavy look that perfectly complemented my face shape and features.
Sabrina, a talented member of his team, followed with a blow-dry that left my hair looking wonderfully textured and naturally wavy.
Throughout our conversation, Rossano spoke passionately about the hair spa concept he created years ago. He envisions his establishments as sanctuaries that provide not only expert cuts and styles, but also a holistic, one-of-a-kind experience. His disdain for traditional, noisy hair salons is evident, and the serene atmosphere of his own spas reflects his commitment to unparalleled client service.
“I invented the hair spa concept many years back. For me, it was inaccurate to say we are just hairdressers, because it goes beyond a haircut or styling, it’s about the experience,” he states.
This approach is on display through the services his Abu Dhabi salon offers, with a limited number of styling chairs, and two hairstylists – ensuring the services provided are private, bespoke and relaxed.
Aside from his mastery in hair, Rossano is also the creator of an upcoming global TV talent show, ‘Hairstyle’. With the show, he aims to educate consumers, elevate the hair industry, and inspire future generations to take a more mindful approach to hair care.
“The reason why I wanted to do this show was to educate consumers, educate hairdressers and give a voice to the industry. I wanted to produce aspiration and inspiration at the same time to the coming generations because you can see that the hair industry doesn’t have a big voice. Everybody knows about skincare, everybody knows about makeup, but not enough about hair.”
One example, he said, was that most people don’t always realise what is in the hair products they use. “People don’t read the ingredients on the shampoo they’re buying. So many don’t know and I want to raise awareness on the importance of these hair-related topics and more.”
My experience with Rossano Ferretti was nothing short of eye-opening. His invisible cut not only transformed my hair, but also reshaped my perspective on beauty and self-expression. His dedication to individuality, hair health, and providing an unparalleled experience make Ferretti a true luminary in the world of hair.