While still in beauty school, Maria Guasta met the legendary Irvine Rusk, an encounter that made a huge impression on the industry novice. “Watching Irvine cut hair was seeing poetry in motion,” Maria remarks. Later having the opportunity to work with Irvine and Louise Rusk was “the best experience I could have asked for.” Maria pays it forward by training hairdressers in techniques rooted in the Rusks’ innovative methods. A salon owner for 18 years, Maria owns Savage Hair International in Bartlett, Illinois, but always makes time to go on the road to participate in hair shows. “My duties along with the rest of the Rusk Creative Team,” she says, “are to make sure the Rusk education at beauty shows runs smoothly.”
Ten years ago, determined to “redefine the salon experience,” Naz Kupelian put his name on his own salon. Elegant yet comfortable, the Naz Kupelian Salon & Spa in Lexington, Massachusetts, takes a fresh approach to hair design and spa therapies. With this year’s Collection ready to go, Naz looks forward to expanding upon it throughout the year as the Creative Team demonstrates the looks at shows and in classrooms globally. “We’re seeing our vision for the Collection translated at presentations throughout the world,” he beams. “It’s a wonderful and exciting process for everyone involved.”
SMALL WORLD
The “global” part of the Global Inspiration Collection surfaced for three reasons:
- Rusk is a global company with a reach extending throughout Europe and the Americas and from Tokyo and Hong Kong to Australia and New Zealand.
- As members of the Rusk Creative Team, Angela Greenland, Maria Guasta and Naz Kupelian regularly travel abroad and observe fascinating cultures that inspire them.
- Through the internet and their own heritage, people are more appreciative of international cultures than ever. “I’m Italian, Angela is Greek and Naz is Armenian,” Maria notes. “We started thinking about what binds us together, and that’s our diversity. Everyone can relate to global inspiration.”