Ziortza Zarauza: about training, plans and women in hairdressing

You have a long history, despite the fact that you are still young. Of all the things you have experienced and learned, what are you most proud of?

Wow! What a difficult question. This profession has given me many opportunities and allowed me to gain experiences that I never even dreamed of. It's difficult to choose just one of them all. I participated in the Style Master finals in Lisbon, where I received the championship for “Best Technique 2014”. Hundreds of Spanish hairdressers cheered me on. That was incredible! But if I had to choose, the most exciting memory that is still in my mind and heart was the fashion show at the Fígaro Awards 2017, where I presented my Goddesses of War collection. When the warriors walked onto the podium, I was so nervous that I could barely watch. I didn’t win that time, but I remember the people’s reaction, their applause, and, above all, their affection that night. I remember and get goosebumps.

What projects are you planning to implement, and which ones are you already working on?

We are living in a very difficult year in which the only project is to “survive” and prepare for when this Covid storm passes and we remember it as a bad dream.

At Centro Beta, we are confident that our students' learning remains excellent despite the complications presented by the pandemic. Our main goal is that the school continues to be a reference training center in the field of personal image.

In the fall, as a personal project, I will launch my own brand, Ziortza Zarauza Hair Lover, as a freelance trainer. I am so excited! I will have a course catalog to suit my tastes, but it will meet the training needs of the sector. In general, I will offer specific colors, commercial collections and editorial courses upon request.

A very interesting project. What will be the format of these new courses?

Right now I am only immersed in planning the content of the first courses that will be included in the catalog. I want them to be easy to operate since I plan to personally take care of all the details. Everything will be centered on a new website that I am preparing where anyone can view my training offer or share their needs so that I can prepare a customized course.

You are a coach. What do you like most about coaching? What aspects of your students need to be strengthened?

I worked in a salon for many years, and then there was a time of combining two roles: a salon professional and a trainer. I always loved coaching very much, and in the end I left everything else to devote myself completely to it.

As a trainer, I work with two very different target audiences. On the one hand, I am a middle class teacher at Centro Beta, and in these courses the students are very young people, mostly teenagers, full of desire and enthusiasm to learn the secrets of hairdressing. It is my pleasure to accompany them in these first steps, shaping their foundations.

On the other hand, I train professionals in associations or franchises, as well as clients of Montebello, which, as you know, is our main brand. These trainings are very different: you are surrounded by colleagues and interact with them in the same way. These classes allow me to meet great professionals and share experiences. Honestly, these are very enriching and enjoyable moments. As they say, “he who teaches learns twice.”

What most often worries the professionals who train with you?

If you talk about training, I find a lack of foresight. People train a lot just for the sake of it, without appreciating the cost of money and time. They continue to invest in training impulsively, and this, in my opinion, is a big mistake. Every salon, every professional should think about its shortcomings and areas that need to be improved.

Similarly, in my courses, I observe that everyone assumes that hair color or haircut must conform to organizational, structural, and methodological guidelines. There is still a misconception in most fiction that you need to have “special” artistic skills, but for me that is not the case. To be well trained in artistic work (I mean hair), you need to have good technique for long hair. If you only have art, then you depend too much on the muses, but if you add technology to your artistic side, then creativity will have no limit.

This year marks Centro Beta's 30th anniversary. What are your plans and projects for the near future?

We wanted to have a great party for this anniversary, just like we did 5 years ago for our 25th anniversary, but Covid came and changed plans. Despite this, we have not suspended the celebration, but only postponed it until the pandemic allows us to do so, because 30 years is a memorable date, and it does not happen every day!

What role did training play during this difficult year?

Since the quarantine, online learning has become an alternative to face-to-face learning, which has been good because it has kept us very entertained and has become a window into our profession. This allowed us to communicate in cyberspace and escape from routine. I think it had an almost therapeutic effect. But, having returned to face-to-face teaching with all the biosecurity measures and fewer opportunities, I realized that virtuality was not involved in our field. It is still considered as an alternative when no other medicine is available. I won't give it up, and I know the cyber world is here to stay, but I prefer to interact with students face to face.

I think now is the right time to train, grow, work on new projects because we have more time.

How do you see the professional development of women in hairdressing? Do you think it has improved? Or do you still think that there is still a lot to be done?

There is always something to improve. If we look at the national associations, with the exception of Club Figaro, almost all the people in the relevant positions are men.

Regarding the fame achieved through awards, collections and media presence, I think women are still a minority because society is still unfair to us and believes that children's education and housework should remain in women's domains. hands. Fortunately, things are changing, but there is still a lot to be done.

Of course there is a glass ceiling in society, but in the world of hairdressing I don't see it as clearly, and if there was one we would be partly responsible for it. I say this because women make up just over 90% of the sector.

I think there are personal decisions and different approaches to the profession. I am confident that those who strive to grow and position themselves will achieve this. For many others, managing work or business well and balancing social and family life is real success.

Spanish hairdressers receive recognition at international competitions. How do you see the creative sector in Spain? What do you think is the reason for this?

We have an excellent creative level! Just look at the large number of Spaniards who are finalists in international competitions. This country has the enthusiasm, energy, desire, creative vision and ability to create collections and sell them successfully. I think this effort has much more merit because we do it after day-to-day work and in most cases on a limited budget.

You know this sector very well. Do you think the vision of Spanish hairdressing among Spanish hairdressers is the same as abroad?

I am convinced that Spanish hairdressing is highly valued beyond its borders. Many foreign hairdressers admire Spanish collections, which increasingly appear in the international professional press or in the selection of finalists for the world's most prestigious awards. Of my 10 favorite hairdressers, 7 are Spanish. That says it all.

GEODE Collection

Hairstyles: Ziortza Zarauza @Centro Beta

Photo: David Arnal

Makeup: De Maria

Retouching: Javier Villalabeitia

Products : Montibello

Based on materials provided by Blanca Aranyó, ComunicaHair