Tapping into his talent and balancing it with the right amount of hard work and creativity, Gen Itoh has come a long way. With over 17 years of experience to his credit with Salon India, Gen Itoh shares his professional journey
Early years
I was born in NYC and moved to London when I was 17, and this is where it all began. I never planned to be a hairdresser; it was my mother who urged and encouraged me to take up this profession while I was studying English in Devon, England. My best friend, Hidetoshi Saiga, introduced me to Kenji Saiga, who was an original member of the Toni&Guy Art Team. This was in 1996. When I found out about Toni&Guy and Anthony Mascolo, it was ‘the moment’. I decided then that I wanted to work beside them, and as they say, dreams can come true! It has been more than 17 years at TIGI and it is my family. My first job was at Toni&Guy, Covent Garden in London, and since then I have been working with Toni&Guy and TIGI.
Professional education
I took a Toni&Guy classic course way back in 1998, but had to go for regular learning to upgrade my skills, fine-tuning my craft to strengthen my brand. It is not enough to just get a basic qualification, one needs to do as many courses as one can. This industry is constantly evolving, and every six months there is a new look. So, you need to be able to constantly change with it and learn.
Mentors
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