WEAVING MAGIC

Issac Poleon is a fashion-force to be reckoned with, with charisma and charm that will knock you off your feet

PHOTOGRAPHY Ollie Ali (ollieali.com)

@georgiapalmer for @missionmagazine, shot by @_boyheart_

Hair by Issac and @toniandguyworld

CAMPERLAB S/S24 campaign featuring @yvestumor shot by @paulkooiker

Issac Poleon is effervescent. His infectious energy belies the fact he’s on a super-tight deadline, weaving some of his sculptural magic into heavenly hand-stitched wigs for another fabulous forthcoming campaign.

But this is just one of his many projects running concurrently. Sitting somewhere, as he says, between a “hair bender and hair sculptor”, his enthusiasm for his craft offers a bird’s-eye view into why he’s become so sought after by glossies including Vogue, i-D and Dazed. High-profile campaigns for Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Fenty and Tiffany & Co also add some extra sparkle to an already glittering CV.

This rise to global fame came after falling into the industry at 17 years old. He admits he had “no expectations” at the time, enjoying stints at Hype Coiffure in Battersea for five years before taking on non-hairdressing roles at Estée Lauder and ASOS. Cut to today and he’s entrenched in projects in session and fashion, with his “hair home” – Studio IVP in Brixton, London – established to allow him and his team a creative space to express truly tantalising talent. He sees this creative talent as an ongoing process. “I like to think of hair artistry as a puzzle,” he says. “I’m always putting the pieces together.” Citing deadlines as conducive to his crazy schedule, he says. “Constructive pressure is good for me. I often like to apply intuition; it motivates my artistry.”

Intuition with clients is also key. “For me, it’s about navigating interpretation and perception in what a client wants, versus what they want from me.” Referring to himself as a “silhouette artist”, he says his hair niche was born through his love of the obscure. “I have always loved avant-garde silhouettes and objects and much of my work stems from that,” Issac confides.

Now Issac is moving into a new phase.“I want to spend more time on curating styles,” he muses. “I’m working on a shoot to tell the first story about my hair artistry.”

His vast online community and network is, he says, his inspiration and driving force. “The influence and abundant appreciation from my community around the world inspires me to create. I never thought I would be in the session world,” he admits. “I was intimidated by the fear of the unknown, not the work itself and I am still shocked when I meet people and they really see me.”

What he loves most about the transformative nature of hair, he says, is helping build identities, “As hair artists, we are creating characters in a story. I love everything about it.” It seems celebrities love him too, with Adowa Aboah, Paloma Elesser, Jordan Dunn, Jorja Smith and Gabrielle Union all trusting him with their A-list tresses.

Sculpting, weaving, creating and innovating, it’s all in a day’s work. “It’s been a beautiful, reflective journey. I’m not doing this for Issac’s ego. It’s a calling.” Talent, discipline, drive – call it what you will, Poleon’s star power is continually ascending, but somehow, it seems the best may still be yet to come.

@issacvpoleon

ISSAC’S QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

TOP TIPS FOR PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT: Stay strong and carry on, man.

IF NOT HAIR THEN WHAT? I’d be a dancer, actor, singer or a Broadway star.

HAIR HEROES: Chuck Amos and Sam McKnight.

WHAT’S LOOKING HOT FOR HAIR IN A/W24?

Freedom of expression, across the board.

HAIR-KIT STAPLE: My ‘Special Muriel Brush’. Don’t google that though because I named it after my assistant who bought it. It’s the best brush I’ve ever had.

SIGNATURE STYLE: Snatched pony.

FAVE CELEB CUT/COLOUR AND WHY: I love Florence Pugh. Peter Lux does her hair and no one does it like him.