Pony Education
HAIR AS CULT with Laurent Philippon | February 7–8, 2027 | Pony Studios, Oakland
HAIR AS CULT with Laurent Philippon | February 7–8, 2027 | Pony Studios, Oakland
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HAIR AS CULT with Laurent Philippon
Two days in Oakland with one of fashion's most inventive hairdressers. One day to watch him work. One day to go back to school.
Laurent returns to Pony Studios for his third class with us, straight off a season of fashion weeks and editorial shoots. This time he's bringing the experiments: finger waves reinvented, hair painted chrome, sugar-set slicks with a mirror finish, graphic shapes that read almost like haircuts. Then he takes it back to the fundamentals that make all of it possible.
"I am fascinated by hair as a medium: these billions of individual filaments, at once singular and compact, from which an almost infinite number of shapes can be carved."
— Laurent Philippon
ABOUT LAURENT
In his father's salon in Oyonnax, France as a teenager, at Alexandre de Paris by eighteen, then Julien d'Ys's Atlantis agency in 1992. He met Michael Gordon backstage at Jean Paul Gaultier in 1994, joined Bumble and bumble that year, and was named its first Global Artistic Director in 2014.
Campaigns for Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Guerlain and Louis Vuitton. Editorial for Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia and Vogue Australia. He wrote Hair: Fashion and Fantasy for Thames & Hudson. James Pecis, Amy Farid, Ramona Eschbach and Travis Speck all assisted or trained under him. Represented by Bryant Artists.
LIVE MODELS PROVIDED
Every hands-on seat works on a live model. Never a mannequin.
Models are booked, briefed and provided by Pony. You bring your tools and your eye, we bring the head of hair. Real texture, real density, real movement. Editorial technique only means something when it holds up on a real person.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Day 1 — Looking, Learning
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2027
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (lunch break included)
Overview: Laurent presents five to six looks live, drawn from the past year backstage and on set. Think haute coiffure meets an arty, crafty moment. Every look is built start to finish in front of you, with Laurent explaining the why behind each choice.
Key Focus Areas:
- Finger waves, reinvented for now
- Hair painted chrome with body makeup
- Sugar coating for a mirror finish on slicked hair
- Graphic shapes that feel almost like haircuts
- The easiest hair bows you'll ever make
Day 2 — Back at School
Date: Monday, February 8, 2027
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Overview: Laurent opens with a short history of hair, told through images from his book Hair: Fashion and Fantasy. Knowing what came before us is how you sharpen your eye and inform your own work. Then he moves into a full technique demonstration, run the way he'd run it backstage at a show: step by step, with every trick he's picked up along the way. Bring the technique you want to see. He'll execute attendee requests live.
Key Focus Areas:
- A short history of hair: the references every stylist should know
- Sharp backcombing
- Precise curl setting
- Impeccably slicked hair
- Perfect blowouts
- The small details where most teams struggle, and why they make the biggest difference
Hands-On — Day 2 (hands-on ticket holders, live models provided)
Time: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Overview: Time to put it all into practice. Hands-on attendees work on a live model booked for them, experimenting with the techniques covered across both days while Laurent coaches each person individually: refining your gestures, correcting tension and placement, and helping you get the most out of every technique.
Key Focus Areas:
- Executing backcombing, setting and slicking with precision
- Building confidence in editorial shape and finish
- Understanding how the smallest details transform the final result
- One-on-one coaching from Laurent
WHY PONY
At Pony, hands-on learning happens exclusively on live models, never mannequins.
Every stylist works in a real-world environment that mirrors the intensity and creativity of an actual set or runway.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- The newest editorial techniques from this season's fashion weeks and shoots
- How hair history builds the visual library behind great work
- The fundamentals that separate good editorial hair from iconic: backcombing, setting, slicking, blowouts
- How to bring runway-level ideas back to the chair
WHO THIS CLASS IS FOR
Stylists who want to sharpen their eye and their hands at the same time. Perfect for anyone working toward editorial, bridal, session or show work, and for salon stylists who want their finishing to stand out.
CLASS DETAILS & TICKETS
Date(s): Sunday–Monday, February 7–8, 2027
Location: Pony Studios, 4834 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
Educator: Laurent Philippon
Level: All levels; hands-on best for stylists with a solid foundation
Models: Provided by Pony for every hands-on seat
Ticket Options:
-
Two-Day All Access + Hands-On (best value)
- Day 1, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Day 2, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- The full Day 1 show, the Day 2 morning session, and the Day 2 hands-on with a live model
- Ticket: $1,000
-
Day 1 Look & Learn — Looking, Learning (watch only)
- Day 1, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Ticket: $200
-
Day 2 Look & Learn — Back at School (watch only)
- Day 2, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Ticket: $200
Hands-on chairs are limited so Laurent can coach every person individually, with a live model booked for each one. Reserve early.
FAQs
Do I need to bring a model?
No. Pony provides a live model for every hands-on seat. You never work on a mannequin here.
Is Day 1 hands-on?
No. Day 1 is a live show: Laurent builds five to six complete looks in front of the room. Hands-on happens on the afternoon of Day 2.
Is this class beginner-friendly?
Look & Learn is open to all levels. Hands-on is best for stylists with a solid technical foundation. Email team@ponyeducation.com if you'd like help assessing your fit.
What should I bring?
Your tools. You'll receive a prep email with your tool list after registration.
Can I watch this class online?
Yes. This class will stream live in the Pony Education App and be available on-demand afterward.
Subscribe at ponyeducation.live or download the Pony app to access this class and hundreds more on-demand, including Laurent's Marcel Wave Technique and French Twist Reimagined.
