Richy Kandasamy
A gifted technician with great ideas and an equally superb imagination, Seychelles native Richy Kandasamy finds inspiration everywhere.“Whether it’s urban, tropical or landscape architecture, it’s all in how you interpret and process all those influences that turns it into art,” says Kandasamy, who currently serves as the U.S.A. technical director at the TIGI Academy in New York City. An avid educator, Kandasamy is equally at home in the studio creating collections or working backstage at fashion shows. “I’m loving New York a lot right now,” he says. “There are a million places and faces to see in the city. It’s a great place to spur creativity.” —Kelley Donahue

aha moment

Deep down, I think I was born to do hair. When I was young and growing up on the Seychelles islands, I could sit for hours and watch hairdressers from the window. As I got older and moved to Italy, it came to mean something more to me and I saw it as a creative outlet and canvas for color.

in training

For the past 11 years, I’ve honed my skills at Tony&Guy and TIGI, where I began my career as junior color director in Florence, Italy, before moving into a number of other roles, including technical director of the BH Salon in Florence; U.K. technical director of the TIGI Academy London; and technical creative director of the TIGI Academy in Salerno, Italy.

style preferences

Now—because you can do whatever you want. It’s a mash-up of all the best of the past and the future.

beauty must-haves

The iPad is my only must-have. It’s my favorite tool to create techniques, design color and showcase concepts.

my mentor

I’ve been fortunate enough to be trained by Fabio Colucci, whom I consider to be the best educator in the world, and, of course, Anthony Mascolo, an industry icon who needs no introduction.

biggest challenge

Getting the world to understand that haircolor isn’t secondary; it’s the foundation of any good look.

best piece of advice i ever got

“Look at what you’re learning rather than what you’re earning.” Sure, there’s a time for business, but initially one should seek educational and inspirational opportunities as a foundation. It’s important to always continue to push one’s technique and stay current and inspired.

greatest accomplishment

I’d have to say it was serving as the technical director for three different academies in three different countries at a very young age, as well as creating a new artistic technique for the TIGI coloring range.

next step

To continue to develop techniques, products and collections that really push the boundaries of haircolor, art and fashion.