Joe-yves Asmar年紀輕輕在瑞典最富聲望的美髮比賽贏得銀獎(silver price)後，便成為比賽的常勝軍，陸續入圍許多國際比賽也獲得佳績，之後，他的身影出現在雜誌照片的拍攝片場，也穿縮於伸展後台，不時也會看見他登上舞台傳授髮型技巧。他是美國流行天后蕾哈娜的御用髮型師。

Joe-yves Asmar在一片烽火中誕生於黎巴嫩，由於戰亂，五歲時便隨同家人搬至瑞典。Joe-yves想成為髮型師的夢想，從他八歲時萌芽，他的哥哥是當時很有名的髮型師，服務對象甚至包含約旦的皇室貴族，然而卻因為戰爭而英年早逝，在他過世後，Joe-yves接手了這個夢想。雖然從來沒有機會親眼見到哥哥工作的樣子，但是對Joe-yves來說，哥哥是在他職業生涯中影響他很深的人，雖然沒有特別創作紀念哥哥的作品，但他認為每一件作品都是為了哥哥製作的。

"I want to be a hairdresser since I was 8 years old. My brother was a famous hairdresser but died in the war, it's when hairdressing became my dream." Joe-yves grew up in Lebanon in war-time then he moved to Sweden where he still works now.

懷抱著理想，Joe-yves在十四歲時正式進入沙龍工作，擔任洗頭小弟，一年後，他進入專業學校，學習美髮技巧，畢業後不久便在瑞典贏得生涯第一次的冠軍獎座。

When he was 14 years old, he had his first job in a salon as a shampoo guy. Wanting to improve himself, he went to school then became a professional hairdresser and soon he won his very first competition.

雖然他的職業生涯看似平步青雲，但其實在三年前，Joe-yves的作品也曾不被看好。當時他投稿二十件作品至瑞典的Mirror Magazine，沒有一件作品受到刊登，他的失望之情可想而知。但他並沒有就此放棄，當他又有新創作時，他再度投稿，這次，不但相片獲得青睞，還登上Mirror Magazine的封面！

Although his career path is going smoothly, he still had his ups and downs. Three years ago, he sent 20 images of his works to Mirror Magazine, however, there wasn't any of them was published. He was disappointed but didn't give up, after he had a new collection, he still sent them anyway. That's it. Mirror Magazine had not only published his works, they even used it as cover!

談到這個經驗，Joe-yves說：「現在很多品牌和學院都投資龐大的經費在拍攝上，他們也如願獲得許多非常傑出的相片，所以當你只是默默無聞的小咖，寄出去的作品很容易沒有回音，但是一定要告訴自己不要放棄，多創造一些讓人眼睛為之一亮的作品，並且養成蒐集作品的習慣，一但你的作品被刊登出來，勢必會有越來越多的機會找上門！」

Talking about this, he says that hairdressers should always send the five best images to the publishers and wait for their response. Sometimes they say yes but sometimes no. The point is never give up, keep trying. "Nowadays, famous hairdressers or academies like Sasoon, L'Oreal, they spend a lot of money on shooting, they do get many great photos, so if you are not famous, of course it will be hard to compete with them, but once your work has been published, people will notice you then."

2012年時，Joe-yves發表了他的新創作，其中一張特別引人注意，帶金屬色澤的紅色鮑伯頭，一片片的頭髮和紋路，驚艷了美髮界，沒有人想得到用來打造直順髮的平板夾竟然也能用來做出這麼美麗的造型。如同他多數的作品一樣，其靈感來自充滿奧秘的大自然，木頭地板上的花紋，是他發想這個作品的契機。

Joe-yves gets his inspiration from almost everything around him, especially from nature. In 2012, he used flat iron to create vein lines on hair just like the wooden floor. When he lost his inspiration, he will stop and relax, maybe take a trip or what and then come back to do new things again.

Joe-yves在美髮界嘗試許多不同的領域，在雜誌拍攝片場、伸展後台、電視節目等，都能見到他的身影，但他最熱愛的，還是時尚產業。五年前他為時裝設計相搭配的髮型，被時尚千變萬化的樣貌深深吸引，便決定往這方面繼續鑽研。

Joe-yves has worked for magazine, runway backstage, editorial photo shooting, television and salon. Of all these works, he has a huge passion for fashion industry. Five years ago, he ran into couture fashion and was hooked. He had done many hairdressing works but he wanted to go deeper with fashion, which is more casual and soft.

「相片能將剎那間的美麗，永遠保存下來，是我愛上為雜誌攝影做造型的原因」Joe-yves如此說，雖然在拍攝現場，髮型師偶爾得聽命於攝影師，不停地重新為模特兒做造型，直到攝影師能捕捉到最美的瞬間，因此Joe-yves也特別提醒有計畫往這方面努力的髮型師們， EQ要夠高，也要夠謙卑，團隊合作的能力更是不可或缺。

"I love photo shooting because that 'picture will live forever' thing." The camera can catch a glimpse of fashion and the photo will live forever. This is the reason why he loves photo shooting. Although there's times that the photographers are not happy with the hair so they have to wash it over and do it again and again until the photographers get good photos. The passion for fashion is always the motivation that keeps him away from giving up.

如何定義一個好的髮型師，得依據不同領域來看，在沙龍工作，必須與顧各有良好的互動，才能確保顧客回流，其次，與同事的互動交流也同樣重要。若要站上舞台，成為髮秀明星，好的口才、自信和樂於分享都缺一不可。然而不論涉足什麼領域，良好的美學概念和品味都是一個好的髮型師需要具備的，若想要提升自己，Joe-yves建議髮型師們可以從看秀、上課、參賽和持續不懈的努力開始。

For him, defining "a good hairdresser" has many different standards. Working in a salon, you have to know how to speak with the clients and make them want to come back again. Being good with the team is as important as being with the clients. As a platform artist, you need to speak more and show your work. However, no matter what you do, you still need to have the sense for art and good taste which can be improved by training, taking class or attending competitions.

Joe-yves很享受參加比賽的過程，「參賽的重點從來就不是名次，而是你最後到底做出了什麼，是不是做出了讓人驚豔的作品。」，若是想要進入時尚產業工作，參賽也是很好的磨練機會。

Joining the competitions is good for practice. If you want to work in fashion industry, this is a very good opportunity to learn. "It's never about to win, it's about what you create in the end."

由於現在有許多不同類型的比賽，「技巧」不再是唯一的重點，評審看的是整體畫面。這時，好的模特兒和設計師，Joe-yves選擇模特兒十，除了理念相同外，台步也是非常重要的一環，能在舞台上駕馭高跟鞋、走的優雅有氣勢，絕對會為作品加分不少。在覓得好的模特兒後，就是要有一位厲害的攝影師，好的攝影師能夠達到事半功倍的效果。

On account of many different competitions, the hairdressers not only have to pay attention to the hair cut but also the total look. "If you want the total look to be great, you have to have a good model and a good team." Joe-yves finds his model from agency, he will first talk with them and see how they walk. Because catwalk also plays an important role in the competitions. Then he will find a good photographer, everything will be a lot easier when the photographer is good.

一個傑出的團隊，只是輔助，重點還是髮型師自己，Joe-yves時常用「事先計畫，實現計畫」提醒自己，良好的計畫和重複練習，是Joe-yves給想參加比賽的設計師們最真誠的建議 。

And the most important of all - "Plan your work, work your plan". It's important to have a structure before you start, and always practice. Practice not only make perfect, it also make you know what to do and what you're doing. These two pieces of advice will help hairdressers overcome the pressure and feel less confusing.

被問到如何成為一個像他一樣成功的髮型師，Joe-yves害羞的笑了笑，謙虛的說自己只是盡力完成每一件事，即便環境再怎麼艱難仍然不放棄。對他而言，美髮不再是工作而是生活態度，誠如他所說：「我真的很熱愛我的工作，我會一直做到我倒下的那天為止。」

Asking about his secret of being a successful hairdresser, he says that he only does his best, works hard and keeps holding on even it's in a hard time. For Joe-yves, his job is not a job but is his lifestyle. Just like he say, "I really love what I do and I will do it until the day I die."