Capital Cuts
Published in Time Out
There are 7.5 million people from more than 300 countries living in the capital and most of those people have hair. Which is why, from bobs in Brixton via weaves in Wimbledon to crew cuts in Covent Garden, there is a capital salon to cater for any possible permutation of perm, crimp or blow dry. Helen Jennings picks four of the best. Photography Karl Blanchet
Ella Hair Design
Afro Caribbean
'I specialise in the weave. I do the basic cornrow weave, netting weave and bonding. I am the Queen of Weave!' So says Pauline Gayle, proprietor of Afro-Caribbean salon Ella Hair Design. The new thing is the lace wig that you can leave on for two weeks. All the celebrities wear them. I'll be offering that soon too.'
Born in Jamaica, Pauline came to London aged 18 and has worked in several salons across Lambeth. She realised her ambition to run her own place four years ago and has built up a loyal customer base at her bright and airy unisex salon ever since. 'I love hairdressing, it's my passion. It doesn't matter how my day has been, when I come in here and start doing someone's hair it gives me peace of mind. If a customer walks out of here happy, I'm happy too.'
In her chair today is Aldia, a nurse from Kent. 'It's a very friendly salon. I can spend all day here having a little gossip,' she says. Fellow customer Denise, a beautician at local department store Morleys, agrees. 'I don't like the big salons, I prefer the personal touch. For my job I need to look the full package and she really knows how to care for my hair.'
'I've even had clients say to me "I found my husband with the hairstyle you've given me,"' Pauline smiles as she puts the finishing touches to Aldia's glossy weave. So if you're unlucky in love, ladies, head her way.
Ella Hair Design, 9 Arlington Parade, Brixton Hill, SW2 (020 7501 9696) Brixton tube/rail Open Mon-Thur, Sat 10am-6.30pm, Fri 10am-8pm. Wash, cut and finish £27; weaves from £45.
Nicholas Barber Shop
Greek
There has been a barber at 38 Goodge Street since 1912. This small oasis of calm in Fitzrovia still boasts its original cast-iron barber chairs and is today owned by Charalambos Charalambous and his son, Nicholas. 'My father-in-law bought this place from a Jewish guy in 1967 and I took it over from him in 1978,' recalls Charalambous senior. The area was quiet back then and the people were more genuine. You could leave the shop unlocked, go out for lunch and it was fine. Then in 1983 we came back one day and all the money in the till was gone. But it's no problem. These days it's very busy; I'm not complaining.' The times have changed but the service provided at Nicholas Barber Shop has resolutely stayed the same. 'You come here for a shave or short back and sides. That's it. No highlights, no tinting, nothing. I consider myself to be a champion barber. I've been doing it for 40 years and am a true professional.'
Charalambous originally learned his trade in his native Cyprus before moving to London in 1970. 'At home I earned 75p a week. When I arrived here I earned £2.50 a week. Now we charge £12 a cut and have a good clientele. It's all good people, everyone is polite. Ricky Gervais is a regular, too.'
He works alongside Jimmy, who's been at the barber's since 1969, and the pair have grown grey together gracefully. 'We never argue, what is the point of arguing? He has his customers and I have mine.' So who gets the most tips? 'We never talk about tips!'
Nicholas Barber Shop, 38 Goodge St, Wl (07903 042 676) Goodge St or Tottenham Court Rd tube. Open Mon-Fri8.30am-6pm, Sat8.30am-3pm. Short back and sides £12
Apsara Herbal
Indian
In the heart of Whitechapel, Apsara Herbal has offered hairdressing, beauty treatments, henna, mehendi and bridal make-up since 2001. The hair is done upstairs. Show me a picture of a style you want and I can do it,' explains chief technician Runu Das. 'And the treatment rooms are downstairs. I have so many different types of customer - Asian, black, European -1 can handle every type of hair and skin.'
Owners Mr and Mrs A Das also have a salon in Delhi and first opened a small shop a few doors down, upgrading to their current spacious premises two years ago as demand grew. 'We're known for our facials. All of our products are natural and organic - you can't get these facials any where else in London,' says Mr Das. Faithful client Lola from Stratford discovered Apsara Herbal a year ago. 'I tell all my friends about this place. After I have one of their galvanic vegetable peels other people can see the difference in my face. Today, though, I'm here to get my eyebrows threaded.'
Customers choose a Bollywood brow from a board of photographs of Indian movie stars then the staff get to work creating your favoured shape. A Shilpa Shetty or an Aishwarya Rai? The choice is yours.
Apsara Herbal, 249 Whitechapel Rd, El (020 73772004/apsara herbal.co.uk) Whitechapel tube. Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-7pm, Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Cut and finish £19-£25.
Ticro Hair UK
Japanese
Giant Homepride characters stand guard at reception and Hot Chip blasts from the stereo. Welcome to Ticro. Director Takashi Kidd opened a Ticro in southern Japan before coming to London seven years ago to launch a Covent Garden branch. 'I wanted to cut people's hair from all around the world,' he says. 'Asians have very thick hair compared to Europeans so we cut it in a different way .Japanese hairdressers are the best because we do very exact haircuts. Everybody who comes to my hair salon leaves contented.'
Takashi's second-in-command Hiroaki Tomida explains why. 'In England you have junior stylists, senior stylists and so on. In Japan you have to do an assistant job and train I every evening after work until midnight.Then after three years you become a hair stylist. It's a good system. I really like doing colour. The fashionable shade now is chocolate brown.'
As well as cutting and colouring, Ticro's menu includes dreadlocks, make-up, traditional Japanese set hair and kitsuke (kimono dressing). Customer Jing, a Chinese law student, comes in for extensions. 'I have them done here every two or three months, which takes a couple of hours. I prefer Japanese salons because they understand my hair. I wouldn't go any where else.'
Ticro Hair UK, 67 EndellSt. WC2(020 78365030/ticrohair.com) Covent Garden tube. Open Man-Sat llam-8pm, Sun 11 am- 7.30pm. Cut and blow-dry £30.
More great ethnic salons
Afro hair Back to Eden
The emphasis at this friendly neighbourhood salon is on natural black hairstyling, such as dreadlocks and cornrows. 14 Westmoreland Rd, SE17(020 7 703 3173) Elephant & Castle tube. Open Tue-SatlO.30am-6.30pm.
Asian hair JMoriyama hair design
Due to its popularity, the salon has opened a third branch in Marylebone Lane specialising in Japanese cuts. 78 Marylebone Lane, Wl (020 7486 3440/moriyama.com) Bond St tube. Open Tue-SatlOam-6.30pm, Sun, llam-6.30pm.
Curls of all kinds Unruly studio
Tucked away behind Portobello market, this salon's speciality is curls, creating or taming them. 100 Westbourne Studios, 242 AcklamRd, W10(020 7524 7704) Westbourne Park tube. Open Mon-Fri 1Oam-lOpm, Sat 1Oam-6pm.
Extensions and hair relaxing
Nyumba
This high-end Mayfair salon offers hair extensions, weaves and hair relaxing as well as regular cuts and colours. 6-7 Mount St, W1(020 7408 1489/nyumbasalon.com) Bond St tube. Open Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 9am-6pm, Thur9am-8pm.