Barber styles salon for star hairdresser James Brown

Barber has designed the first salon for celebrity hairdresser James Brown, who counts Kate Moss among his clients.

The salon opens on Friday in central London, only seven weeks after Barber was appointed, following a two-way competitive pitch at the end of April.
‘Brown wanted a domestic feel,’ says Justin Langshaw, head of 3D at Barber, ‘with six cutting stations based around a dining room table – a sort of domestic Victoriana.’

Using reclaimed materials and furniture, Barber wanted to give the impression that the space was developed over time. Large-scale ‘floating’ mirrors are suspended above the dining room table, which will act as a consultation and styling area.

‘We needed to match [Brown’s] expectations while creating a functioning commercial space,’ says Langshaw. Barber had to consider the practicalities of comfort and use of space, making sure components are ‘hairspray- and chemical-proof’.

Langshaw stresses that the theme of the salon is consistent throughout, to the degree that plans for a modern stand-up counter were scrapped so an antique writing desk could be included.

Brown already owns the James Brown London brand and his own product range, but Langshaw says, ‘We didn’t have to rigidly stick with his existing brand architecture.’

He adds, ‘It just needed to be defining and to differentiate [the salon] from other high street and celebrity hairdressers.’

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