Wellbeing
Originally published on Friday, 26th February 2010
Cutting It
Paul Merritt launches eponymous salon.
Paul Merritt has become a pretty high-profile name in hairdressing. He launched Bloww following a stint on Channel 4’s ‘The Salon’ (yes, he is the ruggedly handsome Manager you kind of remember from 2003), works with straightening saviours ghd, has appeared with Lorraine Kelly to find a ‘face’ for a new hair-product campaign, does UJ’s own Editor-in-Chief’s hair, and oh yeah – is shooting off to Paris Fashion Week, ‘just to be sociable’.
So why is his new, self-named, salon so hard to find? Because dear subscribers – wanky ‘password only’ clubs aside – this is one secret you seriously won’t want to share. Tucked away down a residential side-street off Oxford Circus, a heavy, unmarked iron door in a normal looking townhouse swings open to reveal a descending staircase. At the bottom you’ll find a huge subterranean concrete space with enormously high ceilings, slab-like wooden doors and a custom-made gold sofa, lit by a couple of strategically placed skylights – all the better to keep the paparazzi at bay.
And yet this isn’t a celebrity honeypot of multiple PA proportions – Paul’s services really emphasise the one-to-one relationship and clients get up to an hour and a half in the chair with him, with proper consultations and the promise of a seriously good haircut. Plus, Fashion Week nuances aside, he’s a totally normal, nice guy. And that’s why UJ loves him – he knows what works and provides more advice than your average ‘take a bit off the end’ cutter.
With the promise of niche events for loyal customers and a master colourist on the way, we know what’ll be the highlight of our Summer.
INFO
Paul Merrit Studio
Open from 3rd March, taking bookings now.
Ladies from £150, gents from £100.
37 Gosfield Street, W1W 6HL - 020 7631 5018
