If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to have an appointment with a celebrity hair stylist, then read on. Recently I was lucky enough to spend some time in the salon chair with Victoria Beckham’s super talented hairdresser, Jason Collier.
It’s not just VB’s hair Jason has tended to. With a client list that reads like the VIP guestlist for Chiltern Firehouse, he’s been up close and personal with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria, Sienna Miller, Laura Whitmore and Justin Timberlake, to name just a few.
Having travelled the world as a personal hair stylist, Jason has since eschewed the nomadic lifestyle and everything that comes with it – the long hours, 6am wake up calls, lunchtime touch ups, and red carpet events late into the night. Now he’s settled his scissors at Kitch hair – a gender neutral salon just a stone’s throw from Angel Station.
Nestled in a side street by Camden Passage, Kitch’s facade is impossible to miss thanks to the colour-pop interiors, delightfully kitted out in the style of a 1950s pastel kitchen. Kitch was founded by esteemed celebrity stylists Luca Jones and Scott Humphreys, with a vision to create a concept salon which does the best hair in a comfortable and relaxed setting – think having your hair done at home in the kitchen surrounded by friends. The salon even has a dog, a gorgeous silver-grey French Bulldog called ‘Gaston’, who curls up on client’s laps for some mid-appointment puppy therapy.
Kitch’s client list is just as impressive as Jason’s. A glance at the salon’s Instagram reveals a roster of famous faces who have been coiffured there, from the Strictly Come Dancing cast (Alijaz! Graziano! Janette!) to the Queens of Ru Paul’s Drag Race (Bimini! Kitty Scott-Claus! Ella Vaday!).
To be completely honest, I don’t usually look forward to visits to the hair salon. I noticed my first rogue grey hairs at the early age of 25 (genetics were not on my side) and covering my roots has become a constant chore since. I reluctantly schedule appointments every eight weeks, and find the three hours spent cooking in the salon chair pretty tedious (first world problems – I know). But my trip to Kitch felt like anything but a chore. The salon atmosphere was, in short, a laugh. The stylists clearly love their work, they’re relaxed, having fun, and as a client, it’s impossible not to lean into the good vibes. The anecdotes traded across the salon are far more interesting than flicking through any magazine (who needs a copy of HELLO!?), and the glass of white wine served up in a pink cup mid appointment enhanced that feeling of unwinding with friends.
I came to the salon with some serious grey roots, and the second I stepped foot in the door Jason set to work with permanent colour, foils and bleach, weaving ultra fine ribbons of blonde through my hair to softly blend grey regrowth into my brunette colour. The speed with which Jason works is quite incredible – and I’m so here for it – the entire appointment of cut, scattered lights, root colour, and blow dry took two hours end-to-end. “It’s a skill I learnt working with busy women as a personal stylist,” Jason shared, with busy VIPs often only allowing just minutes for hair styling in their back-to-back schedules. The hair cut itself was done in less 10 minutes and exactly how I like it: “I’m not a butcher” Jason explained, as he trimmed off an inch and cut in long sweeping bangs, barely stopping to catch a breath.
A voluminous blow out with plenty of volume followed and I was ready to step out into Angel and catwalk my way down Camden Passage with a bouncy, beautiful hair. If you’re seeking a new salon in London, I can’t recommend Kitch or Jason Collier enough – because everyone deserves to experience the magic of A-list hair.
To book your appointment with Jason Collier visit Kitch hair kitchhair.co.uk or give the salon a call at 020 3474 5303
4 Charlton place, Angel, London N1 8AJ
