Well you made the right choice and it’s certainly gone a lot better than your music career! If memory serves us right, you were shortlisted twice at the British Hairdressing Awards in the Newcomer of the Year category AND won the Alternative Hair Visionary Award, how did that feel?

You get these moments where everything’s just going right; I just felt like my hands were dancing. That show was when I found my niche; a fusion between avant garde, and clean lines. You can’t get a lucky break and then sit on your laurels though – our industry’s not

like that. If you get off the train it’ll keep on going, although my mum’s always telling me not to work too hard!

So tell us, who was the first person to let you near their barnet?

As I’m sure all trainees do, I thought because I’d watched stylists work for a couple of months that I could do it myself. I attempted a short back and sides on my friend Alex; we are still friends – just – but he looked a bit like Forrest Gump, plus he had crutches so when we went into town I looked like his social worker.

Oh dear, who was next in the hot seat after that then?

I did a couple of bodge jobs on my mum, although she never moaned. The closest she ever came to criticising me was, ‘Do you mind making both sides the same length?’ She didn’t even complain when I gave her red highlights! Mind you these days she’s always nagging me to do her hair and if I’m honest I don’t do it enough.

We’re not surprised there’s now a waiting list for your services, but what’s your fave type of client?

Staff room talk tends to be about fussy clients but I like people who know what they want. They may be a bit stand-offish but when you nail it that’s the best feeling.

So you’re still enjoying hairdressing then?

I like to be creative; be one step ahead. Hairdressing’s an art and some people won’t like a style but some will, and that’s what it’s all about. If I have three similar clients one after the other who want three similar things I do each one completely different just to see if I can. Styling hair’s a brilliant fusion of art and popular culture with instant rewards;

I get nine or 10 of them a day – what’s not to like?

And what about all the other hair stuff you’ve done?

I love doing photographic work although it has its drawbacks; with the rest of my work I can look back romantically and sometimes remember it better than

it actually was, but with photographs sometimes you look back and think that’s bloody awful! Even though

30 second

interview

What’s your signature style?

What I want it to be is beautiful but still jarring on the eye; not everyone likes it but they can all appreciate it. At the moment I’m a half-baked mish mash of that.

Who was the last person to call you?

The bank! They were worried because the hotel I’m staying in insists on taking a deposit out of my account everyday.

What’s your favourite colour?

Green.

What do you watch on TV?

I didn’t have one until recently but my girlfriend made me buy one.

Hair: Alfie Booth Makeup: Liz Collinge Photography: John Rawson

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I’m in a position to do the shows and collections I don’t get complacent. What we do for a living is the stuff we do in the salon; that’s our bread and butter and that’s where I really strive to improve. That’s what makes me happy, then if something else comes along

it’s a bonus.

When you’re not busy styling hair, doing shows, collections and everything else, you’re nurturing the next generation of stylists – what’s that like?

It’s not so much teaching technique as enthusiasm; everything else comes if they’re enthusiastic enough. There’s no pretension. I say the worst thing you can do is get defensive. There’s always someone better than you, but it’s important to acknowledge that and learn

from them.

Many have named you as the one to watch in the

industry – how does that make you feel?

Very proud but also a bit nervous. One thing I definitely don’t want is to be given a position which I don’t entirely deserve; I want to make sure I can justify it. The trouble is things can go wrong, especially when you’re trying new things; it can look absolutely rubbish!