Emma: Obviously, you’re one of the most respected names in the industry. When did you first know you wanted to go into hairdressing as a career?
Errol: I’d say when I was about five or six. If you know what you’re going to do from an early age, I think that’s very powerful, and I always knew I was going to do hair. Somehow, I ended up with a doll’s head from my mum’s hairdresser, and I was always messing around with my mum’s hair too!
Emma: When you were at school, were you into art?
Errol: Absolutely. Anything to do with art, acting and being on stage. I’ve always had a creative tilt. I think hairdressers build their character over time – you have to sell yourself. Behind the chair, you’re a bigger personality than the person sitting in it, if that makes sense? Your personality has to come through, and I learnt that very young.
Emma: Someone once said to me that it’s like coming out of the staff room and stepping onto the stage – you’re performing. So, once you knew you wanted to do hair, did you go to college?
Errol: I’m one of five, and all my brothers are academics. They were all pushed towards university, but by the time it got to me, my parents had lost the plot – I got away with murder! I did go to college, but I hated it. I stayed about a year, and it was honestly terrible. I knew I needed to get into a salon, so I got a part-time job in a place called Mrs Johnson. I went around so many salons, and eventually I got a job with my mentor, Paul Edmonds. That was my first real inroad. He was working at Roger Hart, and I joined him at 17. Paul took me everywhere he went – from Roger Hart to Neville Daniel – so suddenly I was working in Knightsbridge. That’s still my area today.
Emma: You’ve always worked with high-end clients. Do you think they really appreciate what you do?
Errol: You get used to a certain calibre. If you walk into our salon, you immediately know we do more than hair. We have three receptionists, eight assistants, an afro department, a colour department and a caterer. There are three entrances, including a VIP entrance through a tunnel. That’s the level of client we look after. But at the same time, it’s about service; we go the extra mile. If someone wants to bring their dog in, we’ll walk it! I used to have a doorman who would park clients’ cars if they wanted.
Emma: Wow! I’ve always wondered – have you felt respected by people outside the industry? I’m in a small market town, and for 30 years I entered awards partly to prove to myself – and to others – that hairdressing is a serious career. You can travel and you can build something amazing, but I’ve never fully felt taken seriously in my community. Sometimes I wonder if it’s because I’m ‘just a hairdresser’.
Errol: There’s no such thing as ‘just a hairdresser’. We are entrepreneurs; we are business people. Think how many hats we wear – business owner, artistic director, mentor, brand ambassador. I could go on! I grew up in a very rough part of East London, but I knew what I wanted to do. Because of my training and experience, I’ve been an ambassador for major colour companies, and I can walk into any room with confidence. Hairdressing gave me this platform; it elevated me. Remember, your limitations are only ever on yourself; you have to rise above all the noise.
Emma: Coming from the North, I found it intimidating stepping outside my salon. Most opportunities were in London. Once my little boy – he’s 20 now! – needed me less, I pushed myself to come down. It was terrifying.
Errol: You have to own it. I’ve judged competitions all over the world, but at the end of the day, you need to be seen as an artist. You have a name, and that gives you a platform. It’s about belief, and understanding that brands and sponsors should be approaching you.
Emma: I remember you saying at Salon International years ago: “Say yes to everything, even if it’s unpaid, because eventually you will get paid.” That stuck with me.
Errol: You have to say yes – that’s how you climb the ladder. This industry is brilliant at supporting people. I love that someone can come from nowhere and win an international award.
Emma: You’ve been nominated for British Hairdresser of the Year 29 times. What keeps you going?
Errol: I’ll be brutally honest – if British Hairdresser of the Year wasn’t a nomination-based award, I’d have walked away years ago. Being nominated pulls me back in; I feel a responsibility to uphold it. I’m a Capricorn, so I’m a climber. I have to get to the top of the mountain.
Emma: I relate to that. Being told I couldn’t be ‘just a hairdresser’ only made me more determined! What advice would you give when people ask, ‘what do you do with the win?’
Errol: I stay clued up – with my salon, my brand and my social media. I promote myself constantly. In many ways, I do it better than anyone else could. You can’t dip in and out; consistency is everything. If you look at my feed, I’m always doing something. You have to put the work in, even when no one’s paying attention.
Emma: How do you balance all of that with running such a big salon?
Errol: I don’t! I have an incredible business partner. We’ve been on Motcomb Street for 28 years, but it’s tough. I’ll be honest, I can’t really afford to be in that area anymore.
Emma: I get that. In my town, most salons have gone to the chair rental model. There’s only me and one other employing teams. Do you still invest in apprentices?
Errol: Absolutely. We’ve got nine apprentices and three receptionists. It’s a huge cost, but mentoring and training matter.
Emma: That sense of responsibility is exactly why I wanted to own a salon. For someone who has such an amazing back catalogue of work, can I ask, what’s your golden advice for creating photographic collections?
Errol: Authenticity. I’m not into AI; my collections have to be timeless and beautiful. You need a real rapport with your photographer – they should push you, not dictate to you. When that synergy is there, that’s when magic happens.
Emma: I don’t like over-editing either. I want the hair to look real.
Errol: Same. My latest collection, Obsession, looks exactly the same behind the scenes as it does in the final images. I’m fastidious – about the photographer, the model, everything. The girls I use are always the right fit.
Emma: Do you work out the hair you’re doing first and then choose the model, or do you do a bit of both?
Errol: The hair always comes first. If the model fits my vision, I book her. And yes – I cut from scratch. That’s why I shoot overseas. It costs more, but I own the haircut completely.
Emma: Sometimes I panic because I think my work feels too simple compared to others. How important are all the elements – styling, make-up, etc.?
Errol: Hairdressers go wrong when they do fashion instead of hair. I make sure the clothes or the make-up or whatever don’t overpower my pictures. Mood boards should inspire, not be copied. I don’t follow trends – I create them.
Emma: Where does your inspiration come from?
Errol: Almost as soon as one collection’s finished, I’m thinking about the next. If I stop, I go stale. You have to stay in that creative treadmill.
Emma: Are you worried about the industry today?
Errol: I worry about fundamentals. There’s fast-food hairdressing now – no brush skills, too much reliance on tools. And freelance worries me. Without salons and education, the skill set disappears. If you’re going to do something, do it well, with strong foundations.
Emma: I see that too – especially with blow-drying and textured hair.
Errol: Don’t get me started. And hair-up! Bridal work taught me everything. Specialise, yes – but master the foundations.
Emma: Final question: what advice would you give someone starting out today?
Errol: Research where you want to work. Choose a salon that trains, that educates and that invests in you. Ask the team what it’s really like. Look for apprenticeships and academies. Training is everything – I can’t stress that enough.
“Speaking to Errol has taught me that no matter where you are – up North or down in London – the issues we have as salon owners are still the same. I was surprised how easy it was to talk to Errol – he was very open and honest, and we shared lots of the same views when it comes to our industry. The best little nugget of advice I’m taking away is to keep consistent and to be more proactive in promoting myself. I had an amazing afternoon and can’t thank Errol enough for giving me his time. It meant so much to be able to sit and chat with an absolute icon!” – Emma Dixon
