Jo Hansford MBE celebrated 33 years of business in May this year.

She was delighted with her achievement. From begging the bank for a loan to start her business, to becoming the colourist of choice for the Queen, Jo Hansford has proved to those who originally dismissed her with ‘snippy’ comments that hair is big business.

In 1993, when Jo Hansford first opened the doors to her Mayfair salon, all the leading names at that point were men, such as Vidal Sassoon, John Frieda and Nicky Clarke and, to this day, Jo is the only woman in hairdressing who has turned her name into a business brand like her famous male counterparts.

When Jo started, the only alternative to grey was going to the hairdressers for a blue rinse, and dyed hair was a shameful secret. As a colour expert, Jo realised that there was a unique opportunity to put hair colour at the forefront of a salon rather than hidden away in the background.

Jo Hansford MBE explains: “I was up against it as soon as I opened my first salon, given it was the middle of a recession and other industry leaders said I would be lucky to last three months remember them saying: ‘She’s a woman, she will soon be gone’. I knew the transformative effect colour had and I was determined to build a salon renowned for its expertise, and I think I’ve done just that.”

The business success grew each year, survived three recessions including the crash of 2008, moving to bigger premises and Covid. Luckily, the salon has some of the highest client retention rates in the industry and, with a renewed appreciation for the professionalism of colourists and stylists, existing clients returned and new ones booked in.

The award-winning colourist, along with her daughter Joanna, who is MD of the Jo Hansford brand, have worked together to create a luxury salon that is widely recognised as the destination in the capital for colour, cut and styling. In addition, they have also launched Jo Hansford Expert Colour Care range to create the perfect shampoo and conditioner to protect coloured hair.

Clientele come from all over the world; the ones who fly in from Europe, America and Australia are affectionately called “our hair miles clients,” says Jo. Regulars include many HNW individuals, members of the Royal family as well as international royals, politicians, stars from stage and screen, businesswomen and men, along with everyone in between.

Jo Hansford MBE comments:
“All our clients get the same treatment. We value each one of them and are always grateful that they choose to come to us. We never take them for granted – as soon as you do that standards can slip. We never rest on our laurels. Our clients are used to having a five-star lifestyle based on quality and exceptional service, and we therefore have to constantly deliver at every touch point.”

Given the UK is globally recognised as having the sharpest stylists and colourists compared to its continental and transatlantic rivals, Jo and her expert team also train the next generation of hairdressers as part of L’Oréal Colour Trophy and have worked with stylists all over the world and specifically in India.

Jo sums up: “People don’t recognise hairdressing as a serious career, but it is a highly professional and skilled job, and you can be incredibly successful through it.

“We offer a life-long career and many of our staff have been with us for 20 or more years.

“It’s fabulous to be in an industry that currently cannot yet be taken over by AI, and we still get to use our brains and skill set. I still love my role and, to work alongside my team, there really is no better place I would rather be.”

A six-star salon experience

The salon Jo set up 33 years ago is very different to the one that a Jo Hansford client will walk in to today.

At Jo Hansford, clients are offered an innovative and bespoke range of hair styling and colour services as well as the option to book in and see hair, beauty and specialist experts.

Joanna Hansford, MD of both salons, explains: “We very much position ourselves as a six-star salon, offering hair and beauty services in the most luxurious of surroundings, with a guarantee of them being delivered by experts who are trained to the highest technical standards.

“Clients coming into the salons want to have the ultimate experience, and it is wonderful to deliver this in every way we can.”

What makes Jo Hansford a six-star salon?

• Swipe to book: Traditionally, appointments were booked over the phone in a column diary; now it is highly digitised with state-of-the-art software. Appointments can also be booked online and via WhatsApp, making it even easier for clients to book in whatever time zone they are in.

• A welcoming team you would see in any top hotel: The salon has its own dedicated client liaison as well as a host of receptionists alongside their cloakroom attendants, who act as a personal concierge for many clients. Want your dog walking while you have your hair done? No problem… the team will do it.

• In-house chefs: Jo Hansford Mayfair boasts its own in-house chef who caters for clients’ culinary requests with a selection of locally sourced produce for drinks, breakfasts and lunches as hair gets coiffed.

• Bespoke colour: Gone are the A4 ring binders with synthetic hair colour looped in neat rows. Now clients are offered iPads where they can view the latest trends in colouring and styling and see what options may suit them alongside their consultation.

• Vegan colour: The salon has a dedicated vegan colour specialist, offering individual services for clients, from flawless highlights, beautiful balayage right through to a dramatic colour change and
colour correction.

• Green Salon Collective: As part of its commitment to sustainability, Jo Hansford Harvey Nichols has teamed with specialist recycling service Green Salon Collective to ethically dispose of salon waste. Everything from hairspray cans, colour tubes, foils and disposable towels is either recycled, reused or composted, ensuring it is kept out of landfill. Hair clippings are composted or turned into fertiliser or used to make booms to absorb oil spills in the sea.

• Hair solutions: stylists and colourists are continually educated to advise clients and deal with personal hair problems and hair issues impacted by menopause, detox diets, thinning hair, and hair loss. The salon has its own consultant trichologist, Hugh Rushton, who has more than 40 years of experience in hair- and scalp-related problems. The team also work with Mandeville, Europe’s leading niche specialists in handmade European hair wigs and hairpieces, providing a solution for all types of hair loss, from alopecia, chemotherapy, thinning hair and scalp traumas.

• Extensions: A full head of hair or a boost to existing hair continues to be in demand for many clients, and the salon offers ethically sourced ranges from Gold Fever, London Hair Lab and Remi Cachet extensions.

• Staying connected: Access to a first-class Wi-Fi system is critical for clients. While clients still enjoy magazines and newspapers, they can work while in the chair or relax and read Jo Hansford’s blog and see the latest trends online. Many bring in their own laptops and work on mobiles, and the salon helps to keep them 100 per cent charged thanks to readily available chargers.

• One-stop destination for hair and beauty: Clients are time-poor, so Jo Hansford offers a range of services. As well as in-house manicurists, the team has a long-standing relationship with their beauty and aesthetic experts, including Dee Stanford, Alicia Janiec and Emma Wedgwood, who all have independent rooms within the salon.

• Reaching a global audience: The salon has never advertised, preferring word-of-mouth and PR. Jo Hansford explains: “It’s the one thing I invested in when I opened and it’s what we still do today. Third-party credibility and endorsement have always been so important and valuable to us.” In addition, the salon reaches global audiences with social media and in-house marketing.

• Flexible teams: The salon has staff who work full-time, part-time, and weekends, while others are self-employed. The salon is proud to support working parents, and many of its female staff are working mothers.

Jo Hansford concludes: “I feel incredibly proud of what I have achieved, and I still get the same thrill at seeing someone leave the salon happy, full of confidence, with their hair looking amazing, just like I did when I first started. It is addictive seeing clients being transformed, and it is the reason why I always want to come back for more!”

Jo Hansford Salons – a cut and blow starts from £150, and colour appointments start from £130.

W: Jo Hansford Mayfair
T: 020 7495 7774
E: Reception