You know those luscious, insouciant, grown-up blonde shades that you’re forever chasing, but never seem to nail? The subtle but signature honeyed tones sported by the likes of Elle Macpherson, Laura Bailey and Gisele? Well, they’re the handy work of hair colour legend, Josh Wood, whose brilliance, aesthetic eye and reputation have catapulted him to the upper echelons of the beauty world. When he’s not touching up hair on glossy editorial shoots, he’s being flown around the world, by private jet (natch), to tint, tone and enhance the locks belonging to Oligarchs’ wives, international royalty and a flurry of A-listers.
And so the women of London (and the world) breathed a sigh of relief last year when Wood left his cofounded salon Real Hair to launch his own Atelier in Notting Hill. Combining the styling, cutting and colouring finesse of fellow session stylists George Northwood, of Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley fame and James Pryce, the man responsible for the rich chocolatey tones of the Duchess of Cambridge, Wood created a new concept in hairdressing. Fusing the worlds of session styling and hairdressing. A concept which has now expanded into London’s quintessentially British department store, Liberty.
Josh Wood Atelier Liberty is the very first hair salon to find a home at Liberty of London. Located up on the 3rd floor it offers a range of colour, cut and styling services, starting at the rather-reasonable price of £30, plus all the thoroughly considered client-oriented features of the original Atelier, such as personally pre-loaded iPods (yes, you can listen to your favourite tunes whilst being primped and preened) and a concierge. It also boasts a global first; Wella’s Illumina Light Bar, where stylists can alter the natural daylight that floods the salon for optimum working-with-colour conditions.
Josh Wood Atelier, 6 Landsowne Mews, London W11 3AN www.joshwoodcolour.com
Josh Wood Atelier Liberty, Liberty of London, Great Marlborough Street, London W1B 5AH