The Shapeshift Hair and Beauty Salon in Ferryhill marks its two-year milestone this month, paving its way as an independent and solo-owned business that is zealous about creating an inclusive, one-on-one space that is welcoming for everyone, writes volunteer community journalist, Rhys Toomey.
“It means so much to me,” said Sophie Louise, the owner of the salon. Reflecting on how far the business has come, she said: “My confidence has improved a lot, and it’s also a great self-achievement because I have gone against what other people were telling me, like ‘it won’t work’ or ‘you will be closed within the first year’, but two years later I am still here, and business is better than I ever imagined it would.”
Although the salon “started off just doing general hairdressing, haircuts, and highlights,” said Sophie, it has since evolved to specialise in vivid hair colouring, sculpting, and texturisation that match the alternative fashion style as influenced by clientele’s popular demand. “In the past year I’ve been attracting a lot of the alternative crowd,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of clients coming to me for fashion-coloured hairstyles and lots of wolf-cuts, mullets, shag cuts, and things like that.”
The salon’s mission is to embrace their clients’ preferences and change with them. “My salon is for everybody,” she said. “It kinda gets a bit more personal for me because when I was younger I always felt like I never fit in anywhere. In school, I never fit in with the cool kids; I wasn’t popular or sporty enough in things. As an adult, I’ve always felt like I’ve never been able to find anywhere I fit in, so I wanted to make my chair a place where it doesn’t matter who you are, what your background is, or where you come from; the chair is always there for everybody.”
The salon’s inclusivity doesn’t just end there but also aims to be a sensory sanctuary catering to those who are hyposensitive, anxious, or neurodivergent. This is achieved through its exclusive one-on-one client policy that provides a quiet and unrushed environment.
“There is a lot of awareness now for autism, ADHD, and almost everyone has anxiety since lockdown. So, it’s often that one-on-one appointment is where they can come in and truly be themselves. They can choose what music they want to listen to or if they want a silent appointment,” she said.
Sophie mentioned when the salon made a difference in that regard. “I had clients where they might struggle with having the feel of wet hair, so there’s lots of options where we’ll sit down and discuss what they want at their appointment before I even begin cutting,” she said.
Having these impersonal appointments has brought Sophie closer to her clients and doubles as a more convenient experience for her clients. “The solo is something I really feel passionate about,” she said. “My clients love the one-to-one approach as well, so when they come in for an appointment, the appointment is solely theirs; there is no double-booking or a busy salon full of 6 or 7 stylists. I will see you there from the minute you sit in the chair until the minute you walk out the door”
To find more information about their services or to make an appointment, visit their website, accessible with this link https://www.shapeshifthairandbeauty.co.uk/.
In honour of spending two years running the salon, Sophie shares the treasures of building up the business and creating history within the community. “I started getting clients and those clients kept coming back,” she said. “I’ve got my regulars from two years later that are still coming in weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. It’s so nice because you get to know your clients and I’ve seen them go through their own walks of life, whether they’re buying houses or having a baby. It’s so lovely now because I’ve grown a relationship with my clients.”
“I am just a normal working-class mom who’s here to make people feel fantastic,” she said.
Story written by a volunteer community journalist for SWDN. If you would like to contribute, including writing articles, attending events on our behalf and/or taking photos, email volunteer[@]swd[.]news to get started or register interest for next workshop here.
Rhys Toomey
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
