Anya Hindmarch - If in Doubt, Wash Your Hair
"If in doubt, wash your hair” is the title of Anya Hindmarch’s first book. For those who don’t know, Anya Hindmarch CBE is an accessories designer extraordinaire. She founded her business in the late 1980’s with just one leather duffle bag and has since gone on to create an accessories empire.
Anya is committed to sustainability and to that end her new tote bag collection titled '“I Am a Plastic Bag” is made from material composed of discarded plastic bottles. The environmental crisis is a serious issue but Anya Hindmarch’s creative vision is also one sprinkled with humour and it has become her trademark. Some of her other collections include handbags embossed with googly eyes, household food brands reimagined as sequinned totes, or a candle range that smells of amongst other things, chewing gum and pencil shavings. Anya’s imagination seems to know no bounds which brings me to her latest fun interactive installation.
To celebrate the launch of Anya’s book she has (in association with Neville hairdresser) opened a pop up hair salon in Belgravia, London. The salon will be open for three weeks only and offers blow drys by appointment. A clever concept considering the name of her book, but the real genius lies in all the details.
The salon is a masterclass in retro styling and as you enter you are immediately transported to the 1960s. Every single aspect of the customer journey is a visual delight. It’s all here, from the floral gowns and brown and orange colour scheme, to the mid-century modern furniture and bespoke vintage hairdryers.
As a blow dry aficionado I booked myself an appointment and it didn’t disappoint. Interiors matter but it’s the staff from Neville’s that made my afternoon so wonderful and my stylist Sandra treated me to a fabulous blow dry. As someone with a passion for all things vintage I was all over the decor and the staff were so generous, letting me photograph absolutely everything! They even arranged for me to meet Anya so she could sign my copy of her book - she’s lovely by the way.
The salon’s strap line is “Shampoo and Therapy” and never has a truer word been said. An escape to the hairdresser for a blow dry is the ultimate pick me up. Those who know me well, will attest to my blow dry addiction. Nothing beats the pure unadulterated joy of someone infinitely more talented than me making my hair look fabulous while I sip a latte and flick through the latest copy of Vogue. It is for most of us an affordable luxury.
I am fortunate to have thick hair, once described as ‘hair with guts’ but that means it can only be tamed by a professional so my weekly wash and blow dry was an indulgence that I pined for during lockdown. As I’m feeling confessional, I will admit that I also go for blow drys whilst on holiday. In Ibiza I even get a discount at the local hairdresser because I go so often! There I said it, judge me if you wish, but good hair makes everything feel better!
“If in doubt, wash your hair” - unquestionably very sound advice. Hairdressers, I applaud your talent and I for one couldn’t possibly live without you. Anya totally gets it and unsurprisingly has fabulous hair.
Words and photos by Tanya Taylor © 2021