Page 31 - RAGE 4_Neat

Aged 18, he joined the Make-Up Bar where he met Emma-Louise Cantwell, his future
business partner. They instantly ‘clicked’, discovering that working together highlighted their
strengths and fuelled their ambition. As a salon, they won several industry awards and were
also selected to work on one of their first commercial jobs, giving them both a hunger for

more session work.

Shortly after, Christopher was interviewed by ghd to become a Brand Warrior. He landed the
role and soon caught the attention of Janine Jennings, the brand’s new Head of Education UK
& ROI. His work made such an impact that he was soon promoted to Senior Educator,
working on campaigns for the brand and more recently, styling at London Fashion Week and
The Brits.

‘ghd was an incredible opportunity’ says Christopher. ‘Janine personally mentored me for the

last few years and had a massive part to play in what I’m doing now. Without her, I wouldn’t
have got to this level - she has without doubt played a vital role in our careers. I’ll forever be
grateful for that.’

In 2019, Christopher was invited to audition for SKP Collective and was taken on as a Digital
Ambassador. This led to multiple industry opportunities, including the chance to present on

stage at Salon International and to judge the British Hairdressing Awards. Christopher’s
natural talent for creating glamorous, wearable hair was getting him noticed and he began
working with celebrities and influencers, building both his profile and his client list.

Along with Janine Jennings, Christopher also cites Zoe Irwin as being hugely influential in
getting him to this point. ‘Working one-on-one, Zoe taught me that hairdressing is about
invoking an emotion in someone and creating beautiful hair that makes the client feel
empowered. Zoe enforced that in me and it’s something I really believe in.’

Having forged a close friendship with Emma-Louise - as well as a very successful working
relationship (the pair are fully booked for weddings for the next three years!) – opening a salon
together felt like the next natural step. After securing a site in late 2020, the pair set about
planning a luxurious space that would bring like-minded creatives together.

Opening in August 2021, November Collective is a state-of-the-art hair and beauty destination
in buzzy Livingston, a short distance from Edinburgh. The salon has been built from scratch
to the duo’s specifications and spans an impressive 150 square metres over two floors, with
space for up to ten styling stations and six make-up artists. Created to offer a bespoke service
to a diverse clientele, both Christopher and Emma-Louise want the salon to provide ‘a sensory
experience’ that adjusts to each client’s individual needs.