Meet The Team

Say howdy to our Assistant Manager & Colour Director, Alex...

Personal:  I like to go for dinner & drinks with friends and family and regularly go the gym.

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have a Level 2 & 3 qualification in hairdressing.

Favourite part of the job:  Being creative and learning new techniques as well as meeting new clients every day.

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Foil work & balayage. 

Meet our Artistic Director, Pasquale!

Personal: I am originally from Italy, but moved to the UK when I was young & not looked back. Any spare time I have is spent with my family, running or gardening.

Achievements, Qualifications & History: I started Avant Garde over 40 years ago. I have owned lots of salons over the years, but Avant Garde was the first & the only one I still have.

Favourite part of the job: Transforming my clients with a new haircut, but also seeing my staff flourish & grow in the salon.

Skills you excel in & enjoy: Teaching is something I’m very passionate about. A wizard with figures, too!

Say hi to our Creative Director Sophie who shares some information about herself...

Personal:  I am mum to my amazing 8 year old son.  I like going on holidays and SHOPPING!!

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have an NVQ Level 2 and 3 Hairdressing and a Teaching Qualification.  I have 27 years' experience in cutting & styling hair.

Favourite part of the job:  Talking to people and making them feel good about themselves.  Being able to offer clients advice.   

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Cutting short hair.

Say hello to Louise who is one of our skilled Creative Designers...

Personal:  I enjoy spending time outside and love horse riding and dog walking.

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have been hairdressing for 34 years and owned my own salon for 12 of those years.

Favourite part of the job:  Helping people look and feel good about themselves. Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Cutting short hair.

Say hello to our Creative Designer Stef who tells us a little bit about herself...

Personal:  Mum to an amazing little boy who makes me smile every day.  I love eating out, Starbucks, Gin, photography and making memories!    

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have been at Avant Garde since leaving school 18 years ago.  I have completed my Master Colour degree as well as learning on an array of cutting and colouring courses.

Favourite part of the job:  I love making people feel good about themselves.  I love the people I work with, being creative and that every day is never the same.

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  I love precision cutting and love to cut a classic bob!

Meet our Senior Designer Connie...

Personal:  I enjoy going out for nice dinners & brunches. I am very close to my family & love spending time with them.

Achievements:  I have been hairdressing for 11 years & have just done an extensions course.

Favourite part of the job:  I love the whole transformation from start to finish & seeing people feel good with the end results.

Skills you enjoy & excel in:  I love a full transformation with a set of extensions or with a new colour & cut.

Meet our Creative Designer Claire who tells us she is mum to two crazy small people, a needy dog and a moody partner!

Achievements, qualifications & history:  I have been at AG for nearly 7 years. In that time I completed my NVQ3, won a competition, and overcame my shyness. I have now been on the salon floor for 5 years and I love it. 

Favourite part of the job?  The people. Making everyone laugh and being creative and being able to act crazy in a professional way. 

Skills you excel in & enjoy?  I love doing short hair really enjoy doing creative styles.

Say howdy to our Senior Designer Lee...

Personal:  I love to skateboard when not in the salon

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have 11 years' experience in hairdressing and am Level 2 & 3 qualified.  I did lots of Wella classes in London and another one in the salon.

Favourite part of the job:  I am an all-round stylist who loves to cut as much as colour. 

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Hair cuts, restyles, colours, blow drys, wedding hair.  I love to learn what is new and to take part in competitions.

Meet our Creative Designer Cristina...

Personal:  I like going out for food and drinks and enjoy going on holidays.

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have 14 years' experience in the hair industry.

Favourite part of the job:  Seeing my colleagues; making clients feel happy and confident; and socialising with my colleagues and clients.

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Restyles, colour corrections, hair extensions.

Get to know the newest addition to Team Avant Garde - the super-talented Sasha...

Personal: I am punctual, responsible and definitely a perfectionist!

Qualifications & History:  I trained at Waltham Forest College before undertaking Vidal Sassoon cutting courses & Wella studio courses. I then worked as a Stylist at Headmasters, Supercuts & some private London salons.

Favourite part of the job: Changing people’s appearance & mood, seeing their smile and making them happy.

Skills you excel in & enjoy: I love highlights, balayage, short haircuts & creative looks.

Say hello to our Designer Sarah...

Personal:  I like socialising with friends and going out.  I also enjoy shopping and horse riding.

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I am NVQ level 2 qualified and have almost finished my Level 3 in hairdressing.  I have been on Wella training courses at their studios in London too.

Favourite part of the job: I like helping people feel comfortable about themselves when they leave the salon. I also like learning new techniques.

Skills you excel in and enjoy: Big bouncy blowdries.

This is Callie who is a Junior Designer Stylist and can also be found working on reception...

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I have just started training for my Level 2 qualification in hairdressing.

Favourite part of the job:  I love being part of the team and look forward to meeting new clients. 

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  Too early to say!

Meet Hollie who is a Junior Designer Stylist at Avant Garde...

Personal:  I like to go out with my friends and shop.  I also enjoy martial arts as well as athletics.

Achievements, Qualifications & History:  I am currently working towards my Level 2 NVQ in hairdressing.  I also have two brown belts in karate and kick boxing! I have won two gold medals at a national karate competition. 

Favourite part of the job:  I get to interact with clients which builds a connection as well as building my confidence. I can also watch other stylists and colourists do their job and take notes so that I can remember what to do when I get there.

Skills you excel in & enjoy:  I like shampooing and I love the smell of the products. I also like to blow dry a client’s hair.

Get to know a little bit more about our Trainee Stylist, Aimee!

Personal: I love to spend time with friends and family and enjoy going on holidays.

Qualifications & History: I am currently doing my Level 2 Qualification in Hairdressing.

Favourite part of job: I really enjoy doing our colour training and learning about the latest colouring techniques. I also love to curl hair.

Skills or areas you excel in: Hair ups!

Meet our hairdressing trainee, Ruby!

Personal: I love to shop and spend time with my family & friends.

Achievements: I have a diploma in hair & media makeup!

Favourite part of the job: I enjoy washing & blowdrying hair.

Skills I enjoy & excel in: I love to style hair.