Summer is Awards Season across so many industries. And for Simon Webster Hair on Gardner St, it’s always an exciting time. The salon has racked-up an astounding number of national (and international) awards since they opened 11 years ago, from UK Ultimate Salon awarded for their creativity and foreward-thinking ethos, to a Global Sustainability Leadership Award in recognition of their great work on sustainability and reducing their waste.
This time, it was the turn of SWH’s Creative Director himself – Simon Webster – to be recognised. This week, Simon was awarded the UK Good Salon Guide’s first ever Creative Excellence Stylist of the Year Award for 2023. The Good Salon Guide is one of the principal accrediting bodies of the hair industry and judges the UK’s salons and stylists based on their professionalism, creativity, innovation and influence. It’s a vast and diverse group of creative hairdressers and barbers, which makes his selection all the more special.
Simon said, “I’m incredibly honoured and it was a genuine surprise. What’s really special about this award is that it’s not based on nominations from your peers or something you can enter yourself. It’s not sponsored or limited to any one category of hair stylist. It’s a group of leading industry figures taking an objective look at all aspects of hairdressing (including salons, stylists, session artists and educators). So the news I’d won was totally unexpected. SWH salon has been a project of love and we’re so proud of our salon, our team and our creative projects.”
Simon Webster Hair was founded in Brighton by Simon and his wife, Sophie, back in 2012 and remains a single-store, independent salon. The salon has built it’s reputation on Simon and his team’s creative heritage, being a step ahead in their approach to business and by being one of the first salons to equally combine artistic projects with salon work. And they are strong supporters of plenty of local initiatives, reinvesting in the community they’re so much a part of. “Our heart is in North Laine and we never wanted to go anywhere else. With our success, there’s been immense pressure to expand to other cities, develop products or even franchise the brand, but we’re happy putting all our energy and focus into our Gardner Street hair-home, our amazing team and clientele. You won’t find another SWH anywhere else.”
If you haven’t visited SWH yet, get yourself down to the Gardner Street salon and experience it for yourself. Their gender-free service menu caters for all hair types, textures and styles and Simon himself still works there each week between external projects. And with each of the team having their own specialisms, whatever your hair needs and price point, there’s the perfect match for you.
Congratulations to Simon, Sophie and SWH Team on another great year for SWH!
