- London’s The Braid Bar is located in Selfridges on Oxford Street
- Hair menu includes 12 different styles named after top celebrities
- Plait service costs from £10 and no appointment is needed
- Customise the look with feathers, beads or a brush of temporary colour
- High profile fans include Davina McCall and Suki Waterhouse
A London-based salon is promising to transform hair in just ten minutes.
This summer’s hottest hairstyle comes fresh from the festival scene; braids that can be accessorised with colour, feathers, beads or even jewellery.
The Braid Bar, located in Selfridges department store on Oxford Street, specialises in supermodel-inspired plaits and has already proved a hit with celebrities including Kate Moss and her daughter Lila Grace, Burberry model Suki Waterhouse and TV presenter Davina McCall.
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The Braid Bar is the brainchild of hair enthusiasts Sarah Hiscox and Willa Burton.
After repeated requests from Hiscox’s young daughter Lucy to braid her hair, the stylish pair saw a gap in the market and created the unique concept.
At the pop-up bar, customers – who range in age from six to 60 years old – are given a visual menu of 10 to 12 different braids.
Each look is named after style icons such as Cara (Delevingne), Naomi (Campbell) and Gisele (Bundchen).
‘We decided to name the braids after models as their names are instantly recognisable,’ Hiscox told FEMAIL.
‘Also, the models and singers we have chosen are all very strong, focused women who have proved that they are a lot more than a pretty face.’
FEMAIL’S MAYBELLE MORGAN PUTS THE BRAIDS TO TH
E TEST
‘I was initially a bit worried about getting a hairstyle that has the potential to look quite severe but, after speaking to the team about my concerns, and asking them which style would best suit my face shape, I was told to opt for a look that kept part of my long hair down.’
‘I chose the Kate – inspired by Kate Moss.’
‘It took only 15 minutes to create the look and the braids were neat but comfortably tight.’
‘It lasted for the duration of the evening and although it took a while for me to get used to, I did receive quite a few compliments from strangers.’
If nothing on the extensive menu takes your fancy, the braid experts can recreate a look from a photograph or magazine cutting.
The success of the trendy pop-up, which is open from now until the end of summer, is its immediacy, accessibility and affordability.
Each style takes just 10 minutes to create (possibly 15 minutes for longer hair), no appointment is needed and there is no extortionate bill.
The cheapest braid is the Cara at £10 and the most expensive is the Tyra for £25.
Aside from being a big hit with the likes of Laura Bailey, Meg Matthews and Atlanta de Cadenet, The Braid Bar has become a must-visit destination for young girls.
‘The bar has been much more successful than we hoped, it seems to have captured a huge teenage audience,’ Hiscox told us.
‘I think it’s because it’s a way that girls can experiment with their look without having to do anything permanent and its also within their budget.’
The pop-up has also been a hit with parents who are haunted by memories of hair dye horrors and bad cut jobs.
For youngsters who want to personalise their look, the salon offers add-ons in the form of feathers, beads or a little brush of wash-out colour.
The only question now is: do you want the Gisele or the Naomi?
