Extensionist guru and visionary, James Henderson, talks about how his career and outlook on hairdressing has been transformed by using hair extensions...
Tell us a bit about you, your experience and your salon
I'm the Co-Owner and Head of Extensions at M Hair Extensions in Nottingham and have been in the hairdressing industry in some form practically my whole life! My career officially started in 1991 at the age of fourteen when I began working for the family hairdressing business whilst still at school to earn a little extra money. I was fortunate enough to work alongside a stylist who had joined from the famous Antenna Salon in London, who was an expert in hair extensions. He inspired me to go on to do further training at Antenna after I finished school, working alongside the famous Simon Forbes, the man who has been accredited for inventing hair extensions. Back then hair extensions weren't very mainstream and a lot of what I was doing was avant garde and show work. In the mid-nineties the demand for consumer hair extensions increased very quickly which in turn inspired me to later go on and help establish M Hair Extensions.
When did you start using Great Lengths?
M Hair Extensions is recognised as the 'place to go' for extensions in Nottingham, and we pride ourselves on offering only the best services and products to our clients. For this reason, we introduced Great Lengths to the salon in August 2013 which has been a huge success - the demand was so great we had reached Gold Salon accreditation by November 2013, and we haven't looked back since!
Do you think that hair extensions are now about more than just having long hair?
Definitely - although we can create stunning results by using Great Lengths to transform the likes of a choppy bob into cascading locks, hair extensions are also great for adding colour without commitment and transforming limp, thin and lifeless hair into something more voluptuous. A lot of my clients say that Great Lengths hair extensions have really helped to enhance their confidence, and are not just about changing how you look but also how you feel inside. It gives me such a buzz to be able to give clients that kind of boost.
What do you think the next big thing in hair will be?
I believe the next big trend will be women of different age brackets experimenting with hair extensions - at M Hair Extensions we've seen a definite increase in the number of mature clientele looking to get Great Lengths applied. Women between the ages of 45-80 are a huge market as hair thins by up to 50% by the age of 50, and enhancements are a great way of giving them that hair back.
For those readers who are yet to try Great Lengths but have always wanted to make more of their hair, what would your advice be?
Go for it, book a consultation - you have nothing to lose and meeting with a professional can put to rest any fears you may have about extensions as well as allow you to take a closer look at the extensions themselves - you can rest assured that in our opinion you will be getting the best hair in the world!
For more information about James and M Hair Extensions, visit the website and Facebook Page.