hackney hairdresser goes to broadgate for growth

Opera star Jordene Soprano swapped the Royal Festival Hall for Hackney last week to serenade VIPs from the beauty business at the glitzy opening party of high fashion hairdresser IDENTITY UK's brand new salon close to the foot of the new Broadgate Tower in the south of the borough.

IDENTITY UK, which was recently awarded five stars in The Good Salon Guide, has trebled its workforce and increased its overheads as a result of the move from Kingsland Road to Shoreditch High Street, but award-winning stylist Tony Hegarty and his business partner Mikey Varellas are both confident that their business will grow rapidly in its new location.

The thirty five storey Broadgate Tower, just a few steps from IDENTITY UK’s front door, is still under construction but once it is completed in the summer of 2008 it will be the workplace of up to 15,000 people.

Currently the tallest building under construction in the capital, the fast-rising tower already blocks Hackney’s old view of the Gherkin in St Mary’s Axe just behind it.

Fashion and beauty professionals from L’Oréal, IZANI and KMS packed the two storey salon for the launch party to hear singer Jordene Soprano, who was drafted in from the South Bank where she is currently performing in the musical Carmen Jones.

They were also treated to a spectacular live show in which models sporting innovative modern European, Afro and mixed race hairstyles paraded in front of champagne-sipping guests.

“After outgrowing our original premises in Kingsland Road, where we were based for six years, it took a long time for us to find a larger location with new opportunities to reach more customers,” says Mikey Varellas. “But now we’re in our new home, business is booming.”

Architects, managers and builders working on Broadgate have been among the first customers visiting the Shoreditch High Street venue.

The ultra modern salon has ten styling stations, a L’Oréal Colour Lab, a MIZANI consultation area and two beauty rooms offering a wide range of beauty treatments, manicure, massage, reflexology, thermostraightening and AromaSteam.

"This place is a sanctuary, giving the best haircuts in London,” says customer Hope Harriott.

“Our stylists are highly skilled professionals who have won many awards,” says Tony Hegarty. “But every client leaves our salon with a first class haircut that hasn’t broken the bank.”

“The relocation of IDENTITY UK is part of a clear trend for successful retailers, restaurateurs, software developers and providers of professional and personal services to move to the south of the borough, where more affluent customers and business clients can be found in larger numbers,” says Kevin Davey, the senior business advisor at the Innovatory on Old Street.

“Hackney’s most ambitious entrepreneurs are prepared to take the risk of the higher rents charged on the fringe of the City, and the cost of providing higher quality goods and services to clients in the area, because the rewards are much higher too. For this reason the push towards the south is likely to continue even after the tube line is extended to Hackney.”

The change of premises and expansion of IDENTITY UK was assisted by a grant from the Hackney Enterprise Network which helped to pay for the salon’s new shopfront.