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HESWALL HAIRDRESSER LOUISE FUDGE TELLS US
ABOUT HER HAIR-RAISING CAREER
How did you get into hairdressing?
My path into hairdressing wasn’t straightforward. After I completed
my A level theatre studies and a diploma in performing arts, I signed
a record deal in 1999 and joined the band Supersister. We released
three songs and made an album which was never released. It wasn’t to
be, but it was great fun though! We toured the country with Hearsay,
Westlife, Five, Steps and S club 7, and had a couple of top 20 hits.
So, there I was in my mid 20’s and totally clueless at what I could do
until a friend of mine said why don’t you try hairdressing? I’d always
had an interest in hair when I was in the band - I was the one who
paid ridiculous amounts to go to Daniel Galvin junior in Mayfair -
I had hard hair and not many people could get it right, especially
the colour. Without knowing it, this is where my obsession of colour
started.
I decided to go to Andrew Collinge for the training. Andrew and
his team designed a course to fast track me. They were fantastic and
within 8 months I was a fully qualified hairdresser and landed my
first job. I remember Andrew saying to me that I had to go to his
salon in St Johns in Liverpool to experience life as an assistant. He
had me there for two weeks making tea and sweeping up so I could
understand every aspect. I learned some valuable lessons. I felt being
a little bit older and having experienced being a client first, really
helped with my empathy and desire to get it right.
Have you always lived in Wirral?
I was born in Ledsham near Little Sutton, I went to the Firs School in
Chester then on to The Hammond School. I finished my education at
the Cheshire school of Dance and Drama. I opened the Little Sutton
salon in 2015 having moved over from Sheffield. I’d been in Sheffield
for 10 years and really missed it here. My family come from a long
line of bookmakers in Liverpool. My mum was the youngest female
bookmaker to ever have a bookies licence at 21.
We’ve been living in Heswall for two years now and I absolutely love
it. We have beautiful views across the Dee Estuary and love that we
are walking distance to all the bars and restaurants. The community
spirit is so strong in Heswall, we try and shop locally and support
other local businesses. It’s fair to say that this was absolutely the right
move for us as a family. My hair salon in Little Sutton has gone on
to win four awards within the industry to date. It’s been amazing to
76 wirrallife.com
watch something start from absolutely nothing to a great, vibrant
place where creatives can do their thing.
What makes you tick?
I’ve been married for ten years to Gary next year and I have three
young boys, Mason 12, Maxwell 9 and Beau 3. We also have a little
girl Cavapoochon called Dixie, so family is hugely important to me.
We do love a bit of footy, we are season ticket holders for Liverpool,
though the boys are also Sheffield Wednesday fans as they were born
in Sheffield. I still love the arts and I try and go to the theatre a couple
of times a year; I’ve seen Les Miserables 5 times, in fact I’m seeing
them again at the Empire in Liverpool later this month.
Workwise, I would say that I love colour. It’s moved away so much
from just doing foils. Now it’s ammonia free, building bonds with
Olaplex, creating dimensions of light and shade using different
methods, balayage, blending greys and lived in blonde and taking
away build up. Redken is my favourite. It is used by some of the
leading colourists in the world, Tracey Cunningham is an ambassador
for Redken. She colours the Kardashians hair, Jennifer Lopez and
Lana del ray amongst others. I was lucky to meet her and have a class
with her in Las Vegas in January where she taught me some valuable
tips and techniques.
So, what’s new for you?
We’ve just opened our latest salon on Telegraph Road in Heswall and
have really tried to make it a haven for our guests to truly relax and
unwind whilst they stay with us for their visit. We are air conditioned
with massaging backwashes with electric reclining chairs to support
your lower back with soft overhead lighting. The lighting has been
very carefully designed to complement the overall ambience. We have
a complimentary bar and refreshments with the latest magazines. We
can even arrange for your lunch to be delivered!
I wanted to take my brand to the next level, I wanted more of a work-
life balance as well. I can be in work in less than five minutes from
home and I’m only five minutes from where my youngest son will
go to school. I just love how welcoming everybody has been. Yes, it’s
a competitive market but my clients have followed me here so I’m
happy to continue the job that I love and keep educating the next
generation of hairdressers.