If going to the hairdresser brings up tedious visions of sitting on your phone and wiling away the hour scrolling through Instagram, or flicking through an outdated Cosmo mag whilst sipping on a lukewarm tea, then you need to get yourself to Blade. Blade is a new hairdressing concept in the heart of London, on Frith Street, Soho, known as ‘Hairclubbing.’ Featuring a fully stocked bar with rare whiskies, awesome craft beers, biodynamic wines and carefully curated cocktails, all served to a decent dose of pumping music, Blade is revolutionising hairdressing.
I went to Blade the night of my leaving party for my oncoming move to Canada. It was the perfect opportunity to try the concept. Not only did I need a decent blowdry to ensure I left my colleagues and friends looking my best, but I needed a stiff drink to get my night started (and catch up with their inevitable post work Friday drinks). And so on a rainy Friday night, I found myself in a London Soho basement, next to a fully stocked bar, sat in front of an individualised iPad (all guests get an iPad each), sipping an excellent Old Fashioned, getting pampered and groomed. A pretty awesome experience.The Soho bar features a selection of drinks curated by Stroo D.T Olofsson, co-founder of Blade and whisky maestro. There are whiskys from all over the world, from super premium bourbons that you will not find in the UK (and maybe have not even heard of), to rare malts from the US. There are also quirky ingredients, like the maple syrup in the Old Fashioned that I ordered and came with a distinctly, and fittingly, Canadian twist, and the Japanese organic ceremonial Matcha in the Matcha Martini. The Boozy ‘OMG’ Hot Chocolate comes with a homemade secret hot chocolate recipe fortified with Stagg Jr straight bourbon that felt like a hug in a glass, whilst the more Pomegranate Screwdriver comes with a whole pressed pomegranate (crushed before your eyes), and the Chestnut Daiquiry comes with the ever delicious sounding raw Italian chestnut honey. In short – the options are seemingly endless, and interesting enough to wile away the hairdressing appointment before you even get started on the iPad. That they are absolutely delicious, is almost an added bonus.
It is these sumptuous drinks that really bring to life the ‘Hairclubbing’ experience. You come to Blade with friends to drink before a night out whilst getting a blow dry, chill with a glass of wine whilst watching Netflix on your iPad, or warm up with a hot chocolate on a Sunday afternoon.
Prices are reasonable – starting out at £27.00 for a cut and blow dry for non members, or £9.00 for a beard trim. The salon is lively and bustling at seemingly all hours, so book early to avoid disappointment and make the appointment count. Get that blow dry before your big night out and make the most of the pampering time. Enjoy! I know I did.
Blade Soho
26 Frith Street
London
W1D 5LD
United Kingdom
