Vidal Sassoon Studio - A quality cut
Vidal Sassoon Studio has a prime location on Edinburgh’s Multrees walk. Surrounding this hairdresser are the ever popular VinCaffé, Armani (for the past few weekends some women have been chanting ‘Boycott Armani’ outside), Harvey Nichols and, to name but a few, Louis Vuitton. Vidal Sassoon certainly have the prices to match this upmarket location: my cut and blow dry was £48.
Students and children under twelve can, Monday through Wednesday, reduce the cost of a haircut at Vidal Sassoon by 25%. I headed to Vidal Sassoon on the recommendation of a couple of friends (one male/one female). Their reasons for recommending Vidal Sassoon are listed below:
- Their stylists are very up-to-date with the latest hair fashions and styles. The cut you get at Vidal Sassoon is likely to be edgier and more defined than other salons; although they can do high quality ’standard’ cut and blow drys as well.
- The staff are extremely friendly and, despite the brand name and a worry about Vidal Sassoon being pretentious, it’s not that way at all. It’s a very welcoming salon where you feel extremely comfortable.
- Your stylist stays with you for the entirety of your visit. So he/she will have a quick consultation, then wash your hair themselves and, obviously, cut it. My stylist even ran my haircut through the till himself.
- Vidal Sassoon is open Sundays (12pm to 5pm). The salon is relatively quiet on the Sunday and it makes for a relaxing experience. This frees up Saturday to go shopping, have a few beers or head out of Edinburgh for the day.
After experiencing Vidal Sassoon firsthand I would definitely agree with all the points above. Having the actual stylist wash your hair is a differentiator from many other salons. Also, the levels of professionalism demonstrated by all the staff at Vidal Sassoon was evidently very high.
My stylist, again by recommendation, was Bartek. One of my initial worries about a name like Vidal Sassoon was the stylist might start cutting and give whatever haircut he thought would look good, without explanation or consultation. Fortunately this proved totally unfounded. Bartek sat me in the chair and asked what style I was looking for, while also offering his advice and what hair style he thought would suit me. I left Vidal Sassoon with a quality cut; Bartek definitely gave my hair a new sharper style than I had previously.
The interior of Vidal Sassoon is quite clinical and very modern. The reception desk is directly infront of the main door and backing onto this is a sofa where you can enjoy complementary tea, coffee or water. Most of the stylists were female and a lot of women were sat around after colour treatments. Vidal Sassoon offer a ‘Get Your Look’ package which includes cut, colour and blow dry (from £98). The salon offers free consultations.
In summary Vidal Sassoon isn’t a cheap choice, but its pricing is comparable to other premium/top rated salons in Edinburgh.
I was really impressed with my visit. Crucially the hair style I came out with is one I’m extremely pleased with. If you’re after the same, then I recommend a trip to Vidal Sassoon.
Vidal Sassoon Studio is located at 10 Multrees Walk, St Andrews Sq, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ. Call them on 2021 558 2849.
I have been completely disappointed in Vidal Sassoon in Edinburgh. Not only that receptionists are slow but some of the ’stylist’ would do better as housewives. Amy, a hairstylist, and not to long ago, a colourist, was cutting my hair and completely missed on the look I asked for. Even after seeing the picture, she managed to do everything I didn’t want. disaster. utterly unprofessional and a real rip off. If you want to have an edge, and look trendy, better go somewhere else or if you really like that place, do not let Amy cut your hair.
I have been having my hair cut at Sassoon in Edinburgh for over two years and my first experience was great - thanks to Kim. Unfortunately I couldn’t ever get her again (she was always so busy) so had a few disasters with other stylists there but persevered and eventually worked around dates to ensure I did get Kim. Wonderful - for a time - and then she was made a colourist! Disaster! She couldn’t cut hair any more (she was by far the best cutter they had). I’ve perservered with other stylists but they’re not a patch on Kim - who I now understand has left! Well, not only have they lost her, they’ve also now lost me and as a result of losing me, they’ve also lost 8 of my friends and some of their friends, and some of their friends… hopefully I’ll find Kim one day and find out which salon she is at now - that will be my next port of call! Kim - if you’re out there …. respond!
I think a lot of these comments are quite unfair, I have been visiting the Salon for a year and a half now and have always been happy with my cut and the service. What you get from an upmarket professional and edgy salon is that sometimes they wont give you the look you ask for as your hair type etc simply would not work well with the style. Bartek has been my stylist and helped me grow out a short pixie crop and managed to keep it in a style each time he cut it, so I didnt have that “just growing my hair out” look. On many occasions he didn’t give me what I asked for but explained why this would not work with my long term goals and my hair type etc. And he was right, everytime I loved my cut. Now I simply go in and tell him to make me look good. I’ll leave it to the professionals to understand what will work best on my hair, and all my experiences at the salon tell me they are.
Hi I’m Kim and previously worked for Vidal Sassoon, this comment is specially for the client named Annie, I have moved to the other end of town caled Caldow Salon where i now cut and colour, i’m working along side another two ex vidal sassoon stylist so would be great to here from you, the salon website is www.caldowsalon.co.uk where you will recieve all the information you need.
I have been going to Amy for years now and she is excellent, and has always given me interseting haircuts that have suited me, from long to very short. I think the comments about her are perhaps a bit unfair to say the least. It’s pretty unrealistic to expect a stylist to exactly copy a picture of a haircut from a magazine, when you may not have the same hair type, face shape or head shape.
To Kim - I honestly thought I’d lost you! Thank you for responding via this blog; I shall be in touch real soon!
It is a pity Kim has now left Caldow Salon it would be good to know where she is now.
Hi I have moved on now from Caldow Salon and I am working for myself now, so if you want to contact me send me an email on [email protected]
sassoons lost their best staff when their contracts ran out!!!!!
Does anyone know where Charlie from Sassoon went? She used to work in the Glasgow salon, then moved to Edinburgh and now she has gone somewhere else??
hi this reply is for sarah
its charlie ,
i have moved back to glasgow i dont know if you remember but i live in glasgow and the commute just became too much. ive left sassoon all together and am now working in a beautiful aveda salon in glasgow would love to see you there
the salon is called james duns house and the number is 20212485864
im also going under my real name which is gillian.
ill check back tomorrow and see if you need any other info.
thanks
Trying to contact Kim but the fsmail address given above doesn’t work! Does anyone know where she is working now or have an alternative email address? Many thanks.
kelly Saunders
I used to work at sassoon’s and ended up leaving when we had to pick between cutting and colouring!
I’m now working at OhhLaLah 115 portobello high street 20216697773
Hi Charlie/Gillian!
Thanks for getting back to me, sorry it took me so long to reply, so glad I’ve found you again. The salon sounds lovely, I’ll pop in next time I’m in Glasgow, do you do colouring now as well?
Hi I’m Aileen, I used to work at sassoons in Edinburgh and I now have a salon at Haymarket Terrace it’s called Caldow Salon, check out our website www.caldowsalon.co.uk tel 2021 3378922 cheers.
Vidal sassoon bully their staff and treat them like shit, i am INFURIATED after hearing about the way they have been treating a friend of mine, will never ever go to this salon, ‘The staff are extremely friendly and, despite the brand name and a worry about Vidal Sassoon being pretentious, it’s not that way at all. It’s a very welcoming salon where you feel extremely comfortable.’ BULLSHIT.