Craig has been doing hair for 35 years.

For the last 10 he’s spent his day-to-day between seeing clients in salon, working on TV projects and creating educational digital content for a variety of brands and platforms.

SO, CRAIG, WHY DOES HAIR MATTER?

Well, it’s not going to bring peace to the Middle East, but on the other hand it is very important to people.

When a client comes to see me, my aim is for them to leave the salon feeling confident…

Do I take myself seriously? No. But I do take my work very seriously. After all, your hair is always with you and ultimately it can, and should, make you feel good about yourself.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT A CLIENT WANTS FROM A HAIRCUT?

Most of my clients are open to suggestion. People want my input – it’s a two-way thing. The decisions we make together are about how much time they can dedicate to styling it and how often they want to get their colour retouched. It’s important to me that someone leaves the salon with a style they can keep looking good for as long as possible. Otherwise it’s pointless.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN HAIRDRESSING?

I have lots of memories of watching my mother doing her own hair. It was the Seventies and all very glamorous. She used heated rollers every day – it was a ritual. I think I’ve always been fascinated by glamour and sophistication. My mother was a different person when she took the rollers out and put her make-up on. No-one saw her without make-up – apart from me. From the age of three, I told my grandmother: ‘I’m going to be a hairdresser!’.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

When I was 14 I got a job as a Saturday boy, in a local ladies’ salon. It made me realise that hairdressing really was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. When I was 19 I moved to London with £140 in my pocket. I’ve been been building my client base ever since and have many clients that have been with me for 20 years. I have never taken my clients for granted at all – what’s a hairdresser without clients?

Having my own salon in Soho for ten years has been one of my greatest achievements so far. At the end of my first week as an apprentice I knew it was what I wanted, being able to realise that goal by the age of 30 was amazing, something I will always be proud of.

WHAT’S YOUR BEST HAIR SECRET?

Never try too hard. Hair that’s forced is ageing. And once you’re over 30, colour should look natural (unless you’re a total extrovert – you know who you are!). It’s always my aim to draw people to your eyes and bone structure rather than just your hair-do.

It’s as true for me as it is for anyone – no-one wants a bad hair day.

INTERVIEW BY MIRANDA MCMINN