Hi I’m Becky
Hi I’m Becky and I am the owner and founder of Fred & Ginger.
I thought I would give you all an insight into who I am and how the salon came about.
From a young age, I have always loved playing with hair and doing different things with my own hair also. At the age of 13 I started working in a local salon in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. My jobs included cleaning and supporting all of the stylists by shampooing and neutralising perms (yes, they were a common thing back then). I stayed there until I left school.
When I was 16 I went to HRC in Ware, where I trained for my hairdressing level 2. This also included a lot of beauty treatments. Although I have tried painting nails recently, and this ended badly with half the skin covered, hahahah, I used to be good at that! Whilst there, I did 2 days a week in Toni & Guy Cambridge. I loved it!!! Working for a big name in the industry and watching how stylists transformed guests hair. I grew a passion for styling hair, more so than colouring. When I had qualified from college I didn’t feel confident in myself so I decided to train with Toni & Guy full time but thought I would like to do this in London. Well, what can I say I blooming loved It. At 17, feeling like the world was just there, ready for the taking. I went in as a year 3 student which means you choose your specialist area. I chose cutting and styling. I worked in Covent Garden, which was buzzing, and then I went on to Knightsbridge. All of the stylists showing me their ways so I could build my own personal traits. But in Knightsbridge the joy of working with Anthony Mascolo, helping to blowdry his clients on occasion. When it came to my vardering qualification at the end, I was met by him in the academy, and he and 2 other stylists looked over my work. I had to even redo 2 of my cuts as they were not to his standard. This made me want that qualification even more!!! I got it in the end, next time.
After working in London for 2 years I wanted to work more locally so i then started working in Hertford. Whilst at one salon, I started my level 3 qualification and gained my teachers qualification, too, meaning I could now assess learners. I always knew I wanted to help shape the industry with great stylists. I still do. At the same time, I was lucky enough to become an ambassador for Tigi. Where I would cover London salons and teach their staff about all of the products Tigi had to offer. I loved this as I still had a foot in the London life and with big named brands too.
My life changed when my son came into the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I stayed working in Hertford but wanted more.
When the opportunity arose to share a top floor with 3 girls to build a little salon, It was 8 months before I realised I wanted more. Then our beautiful shop became available. There was a lot of hard work that went into how it looks today. Previously, it had been called Cashflow and had bulletproof glass and rooms downstairs which were knocked down, a false ceiling that we opened back up again. I didn’t do it alone. As some of you are aware, I did have a business partner, but we decided to go our own way 18 months in.
We have had some staff members come and go, then come back again hahaha.i love our team and we grow together. I am still pushing to train the next generation. As some of you know, I have just finished training with my stylist Izzy and can’t wait to see her flourish.
I not only specialise in cutting any more I specialise in colour also. Making me an all rounder in hair. I think it is so important to carry on training. None of us, know it all. There are always new trends to follow and new techniques to learn. I love changing someone’s appearance to show off the best version of themselves. It’s an honour every day.
