Tell us about yourself and your background. How did you get started in hairstyling?
I’ve wanted to be a hairstylist since I was around 5 years old. I was desperate to live a life that looked glamorous and fun, and I knew from that young age that this was what I wanted to do. At 14, I applied to the London College of Fashion and was thrilled to be accepted. Alongside my studies, I began working in a salon, learning, and training as I went. By the time I was 21, I had opened my first salon.
Over the years, my passion has only grown. I love the way hairstyling allows me to transform how people look and feel—it’s a blend of artistry and technique that continues to fascinate me. Whether it’s a simple cut or a complete makeover, the joy of making clients feel confident and beautiful is what drives me every day.
What led you to you being based in Dubai?
I moved to Dubai after meeting a highly successful individual in London through a mutual friend. This person owned a chain of nail salons and wanted to expand into hair salons, asking for my help with the venture. At the time, my children were young, and it felt like the perfect opportunity for a fresh start in a new and exciting city. The prospect of helping to build something from the ground up, combined with the vibrant, growing beauty scene in Dubai, made it an easy decision. It was a great move for both my family and my career.
What has been your biggest career success?
This is a tough one to answer because it’s hard to think of what success is. But for me, I would say winning colorist of the year was a huge one because I’d just opened Salon 971 and I’d also been to Germany to create the retinol looks for essential looks Schwarzkopf which was a huge achievement. It just finished off the amazing year I’d had.
What inspired you to launch your own salon, Salon 971 in Dubai?
It was covid and I was doing a lot of creative videos for Schwarzkopf, and I was getting lots of people messaging me on how to apply their own color and what to mix. This prompted me to launch an online consultation where I would discuss their hair and formulate a color for them. I ended up with so many clients on my personal WhatsApp asking me so many questions about their hair, that I thought I actually miss being in a salon daily and having that personal touch. This is what made me decide to open my own.
What makes your salon unique and sets you apart from your competitors?
I’ve got to say one of the biggest things is the people. We are not a huge team and therefore we are quite a tight bunch. All professionals and passionate. I would say the customer experience with the level of expertise sets us apart from the rest, along with the little things that make an enormous difference. For example the flatbed wash basins and the extra massage at the backwash, down to the blanket that we place over the client for comfort. All the little touches that make someone feel so welcome. We also only have the very best products that are tried and tested before we launch them in the salon. All our staff are highly trained in their area and the education carries on throughout, so we are always updating our skills. I think the health and happiness of my team only projects onto our clients and gives that warm and friendly vibe to all that enter. We like to think of 971 as undone glam.
Have you faced any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?
There’s an array of challenges that come in daily, whether is staff, clients, building, or something else. I think the best way to overcome any challenge is with empathy. To understand the other side despite how I may be feeling. I try to see the end result rather than complaining about it, it makes it seem insignificant and, in the end, it all sorts itself out.
You have styled celebrities including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Delta Goodrem, Samantha Bond, Holly Willoughby and Olly Murs. How did you elevate yourself and make these connections?
I think it was a mixture of being in the right place at the right time, by putting myself there. I always wanted to be in the places where I would attract that clientele, being in the heart of London gave me that opportunity. I think mixed with the ability to act completely normal in front of anyone that’s in front of me – I always end up like the therapist. I don’t just do hair, I like to get deep!
What is your number one piece of advice for a founder about to launch their business in
the hairstyling/beauty industry?
Don’t fixate on the little things… be flexible enough to ride the waves and allow yourself to feel disappointment, but move on, and keep remembering why you started this journey.
What does a day in your life look like?
My alarm is set for a 5:30 am, I get up, get showered, do my make-up, then wake up my little one and take him to Nursery. I get to the salon for 7:45 am to open and meet my morning clients. I will then go through emails, and social media, chat with the team, see my afternoon clients, go home, and put my little one to bed. After that, possibly an event or client for event. Then I work on video editing for social media and catch up with hubby before going to bed with a book… that’s pretty much an ordinary day.
What are your goals for the next 5 years? And your long-term vision for yourself/Salon 971?
This year my salon supervisor bought into the business, and we became partners, so we have lots of plans and visions for the salon. We have just expanded the beauty section and we are really working on the team right now. Within the next 5 years, our goal is to extend the brand by offering other services and collaborations, possibly another location. Focusing on women’s wellness is a huge passion of mine and working with all our staff on the softer skills to enable them to really listen and help our clients’ emotional needs.
How can readers find out more about you and Salon 971?
You can follow my personal journey on @catherinehawkes and the salon @salon971dxb
