Meet the Team
What is North Laine Hair Co?
The North Laine Hair Company is a leading colour and creative hair & beauty salon in the heart of the busy and fashionable North Laine in Brighton.
What makes the North Laine Hair Company unique to others is the balance of quality, friendliness and value in a welcoming salon with a really talented team that cares and have a real passion for their work. We work hard to be the best hairdressers in Brighton & Hove.
Who are the team?
North Laine Hair Company strives to offer the best to its customers with a team of some of the most skilled stylists in the industry. Our team of stylists have over 50 years combined experience and are highly skilled in all aspects of cutting and colouring. As a leading independent Brighton salon all our stylists operate at the highest level and are part of a continual professional development (CPD) programme. The aim is to ensure the team is up to date with the latest techniques and skills so you are guaranteed an excellent result each visit.
Kate Winder
Owner & Salon Director
Kate setup North Laine Hair Company in 2007 with the goal of creating a hair salon that was really focussed on excellent quality and customer service as well as being a great place to work.
Previously working for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Kate enjoyed travelling the Caribbean and Americas which was excellent preparation for her joining Crystal Cruises in 2003, a company that has been recognised as the world’s best in luxury experience for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years. As assistant salon manager on the Serenity, the world’s finest cruise ship, Kate was responsible for a team that worked to the highest standards of hairdressing and customer service. That gave her the experience and inspiration to set up her own salon.
Kate has been in the industry for over 25 years and has trained at leading institutions including Sassoon and Kevin Fortune. As well as being one of our expert wedding hair & hair up stylists, Kate now dedicates her time to cutting and styling and has huge experience with all hair types and is our curly hair expert who specialises in coily type 4 afro hair:
Specialist in: Curls, coils, graduated bobs, restyles, hair up, wedding hair, pixie cuts
Knowing how difficult it can be to look after your hair, Kate is always ready for her and the team to share ‘salon secrets’, insider knowledge and tips so you can recreate the ‘salon look’ in between visits.
It is very important that, as a salon, we are able to look after everyone, no matter their hair type, age, background or gender. I see one of my strengths is putting a nervous client at ease by really taking my time and giving a thorough consultation to make sure I am talking the ‘same language’ with my client. I really enjoy working with curls and coily hair especially when I can educate and help a client love and embrace their volume and have confidence to style themselves.
Kate
Style Team
Tamara Gandey (Freelance)
Style Director
Tam loves to create varied and exciting restyles and has the expertise to create the beautiful colours that are a trademark of North Laine Hair Company.
Tam also specialises in barbering and precision cutting having worked at a barbers early in her career “Barbering for me is one of the things I enjoy most about cutting. It brings precision and creativity every time”.
Born & raised in Brighton it all started when she became at age 15, a Saturday girl in a small salon in Brighton. This is where she found her love for hair.
“After qualifying I then went on to learn new skills in barbering, creative colour and colour correction.”
Tam learned all aspects in colour and how it works under the legendary tuition of Chris Williams in the Covent Garden Academy
“I now feel privileged to be able to pass my knowledge and skills on to other stylists.”
Specialist in: Colour changes, root melt, root shadow, disconnected styles, shag/wolf and mullet cuts, barbering, clipper cuts, skin fades, restyles
Tam loves working in Brighton with the diverse range of clients Brighton offers, “Doing the thing I love to do most as my job is a dream come true”.
Please note Tam is a freelance stylist who operates from the Salon under their own professional insurance. Any questions or concerns regarding appointments with Tam can be addressed by contacting her at the following email:
Sarah Williams
Style Director
Sarah joined North Laine Hair Company in 2012 and is a master of highlights achieving beautiful bright bold blondes and enjoys working with long hair and using our GHD Platinum stylers and Curve range, she can create elegant curls or softer beachy waves. Sarah also loves creating all over colours such as mahogany and auburn.
Sarah qualified as a stylist with Toni and Guy in 2000 and continued to train at Trevor Sorbie with his artistic team within their Brighton salon. After working for 8 years in some of Brighton’s busiest salons Sarah worked within a newly established salon in Hove where she grew a strong loyal following across 4 and a half years.
Sarah is very focussed and passionate about her profession and the service she gives. With Sarah you are guaranteed excellent attention to detail and enjoy the most calming salon experience.
Specialist in: Blonding services particularly highlights, glamorous bouncy blow dries, beachy waves, graduated bobs, restyles
Sarah’s love of fashion, forward thinking personality and ambitious nature are all reflected in her stunning work.
Sarah is in salon on Fridays & Tuesday & Wednesday mornings. When not in the salon Sarah enjoys being a mum to young Layla.
Mary Carr
Senior Stylist
Mary qualified as a hairstylist in early 2018 and then went on to complete her advanced apprenticeship at the end of 2018. Having joined us in 2015 on our apprenticeship programme we are delighted to see Mary develop into an exciting talent.
Mary has excellent skills in both cutting and colouring & loves to work with bright colours and create graphic sharp shapes in cutting. Balayage is one of Mary’s specialities which can be seen from strikingly beautiful natural colours that she creates.
Specialist in: Vivid creative colours, balayage/foilyage, highlights, long hair, braiding, beachy waves
I like to approach my clients with a friendly and professional attitude, I really like to make them feel comfortable and at home while also getting a good understanding of what they think of their hair and how I can help them and make them look and feel their best.
Mary
Jen Smith
Creative Stylist: 1 hour Cut & Finish from £59 – Standby £43*
Jen is a highly accomplished Colourist bringing over 10 years of expertise on all aspects of hair colouring. From beautiful, natural-looking balayage and classic highlights to the most complex colour correction work, Jen’s passion for colour is undeniable.
Having spent over a decade mastering her craft in high-end specialist colour salons across Chelsea and Wandsworth & Putney, Jen truly honed her advanced skills in vivid colour, colour corrections, and creative transformations.
Her dedication and skill were recognised when she was a finalist in the L’Oréal Colour Trophy and awarded creative colourist of the year at Skyler & Sean Hanna Salons in 2022. She also brings serious talent for long hair cutting and styling to complete your look.
Specialist in: Vivid creative colours, balayage/foilyage, highlights, colour correction, creative transformations
Jen’s energy is infectious—she’s fun, easy to talk to, and genuinely lights up when she has a tint brush in her hand! Outside the salon, Jen loves relaxing with family and friends, whether it’s at the pub or out and about.
She also enjoys music (you might catch her at a concert or the theatre!), following fashion, and working on creative projects at home.
Lola Baker
Stylist: 1 hour Cut & Finish from £51 – Standby £37*
Lola is a passionate and talented hairstylist with a love for creating bold, textured and shorter styles. She joined North Laine Hair Company in 2023, bringing her expertise in barbering, choppy cuts, layered looks, and 90s-inspired blowdrys. As a stylist Lola prices offer outstanding value for money with a 45 minute cut and finish costing only £35.
With a natural talent for connecting with her clients, Lola takes pride in making each person feel comfortable and confident in the salon chair. She understands the transformative power of a new hairstyle and enjoys seeing the instant boost in self-esteem that comes with a fresh cut and style.
Lola’s love for warm, honey, and caramel tones shines through in her beautiful blonde transformations. She expertly blends shades to create natural-looking highlights and balayage, enhancing her clients’ natural beauty.
Specialist in: Short styles, Bouncy blow drys
A Brighton native, Lola embodies the vibrant spirit of the city. She spent several years living in Hong Kong and loves travelling with her family. When she’s not behind the chair, you’ll find her attending festivals like Reading, Wireless, and All Points East, or indulging in her love for sushi and dining out with friends.
Joe Matlin
Stylist: 1 hour Cut & Finish from £51 – Standby £37*
Joe is a stylist who loves to create beautiful, confidence-boosting hair. He specializes in lived-in colour, crafting stunning balayage that looks effortlessly natural, alongside a range of blonding services including classic highlights, delicate teasing lights, and precise scalp bleaches. Joe also excels at designing long, layered styles perfected with his signature bouncy blow-dries.
What truly drives Joe is the transformation, the magic of blending colours seamlessly and adding gorgeous fullness that makes you feel incredible. He loves longer appointments, allowing him to fully dedicate his time to creating a brand-new look and an exceptional experience for every client.
Joe is intuitively good at reading the room; he can offer a calm, quiet, and relaxing appointment, or engage in a lively and enjoyable chat – whatever makes you feel most at ease. Our stylist prices offer great value for money with a 60 minute cut & blow-dry priced at £51.
Specialist In: High-lights & bouncy blow dries.
When he’s not in the salon Joe loves to immerse himself in house music events, festivals, and raves. He also enjoys exploring London’s vibrant shopping scenes, from Leicester Square to Camden Market and Soho.
I love to create beautiful blonde, long layered styles and finish them with my signature bouncy blow dry!
Joe
Ava Dixon
Stylist – 1 hour Cut & Finish from £51 – Standby £37*
Ava is really fun, easy to talk to and loves to give great advice to clients. She has a fantastic depth of technique in both colour and cutting and uses them to great effect with creating her vision for her clients style. This can range from a vibrant coloured bob to a long bouncy layered balayage.
Ava joins us early in her career from Headmasters in Tunbridge Wells, having started her apprenticeship in 2022 and qualifying in 2024. As a stylist Ava’s prices offer outstanding value for money with a 45 minute cut and finish costing only £35.
Specialist in: Balayage, Bouncy blow drys, pixie cuts and bobs
Ava’s other passion is cooking, she loves to regularly cook for her family and friends while her musical appetite is satisified by the Foo Fighters & Fleetwood Mac
Ava is in salon on Mondays or Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
I love to do natural soft colours using balayage techniques and then to style with a bouncy blow-dry
Ava
*We sometimes offer same day standby appointments (note they can only be booked for today – standby cannot be booked in advance) – to request a standby appointment please call us on the day or click on our late availability tab at the side or bottom of this window. Please type STANDBY in the box that says ‘Type any additional info here’
Front of House Team
Ceris Gay
Front of House Manager
Ceris is our fantastic Front of House Manager who is ready to meet you with a warm welcome and to help with any questions you may have.
Providing the highest standard of service and care is paramount and our Front of House team are here to guide you and help from choosing the best stylist for your needs to advising on our extensive range of hair care products.
Ceris grew up in the Persian Gulf region living in Qatar, before moving back to the UK aged 19, to live in London and start a career in hairdressing. Having realised she loved the social and customer service side of the role the most Ceris joined our Front of House team in early 2022 initially part time whilst studying music business at BIMM.
After becoming a full time Front of House team member Ceris earned a well deserved promotion to Manager and does an outstanding job managing such a busy appointment schedule!
Ceris has a fun loving personality enjoying dinosaurs, art and its probably fair to say obsessing over Formula 1!
Natalie Sargeant
Front of House
Natalie Sargeant is our Front of House Manager on Mondays & Wednesdays and is always happy to help with any clients enquiries.
Natalie started her career working in a salon before working in property for several years. Since having her son Natalie has returned to her favourite environment in a hair salon managing the busy schedule for the team and looking after our clients.
Natalie has been extensively trained in our product range and so can offer great advice on picking the correct hair products to suit your hair from our extensive range of some of finest products available.
We will leave the last word to Kate:
It’s such a lovely atmosphere with all the team really enjoying their profession & working brilliantly together to achieve excellent results. The team have a great rapport with their clients and each other which makes North Laine Hair Company one of the most welcoming and friendly salons in Sussex.
Kate