We recently caught up with celebrity stylist and hairdressing mogul Adam Reed of Percy & Reed to find out how he came to be one of the most influential figures on the hairdressing scene. With a client list including Sophie Dahl and Ellie Goulding, we wanted to find out how Adam got to where he is today.

What is your first memory of appreciating / noticing really great hair?

Going to the hairdressers with my Nan – I loved everything about it, the tools, the smell, the transformation aspect, the feel good factor. I then started working as a Saturday boy when I was 13 and have never looked back since.

When did you decide that becoming a stylist was going to be a full time profession?

I think that I always knew. I had always been so interested in hair that I think it was in my blood.

How did you make the leap from stylist to handpicked stylist to celebrities and other influentials?

It was a totally natural evolution. I really see no difference in any of my clients, it really does not matter who they are or what they do. I was lucky enough to meet some great people early on in my career and I realised the importance of networking. I think that London was an incredibly vibrant and exciting place in the mid 90s and I was lucky enough to dip my toes into it.

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What is one thing you wish that you had been told before embarking on a professional career in hairdressing?

How quickly time flies!

What is the best piece of advice you can give to stylists just starting out in the business of hair?

Go with your heart and don’t be too picky. You get so much from every experience.

How did you turn your hairdressing skill into a salon and of course into a fantastic brand?

It was a natural evolution. Meeting Paul when I returned from a stint working in New York gave me a different perspective on the journey that I was taking, and I have never looked back.

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Paul and I are business partners first and foremost and then we are really great friends as a close second so we have a great respect for each other and that has made for a really fun and great brand.

Where do you find inspiration to keep your hairdressing fresh and innovative?

Absolutely everywhere!

How do you remain rooted to your profession as a hairdresser as your brand and status as a stylist rises?

We have the best team and we love to laugh and we all motivate each other – my team are like my family so we have great respect amongst each other. I am a real believer in remembering where you came from also, so that keeps my ‘feet on the ground’ attitude alive.

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Who influences you to be a fantastic hairdresser and why?

So many people, but Julien d’Ys is my biggest inspiration.

What can we expect to see from Adam Reed and the Percy & Reed brand in 2016?

We are continually looking to evolve the brand with great creative hairdressing and education.

Discover more about the Percy & Reed brand in our interview with Adam and Paul.

Follow Adam on Instagram: @adamreedhair

Discover the Percy & Reed brand on Instagram: @percyandreed

Who would you like to see featured on our blog next?

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Time for more hairdressing inspiration? Salon design of the month: Not Another Salon