The south London borough of Croydon has been named the beauty capital of the UK.One in 32 people work in the beauty industry there, new research by Oxford Economics shows. This is more than four times the national average of one in 150.
Of the 203,000 people working in Croydon, more than 6,200 of them have jobs in the beauty industry – 695 of these are hairdressers, 580 beauticians and 95 salon owners.
The research was commissioned by the British Beauty Council, as part of its new campaign A Beauty Industry That Looks Like You “to highlight the importance of representation and inclusion in British beauty”.
Chief executive Millie Kendall was quoted by The Times as saying: “A lot of people might think beauty is a luxury but it is not. What places like Croydon show is that it is essential to everyone no matter their background or social standing.
“In fact it often is more visible in areas of high unemployment and deprivation because it provides a service that enhances people’s lives and boosts their self-esteem.”
Croydon is the 98th most deprived area in the country, with a lower-than-average rate of educational attainment .
The UK’s most famous supermodel Kate Moss is from Croydon, but she said she had been “keen to get away” when she was young.
But celebrity hairdresser James Brown feels differently.
He said: “Croydon gave me a great start and I always find it inspirational. It is near enough to London to keep up with the latest trends but has its own scene which is slightly cooler, more down to earth.
“To me, Croydon sums up the opportunities offered by the beauty industry — what other job can a boy from an estate in Croydon end up travelling the world cutting the hair of Hollywood stars?
“I am really, really proud that I started in Croydon. There were so many salons there when I started — I worked in four of them. It gets a bad rap but I think it is amazing.”
