London hairdresser Charlotte Mensah has always been clear that hair is not simply about well, hair. It’s about identity, self-expression, heritage, community and good conversation — ideas that have run very consistently through her remarkable career and helped make her one of Britain’s most influential and loved hairstylists.
Now, four decades after entering the industry, Mensah is celebrating a remarkable set of milestones. From September 8-13, her exhibition Charlotte Mensah: Community Matters will take over Ladbroke Hall in Notting Hill, marking 40 years in hairdressing, 25 years of her iconic Portobello Road salon, Hair Lounge, and a decade of her multi-award-winning Manketti Oil Range.
It’s an especially personal retrospective, charting Mensah’s journey from childhood in Ghana to growing up in 1980s north-west London, and eventually finding her calling in hair. After training at the London College of Fashion, she was mentored by the late Winston Isaacs, one of the great pioneers of British Afro Hairdressing.
Best Charlotte Mensah products
Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Salt Scrub 200ml: £60, Selfridges.com
Charlotte Mensah Manketti Hair Oil Finishing Mist 100ml: £40, Selfridges.com
Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Conditioner 250ml: £26, Selfridges.com
Since then, Mensah has helped change the conversation around Afro and textured hair. Her salon is a destination not just for exceptional hair, but for connection, community and conversation — and, as those who have visited will know, even home-baked cake. Her work as an educator, author, and founder has helped bring natural and textured haircare firmly into mainstream beauty conversation.
Beyond the exhibition, visitors can enjoy a programme of live events delving into the themes behind Mensah’s career, from Beauty, Business & Belonging on September 9, exploring entrepreneurship, longevity and representation, to a Curl Power Workshop on September 12. Designed for parents and carers, it’s a hands-on session where adults learn, alongside their children, how to confidently care for, detangle and style Afro, curly and textured hair.
The exhibition itself will bring together photography, film, archival material, personal artefacts and more. But this isn’t only a celebration of past achievements. “It’s about heritage, resilience, creativity and community,” says Mensah. “It’s about celebrating the people, places and experiences that have shaped my journey.”
Charlotte Mensah Community Matters, Ladbroke Hall, September 8-13. Entry is free.
