And he’s finally opening his own salon.
Getting your hair cut is an emotional experience, no matter how drastic.
A Mistry haircut is defined by its subtlety and less-is-more sensibility.
Case in point: those awkward few days following a fresh cut?
Unheard of once you leave his coveted chair.
Fussing around with half a dozen styling formulas to get your new layers to settle correctly?
Absolutely nothis cuts are designed to minimize the need for more than one or two products.
Keep reading for more details on his journey to becoming a beauty editor favorite and his self-care routine.
You’re extremely well-known in the beauty industry.
When did you first become interested in hair?
I think it was when I was 10 or 11.
I realized that my hair was quite difficult to manage, or I didn’t understand my hair.
Christina Hussey / Design by Tiana Crispino
I kept it short, so I didn’t know it had waves.
I was trying to do what the other kids did, which gave me a complex.
Christina Hussey / Design by Tiana Crispino
What were you doing with your hair at the time?
When I got older, I realized barbers couldn’t do the haircuts I wanted.
In my early teens, I started going to salons instead of barbers.
I grew up in northwest London, so you had the central London salons that were more expensive.
Going locally wasn’t bad, but I went into Camden to get something cooler or funkier.
Hair was the one thing you could change dramatically without it being permanent.
I colored my hair and even had patterns shaved into my hair.
Tell me about getting into the industry as a young stylist.
I started to follow my dream at 23 but wanted to start earlier.
I just didn’t have access.
I went to a private boys' school, which was always about academics.
You were supposed to go to university and get a corporate job.
I became a bartender at 18 and started working in clubs.
I partied a lot and avoided growing up like any young guy who didn’t know what he wanted.
I just didn’t have an outlet to do hair.
Then at 23, I sought an apprenticeship at Daniel Galvin’s salon.
They were famous for color and had clients like Princess Diana.
I impressed one of the stylists, who became my mentor, and I got the job.
I worked with him for the next five or six years.
A couple of months later, he went to Belgravia, and I became his hair assistant.
I worked with him while doing NVQ, which is your cosmetology license.
I would do weekly haircuts and colors.
When did moving to New York become a part of your career trajectory?
I got my qualification after four years, and I moved from Belgravia.
I went to work in Notting Hill on Portobello Road.
I did that for a couple of years and had a ball.
I said, “I want to work here and do whatever it takes.”
They gave me a job on the condition that I could get my visa stuff sorted.
I moved out with $500 in my pocket.
I got married in those two years and had our first child, River.
When he was three months old, I moved to David Mallet.
I worked there from the beginning of 2019 to the beginning of 2022.
Now you’re something of a cult favorite among editors.
What about your approach has garnered you so many loyal clients?
Working in London and NYC gave me a wide understanding of people and hair.
Being able to relate to people [is important].
I’ve worked with different people and hair types, making me more well-rounded.
It’s given me more exposure, and I worked my ass off.
I made myself available, never said no, and used social media to connection as much as possible.
I’m dedicated to making people happy with their hair.
Your cuts always look so effortless.
What’s your secret?
Less has always been more, and that’s been my approach.
If you style it [too much], you might cover up imperfections.
Tell me when and why you decided to leave NYC for North Carolina.
We moved to Charlotte because my wife had family here.
Because I didn’t have clientele in Charlotte and I do in NYC, I kept going back.
By coming every month, I saw different people on rotationabout 70 people every month.
Coming more regularly allowed me to keep my clients and build up my Charlotte clients.
What has the process been like designing The Carriage House?
[The salon is] in a house.
It’s got charm and character, is perfectly imperfect, and the light is amazing.
The space is great, but I wanted it to feel warm and welcoming when you’re here.
I want The Carriage House to feel like you’re being invited into my house.
Is there any major difference between your two locations in terms of what people are requesting?
They all want to look good.
Coming to see me is their self-care.
For example, some guys don’t understand expensive haircuts.
In any place outside a major city, they don’t grasp the concept of a specialist.
And people don’t know that they want one because they haven’t been able to experience it.
[You should be able to] get a great haircut or color anywhere.
How do you take care of yourself?
I get a regular massage at a spa in Charlotte called Toccare.
My masseuse’s name is Anne, and she’s amazing.
I also get pedicures because I’m standing all day.
As far as bodycare, I’m such a minimalist.
I use Renpure Body Wash,Native Deodorant, and Le Labo [Bergamote 22] Body Lotion.
I think smelling good is so important.
With my hair, it’s currently shaved.
[My assistant] Anna has been cutting my hair for the last year we’ve worked together.
I’m not as adventurous, but I get bored easily.
I’ve had it bleached.
Shaved is easy for me.
It’s a lot of upkeep.
I also like tattoosthat’s another thing that’s my treat.
What has been the most satisfying part of this phase of your life and career?
The salon opened on November 1, 2022.
It still feels like I have a lot to do, but the space is special.
It’s been nice coming into a space that’s a representation of me.
It’s nice to shock people with it.
I’ve always shocked them.
I like to keep people guessing.
