Cameron Hair Studio 169 James Street North
It amazes me every time I have a full circle moment in my local travels. Last January, I visited McKinnon Hair Design to blog about the salon and hair stylist Cameron Elder. Since that visit where I received the best hair cut I’ve ever had (really – I don’t know how he does it!), I’ve continued to rush to Cameron every time I need a hair fix. Which is often – I cannot be trusted to cut my own bangs. Ladies, you understand.
Here we are a year later and Cameron has opened up his own studio. It makes sense that this is the next step for the hair stylist, who worked out of McKinnon for five years, with five years at Mercedes Salon on James Street South before that, and seven years training at a salon on the Mountain before that. With a strong clientele, branding, and social media presence already established, it’s an exciting new time for Cameron.
The salon officially opened in December and James Street North is the perfect fit for the hip studio. It’s a space that will fit in well with the monthly Art Crawls along one of the major hubs of the city. Cameron is no stranger to Art Crawl – we’ve frequently seen him in window displays in various shops snipping the hair of his models, and giving haircuts outside during Supercrawl for the past two years.
The minimal design in the studio suggests there are tons of options to infuse some local art into the space. Cameron has other fun ideas in the works for monthly attractions. Don’t hesitate to pop in during Art Crawl and check it out.
The street has been very welcoming to Cameron’s Hair Studio. I can just imagine how fun it would be for a local business along that street, with so many cool spots nearby. As I was getting my hair done, I sipped on coffee out of an O’s Clothes mug, a neighbouring shop which I’m due to visit again. Even better, the brew was from local roaster Detour.
Each visit with Cameron, we always have a great chat about Hamilton. It’s fun comparing notes about the latest #HamOnt news, what new businesses we’ve heard are opening, and what local music we’re digging (we’re big Jessy Lanza fans). Cameron’s got great taste in tunes – I enjoyed a little Radiohead soundtrack during my time there.
There are a couple of other stylists working out of the studio, including Diana Romanello. You can find her stylish and sleek creations on Instagram @hair_by_di. You can follow the studio @cameronhair. It’s always fun to see those classic “before and after” shots. Nothing like a fresh new look to give you a boost of confidence.
No session at a hair salon would be complete without a selfie. The Instagram results are clear – people like the new ‘do! Thanks, Cameron!
– Kristin
