Fabulous cut for dirt cheap. Instructors were very involved, the student listened to my wishes and did a very thorough job.

My daughter went to the Accademy in Greek street. She came home in tears. She has curly mixed race (African/Asian hair). I asked before making the appointment if they could do this style of hair was told yes they do. I was told to just make sure that this was mentioned at the time of the appointment which was done. The haircut is beyond bad and the blowdry is beyond words. No product used, no consideration of the type of hair she has. IF YOU CAN NOT DO THIS TYPE OF HAIR BE HONEST. EVEN UPON SEEING THE HAIR YOU CAN BE HONEST AND DECLINE THE APPOINTMENT. THE HONESTY WOULD HAVE BEEN APPRECIATED AND UNDERSTOOD. My daughter is not the most confidient young lady so she was looking forward to a good hair cut after many bad experiences. She came home in tears and locked herself in the bathroom. When she did let me in I can see why. The tutor and the stylist should be ashamed of themselves. I would not reccomend this accademy to anyone with this type of hair even if they assure you they know how to deal with this type of hair. read more

DON'T GO IF YOU HAVE CURLS!!! Don't ever go to this academy unless you have straight hair, as this is what all their techniques and understanding is based on. My hair is curly and the way they cut my hair absolutely didn't consider that, destroying and straightening my curls all the time. I was asked how long I'd like my fringe, and I said "not shorter than the middle of my forehead" and here I am with no fringe at all cos they cut my hair as of it was a straight one, and when it dries it curls and looks shorter. So disappointing and unprofessional. The teacher Kitty was extremely rude and passive aggressive, got me on edge for the whole 4 hours, I honestly left that place feeling tense in my whole body. Very unpleasant experience and boring-ass result. read more

Yes to Sassoon Academy London. My first Sassoon Academy experience was in Los Angeles. It went super well and when I moved to London in 2012, I checked out the location there. It was even better and more professional. Since then, I visit whenever I can while in London to try out a new style. I love the avant garde cuts. Here are the downsides: - long wait (but you'll get there eventually) - uneven distribution of lead and student stylists means you don't know who you'll work with (but everyone's got talent) - lots of "trying hard" to look and be cool amongst visitors and stylists (but who cares?) That said, the upsides: - they're doing their best to make you look good - as low as £2.5 for a stunning cut - new styles and fearless colours - perhaps you can even work as a model for a class and get a cut and colour together for the price of one! If you're on the fence, try it out. After all, it's only hair. read more

Great place to go to when you're short on cash for a haircut.. Since it's a learning facility, make sure you have the whole day to be there. I was there for about 5 hours. But it was incredibly cheap considering you get a wash, cut, dry and even color. However, if you want a regular haircut and nothing artsy (as these students want to test out latest techniques) then maybe you should stick to regular salons. read more

Went last Thursday for a standby appointment, for which the £3 voucher was acceptable, but they did not have room to see me, so I made an appointment to come back on Friday afternoon. What I did see was an old age pensioner having to climb a flight of stairs using not one but two sticks (note that there is no disabled access). When I arrived at reception I was told that I had the wrong voucher and would have to download a new one. I have eyesight problems and have trouble doing this on my phone. One receptionist said that showing the website would be fine but another, Cel, insisted that I still had to download a voucher with a smile on her face and no sense of empathy. I explained again my eyesight disability and was told I would have to pay the full amount for a cut (£13, instead of £8). This makes me feel vexed that I ended up paying an extra £5 because I have eyesight difficulties. When I left reception I could hear laughter and remonstrated the reception staff that this was no way to treat a disabled customer. In the cutting room, a Japanese instructor rudely insisted I put my coat in a cupboard when I wanted to keep it beside me. I ended up putting my new coat inside my bag at my feet, causing it to be creased. The word please did not seem to be in this woman's vocabulary. During the cut itself, a Japanese student had to be instructed via a translator, so that I had no chance to interact with the student as the cut was taking place. The room itself was hardly a pleasant experience, no music being played to calm the atmosphere. In the end I had essentially a basic trim that could have been got elsewhere for less money and considerably more politeness. Reception staff were frankly horrible to me and took advantage of my disability to charge me more for a cut. I am not sure this is even legal. In conclusion, I saw no inspiring cuts that day and think anyone looking for a cheap or free haircut could easily find a more pleasant experience elsewhere. read more

My attraction to the Vidal Sassoon Advanced Academy near Bond Street in central London was quite simple: this was the only place I could find during my poor student days to get a haircut by an exceptionally well trained hairdresser for the price of a vodka tonic. Twice I visited Vidal Sassoon's renowned training academy for a haircut during my first year at uni, both times emerging with a classically chic bob that would doubtless have made Mr Sassoon himself proud. Well they say the third time's the charm, but for me at Vidal Sassoon it wasn't. My third visit saw my hair was tended to by a girl who was part of a group of students training at the academy from Japan; none of whom spoke English, necessitating communication with my stylist via a translator. Long story short: something got lost in transation because my request for a simple bob saw me leave with an asymetrical crop, head shaved up the back, so short it's taken me almost three years to grow it out. My fatal error? Making an appointment at the 'Creative' academy as opposed to the 'Classic' academy by mistake. Allegory aside, Vidal Sassoon's training academy really is a Godsend for the stylishly cash strapped. Rather than being staffed by beginners, most trainees are simply working hairdressers who have returned to the Academy to hone their skills, learn a few new haircuts etc. As such, you're getting a bona fide professional haircut for a fraction of the usual price. Just make an appointment in advance, be very clear with your stylist and for God's sake, avoid the 'Creative' salon like the metaphorical plague. read more

In my cheap ass paid-nothing fash-pack days, I had hair cuts by Dove at advanced academy all the time. Various haircuts have been called "fruit salad", "rainbow" and 'OMG why is it so freaking short, it is NEVER going to grow back" by my family. Nuff Said. It's ok to be kooky when you work in fashion and fashion forward is supposedly your "middle name", not so ok if you hold down a semi- proper job. If your life mantra is not "whatever, hair grows back"; you don't care about having super asymmetric hair, buzzed cuts on one side and about 10 different colors simultaneously thrown on then please don't go. It will SERIOUSLY only make you cry because they sell it like you are going to come out with kinda normal looking hair. And you don't. You see all those uber cool pictures of haircuts that you'd not want to have on the walls? You are basically the guinea pigs for that. Get in with the guys and be a demo model. Life is much better when you are a demo model and not some poor soul having your hair dried for about 3 hours because the student "couldn't diffuse hair properly"- I felt so sorry for that girl who went home with her hair utterly fried. Also having your hair cut by a person not being taught (even if they are technically capable) is a better. They have a vision of what they want to do so it generally turns out more coherent. You also don't have a chance seeing what's happening so you don't freak out until about 2 hours later when people show you the pictures they've taken of your brand new hair cut- yes the one you haven't had a chance to see yet. Oh yeah, your hair cut will only take 2 in front of an audience instead of 5. Bliss. I see nothing wrong with their academy. I've stopped working in fashion 5 years ago and now I still only get my hair cut at Sassoon, I have a fab relationship with the hairdresser and a lot of respect for the sassoon technique. I now basically have the same thing done to me except I get the choice of not having rainbow colored hair and pay an extortionate amount of money for the privilege of being a guinea pig. They've convinced me from paying nothing to paying a lot for my hair so they couldn't have been that bad! Finally a breakdown of the Sassoon academy system as I understand it: Normal (Davis Street)- People learning how to cut hair. You will come out with vaguely looking (if slightly badly cut) hair. Creative- This is teaching people to transfer advanced haircuts to the salon environment. A few colours, asymmetry but basically what you get if you get pay for an advanced hair cut at a salon. Students have established techniques. You still might look a bit twattish but at a bearable level. Advanced- Any frigging thing goes. Can't guarantee you will come out looking normal. In fact, you'd probably look like a shoreditch twat. Sorry. You've been warned. read more

You just might receive a *fantastic* haircut if your student is careful and the instructor is diligent. DO NOT get a haircut from a Czech guy named Thomas!!! He was cutting a lady's hair next to me and (1) barely understood English; (2) was impossibly rude to his customer. I came to Sassoon Academy for the first time as I'd used academies in the U.S. for haircuts and had good experiences. I ended up getting the best haircut of my life at Sassoon Academy. I think that's 98% due to the wonderful instructor who was supervising my student stylist - he was East Asian. My student stylist was Slovakian and also barely spoke to me. When I asked the instructor for clarification on what she was doing, the student stylist even said, "She doesn't trust me." No customer skills at all. I was also talked by another instructor into getting a single strip of color in my hair, which also turned out marvelous. The reason I give the Academy 4 stars, instead of 5, is because of the atrociously bad customer service many of the student stylists exhibit, particularly the Eastern Europeans. I don't know when the students are permitted to begin cutting hair for customers, but it does not seem as though they are trained in customer service at all. read more

I went here twice when I was studying abroad in London. I had a hair dresser in the US tell me to get my hair cut at Vidal Sassoon, because London is the hair capital of the world apparently. Of course, I couldn't afford an actual salon cut so I decided to try out the schools. Heard bad things about the Davies Mews one so I decided to try out the Advanced. So glad I did. They gave me maybe the best cut I've ever had in my life. Granted, I'm into crazy colored hair and edgy cuts so it's probably not for everyone, but even my conservative dad loved my hair when I sent him a picture. I had super long, thick Asian hair and the teacher said it would be better short than long. He got the student to chop off all my hair until it was chin length but kept one bang my original length. Then they dyed my hair red and blue black. It looked awesome. Now, 3 years later I still have short hair and I'm never going back. The process is long. Both times I went for cut and dye and it took around 4-5 hours. I was always the last person to leave the studio, probably because the dye took so long. It seems like the teachers cut more of my hair than the student, which is all good in my book. They listen too, since I said I didn't want a bob and the teacher said he wouldn't dream of giving me one. The second time I went my stylist didn't show up, and so they said if I rebooked I'd get a free haircut, which was awesome. And then they emailed me coupons. I've tried out the VS Academies in LA and Shanghai and although they're also very good, they don't compare to this one. Love the Advanced Academy and I still wish I lived in London so I could get a haircut. read more

I have been cutting my hair in Vidal Sassoon salons for years now. I first discovered them in Croatia and decided I would not waste my time with other hairdressers. When I moved to London, I realised that they were a wee too dear for me, and I thought that would be the end of us. A friend of mine told me of their Academy and I decided to give it a go. Here are some tips for those of you who might be considering trying it out: 1. Book in advance 2. Be ready to stay 1,5-2 hours (some hairdressers have translators plus each stage has to be approved by the teacher) 3. Know what you want them to do (they have very good teachers who make sure you get exactly what you want) 4. More important, know what you DO NOT want (they like experimenting with hair and will do it if you say you are not sure and that you want them to do whatever they want with it). So, if they ask you if you are sure, sure you only want a trim, stick to your guns!!!! 5. I haven`t had the best experience with dying my hair there (I wasn't too sure about the colour and I let them put two colours-it looked amazing at first, but it took me a while to get it back to the colour I wanted) 6. The best for funky haircuts and colours ( a friend of mine always lets them to do whatever they want with her hair and loves it...) All in all, it`s not perfect, but I go back because of their professional staff, great price (£5 for students and £12 for everybody else) and decent haircut. read more

Recently, I paid regular price for a cut/color at HOB salon in Camden (£120+) and it was totally meh. Never again. I've gone to training schools for mostly the last 7 years with great results. I had long, virgin hair with pink ombre that I was totally bored of. The student was fantastic for my color consultation, as I just wanted to go dark all over, and she suggested a warm chesnut/chocolate with warm red tones underneath. Guided by her instructor Amber, I have some pretty fucking fabulous hair! I was even surprised at how there is not even a trace of the bleached/pink ends! Cons - Omg, the phone line. It's such a bitch to get through. When they do answer, they are curt but they do seem impossibly busy. You must get a skin test before getting color, a pain for the first visit. My color took 4 hours, and I was very hungry by the end of it. And the sinks in the color room are uncomfortable, and the water temperature seems to waver. But for £19, I look HAWT. And that is really priceless! (I went to the 48 Brook St location but not seeing it on yelp) read more

I just went for the first time today and had to come home and write a review immediately! This is, hands down, the best haircut I have ever had. My hair has been long and curly, bobbed, pixied, and even buzzed and I've gotten used to looking in the mirror at the end of a cut and thinking "Oh well, at least it will grow out." Absolutely nothing like that this time, from the moment I could see the cut taking shape, I knew I would love it. I went in with a shaggy and overgrown pixie cut and (for a fiver!) came out with an incredible mod mini-bob with a perfectly uneven fringe that manages to look stylish and devil-may-care at the same time (Base line: I really, really like the cut.). The instructor and the hairdresser took time to discuss with me what I did and did not like, what might look best with my face shape, and if I wanted something high or low maintenance before they even picked up a scissors. The shampoo-and-conditioning was easily the best I've had, no quick wet and soap, but a full five minute head massage. The whole process did take a while, but it meant that my hairdresser was being very careful that every snip was perfect and the finished product was flawless. Though it is true that most of the trainee hairdressers didn't speak English, they had an excellent translator and at no point did I feel a lack of understanding between us. And as someone who is absolutely terrible at small talk, it was kind of nice not to have to force conversation. All in all, this is the best haircut I've had in London or anywhere else, for a fraction of the normal fifty quid I normally pay. It was a very professional environment with attention to personal preference, and I can't recommend it highly enough. read more

I've been going here for the past 5 years and it has never failed to disappoint me. You just have to be ready to be sat in a chair for up to 4 hours and be open to the fact that you may not get a conventional haircut. Everytime I have been, I have had full confidence in the students and the tutors. The tutors in particular are extremely knowledgeable which I have never experienced before. Especially since I have very thick asian hair. So if you're looking for a cheap and professional haircut, give it a go! read more

The only reason I'm giving this two stars is becuase the highlights were pretty fantastic and the girl who did these was very lovely. The rest of my time here was a disaster. They hacked all my hair off! I told them I wanted Cameron Diaz. I came out crying. The guy dind't speak any English which didn't help and I should have run screaming then. Not being able to communicate with a guy hacking at your hair is not fun. The instructor was rude and just said 'that's what you asked for' and that was that. I cried. A lot. But my friend convinced me that it would look better with some colour so I went back in. They were much nicer on that side and they looked after me. They even gave me a glass of water! And yes. My hair did look better. The colour was great. But I won't go back. Worse than that, I'll never set foot in a Vidal Sassoon hair salon. If they're happy to let people leave when they're crying, they really don't care enough about their customers. The whole thing took 4 1/2 hours. Never again. It's places like this that remind me why I pay a lot of money to get my hair done. read more

I am customer and have been one for ten years. Mixed experiences. Had bad luck the last two times. Firstly, I received a much shorter hair cut than I clearly asked for. Secondly, on the third of September, of this year (2018), I went with my daughter ten minutes late to my appointment due to transport. I went to the reception to apologise for the delay. The young man on the reception desk told me that he could not let us in which I believe he could. I asked him to clarify the situation and he said that we needed to wait until some one comes in and he'll need to ask them I asked him in a polite way to go in himself before it's too late. He had a piece of paper in his hand which he threw on the desk in the front of my eyes (merely half a meter away) in a very rude way. I asked his colleague on the desk his name but she refused to give it to me. He went in and came back with the duty manager who was full of wrong information from the young man. I was trying to complain to him about the unacceptable manners and he accused me that I was being loud (which I wasn't). He didn't witness the situation to judge the situation which was totally unprofessional to assume a situation he was not present in. He supported his co worker in front of his client (me). I told the manager it would only be ten minutes and I know it takes half an hour to wait anyway. He told me there was a lack of models so half of the group had been split and he told that we couldn't come in, I found this very unprofessional. Actually I came to have fun and wanted to stop this drama. I asked for another appointment and - next surprise! - he said that he couldn't give any appointments for my daughter as she is two weeks under 16. I told him that she had been coming here for three years and that I was always there present as her guardian, a guardian needing to be present as his colleague had told me in the past. The fact that 1) my daughter couldn't have an appointment due to the fact that she is not 16 and that having a guardian present doesn't make a difference to that being the law (as was told to me that day) and 2) she had been having appointments long before she was 16 seemed impossible: one or the other must be incorrect. Finally, he gave me an appointment for ONLY myself which I have decided not to go as I am not interested to pay money, regardless of the amount, to be treated so badly and unprofessionally. I have studied customer service myself and have won the best customer service award for five consecutive years in Canary Wharf so what happened to us was unacceptable and totally professional. I would not recommend for my friends or relatives to go through this experience and would alternatively recommend them to pay more money to go to a decent place. I am sad that Sassoon, with its world famous name, should have such a lack of customer service as my experience exemplified its appalling standard. read more

The Vidal Sassoon training school for hairdressers is tucked away behind Bond Street station. This is a brilliant place to go if you want an inexpensive (or even free) hair cut and you're quite prepared to allow the (trainee) hairdresser to experiment. If you're the kind of person that has definate ideas about what you want and don't want anything too out there (if you know what I mean...), then perhaps the Vidal Sassoon training school might not suit you. The good thing about hair is that it can always grow back. Expect to pay inbetween 4 and 11 pounds for a hair cut or trim. Perms and various other hair services are available. read more

Sassoon Academy - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - London, XGL

I will have to give this place 5 stars because the both time i have been there, not only was my haircut fab but the way i was treated was fab and professional. Both times I've had a chinese girl cut my hair and they are so good at it. I like the fact that they take their time when cutting to make it look perfect and just how you want it. Oh and when they wash your hair they give you like a nice massage in the head of course. It does take about 3 hours but i think its worth it for a hair cut you'll be happy with. At the end they usually take a pic of the final cut. read more

Come here if you want a haircut for £4.50! Vidal Sassoon students cut your hair for a fraction of what it would cost in a Vidal Sassoon salon. I've been a number of times and haven't had any disasters (yet!) and would highly reccomend it. Only bad thing is appointments normally take about 3 hours but if you have more time than cash you've just found your new hairdresser! read more

I went to the academy fairly open minded- I didn't mind what colour it was but I was adamant that my hair was to stay the mid length it was. Turns out they weren't doing colour the day of the appointment, which I should of gone with my gut and left because colour was the main reason I made the appointment. We were then introduced to the so called "master stylists". The one I had was and Italian called Marco and he said that we would be given assessments based on our personality and style prior to meeting the stylists. Apparently upon talking to me he decided that my style would best fit with a mullet (of course he didn't say that, he just talked about but in a few "layers here and there" and leaving my hair mainly the same length. I should of walked out there the second he cut 1 1/2 inch bangs by my temples- I might have been able to salvage my hair at that point. Instead I stayed in the chair with the faith that it would turn out okay. When they blow-dryed my hair I was in shock. Half of my hair was long- the other half layered ruined in ridiculous 3 and 4 inch layers on top of my hair. I have thin hair to begin with, and a round shaped face (both of which I told him at the beginning) so I need volume in my hair. They have now successfully made it virtually impossible for me to keep it limping on my face. My conclusion is that for the 20 or 30 pounds I saved it was by NO means worth it. I'm so upset that I have to live with this for the next 4 months. I don't blame the student so much as I do the teacher. Apparently the class that day was "modern" haircuts which is something they DEFINITELY should of told clients beforehand. Anyone who can take one look at me would know that both my style and face would NOT suite this ridiculous blunt "modern" take on the mullet. read more

Be prepared for a wait, and be prepared for the tiny chance that you will be disappointed. Be prepared for a lot of hands fiddling with your noggin, prepare for some pulling and tugging, prepare to need a cup of tea and an urgent visit to the lav. But be prepared to be lucky and get a cut by the next Euro SuperStylist? you never know. I would guess 70% of people are happy 10% exstastic 5% get revelations and the rest dont come out of their houses for a month. What more could you want for a fiver?? Brilliant. read more

Went for a haircut today and requested having "just the dead ends off". I emerged 3 hours later with 4 inches of my long hair gone and a weird shorter in the back and longer in the front style. Left the salon in tears and subsequently am having a horrible day. Really wouldn't recommend and if you do go, make absolutely sure they know what you want... not that they will listen. read more

It's not the best, nor the worst. Honestly, I recommend paying the money to visit a normal salon. The teachers here yanked my hair so hard it felt like they were trying to wax my head. Students are hit or miss, but my main gripe is that they told me if I wanted a cut, it had to be a classic Sassoon cut. I asked if they could do it longer, keeping the length (student was graduating or had already graduated). He treated me like a mannequin, made me uncomfortable and didn't have a mirror for me to see what was happening. In the end he thinned my hair far too much and took my back length hair to my shoulders. My biggest gripe is that they don't use toner (or so I was told by one of the teachers who did my hair). It's very difficult to get the color you want (especially ashy) without toner. Second biggest gripe is one of the teachers told me (when I showed her a photo of my desired color, a medium ash blonde), "Honey, you'll never be able to go blonde. It's just not possible" (I had naturally light brown hair and have always gone blonde in a single session...). The teacher added lowlights to my hair, claiming they would balance my hair and provide dimension (never had this suggested before at a salon...). The lowlights were so dark, darker than my natural color! My hair looked dated and cheap -- I mean technically it was cheap...worst is the woman stated, "You are lucky I bothered with your hair, usually I'd charge 800£ for all the work I did on you today". It's been a year since my last visit (~4 visits total, got worse and worse). My hair is still not nearly as long as it was, although it looks 100x better after visiting normal salons. And it's the color I asked for originally. Overall do not recommend! read more

Heres how it went "I know you brought in a picture and that was your inspiration but that just wasnt you" Took me almost 2 years to grow out a bob, and I came out with a jaw length bob (and a bad one) when I specified Id like to keep the length. Affected my confidence. Never going back, be warned. N.B took 3.5 hours to get a truly awful, ordinary cut that I did not want. Have to spend another year or two growing it out :( read more

Ive going to this academy for some years and have never had a bad cut - I wouldn't have my hair cut by any other academy or salon! People often admire my cuts and ask where I had had it done. We are lucky to have this very inexpensive hairdressing establishment. I had a bleach bath there recently and am very pleased with the result, and will book in for low lights or balliage! Ruth Q read more

With a good, thick head of hair you find people using you in order to get their hands on it. I have been grabbed off the street on many occasions by Vidal Sassoon stylists looking for hair to chop into. Perfect so long as you are not fussed about handing over your locks to a stranger to recreate in a "creative" style. Nor do you mind sitting in a chair while 20 hairdressers crowd around and are explained the exact method of sectioning perpendicular to the crown that was used and the angle at which to pull the hair away from the head. It does take up a large amount of the day, however, you pay nothing and get a cutting edge hairstyle from a really experienced hairdresser. Should they like you and your hair you could be asked to come back and dod paid presentation modelling. It seemed perfect to me, that was until the day that mid presentation in which I had requested that he keep it quite long, my blasé stylist gave me bangs. Not only bangs but one level with my cheek bone, the other in line with my eye. Then came the panic attack and I left the stage. Had it not gone that one step too far, I would probably have gone back. Needless to say that not even the payment incentive has got me back in the seat. However, if you are looking for a hairstyle that has not hit the streets yet, that you can have re-cut and dyed every month and not pay a penny for then Vidal Sassoon Advanced Academy can sort you out with everything that you could wish for. read more

see my review of Vidal Sasson Brooks St. I believe the address listed above is wrong. It should be the 56 Brook Street, Mayfair London, W1K 5NE. Make sure you verify where you are going when you make an appointment as I made a mistake of going to the Grosvernor St and I did not see the Vidal Sasson Academy. I was directed to go to Brook st. Luckily it is just 2 blocks away so I was not later for my appointment. Hope you enjoy your experience as I did mine. read more

I had a disastrous haircut at Vida Sassoon last week. The deal is this: you pay £12 and get your hair cut as you want it by experienced hairdressers who are on a Vidal Sassoon training course under supervision. I had been once before and been very happy with what they did to my hair. My hair is very curly and difficult to manage, and I straighten it. Every time I have it cut I get the hairdresser to straighten it. I arrived at Vidal Sassoon and explained to the hairdresser that I wanted about an inch off and that after the cut I wanted my hair straightened. I am very short sighted and also explained that once my glasses are off I can see very little. The hairdresser and I both explained to the supervisor what I wanted. My hair was washed and then the cutting started. It seemed to me that too much was being cut and I asked the hairdresser about this but she said that she was cutting no more than an inch. It was a full class so the supervisor didn't come round very often. When the cut was complete the hairdresser took the supervisor to one side and said that she had cut too much of my hair off and as a result she didn't know how to straighten my hair because it was too short in places for the straighteners to get a grip. The supervisor replied that my hair would have to be left curly. I wasn't supposed to have heard this. At this point, unable to see and vulnerable, I asked exactly what was happening and was told I should try an 'experiment' to see what my hair looked like curly. I said I did not want this, after all it's because I know what my hair looks like when it's curly that I like my hair straightened. They kept trying to persuade me and I kept saying no. In the end I was persuaded into some sort of 'compromise' where they said they would leave my hair 'slightly curly.' The haircut was a bloody disaster. I looked like I had just got up in the morning - curls and tufts springing out uncontrolled everywhere. I pay hairdressers NOT to look like this, this is a look I could create for myself by chopping off too much hair and then not caring for it; I certainly don't expect to pay to have my hair butchered like this. I said to the hairdresser that I hated it and that it was exactly what I didn't want. She was quite distressed and called over the supervisor whose response was it was a good haircut and it was only 'my personal opinion' that thought otherwise. I said it might be my personal opinion but it was also my personal hair. She also said that the hairdresser wouldn't have time to straighten it because it would eat into her lunch break which really did not help make amends. And she said Vidal Sassoon never straighten people's hair and when I asked why they had straightened it the last time I had been, 3 months earlier, she walked away. Be careful when you go to Vidal Sassoon as a model. When all goes well like the first time I went, I was delighted with the cut but I have been really upset at this terrible botch-job and at the supervisor's unresponsive attitude. read more

Looong wait... Very loud music. The student who was cutting my hair was not bad, although quite slooow, BUT the tutor (avoid absolutely the Yellow room) had a rubbish taste. She decided that I'd have a square cut, even if I was asking for a layered one. I came out looking like a clown. Now I have to get another cut to amend the disaster. read more

NO NO NO! Don't do it! Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's cheerful. Stay away from the colour salon, especially Stuart, who says only 'you can't always have what you want, that's life' and seems almost determined to upset people by overruling what they want. You want to dye your hair red? No way, he'll dye it mousey brown. You want to go blonde? It won't suit you. He's more interested in talking about himself, looking at himself in the mirrors, dancing about like a twit and not supervising the trainees, who are left to thier own devices - DANGEROUS as they are amateurs and don't have a clue what they're doing!!!! I saw a woman in the salon who said she wanted it lightened. Her hair turned out bright carrot orange. She had big red cheeks so she looked like a squashed tomato by the time they had done her hair. Ouch. All the so-called stylists stood around staring at her in HORROR. She cried A LOT but they didn't hand her a tissue, comfort her or anything. No glass of water. They said she could have her money back but I spoke to her outside the salon where she was still crying and she said they dint give her the money back. She worked in a big fashion school in London an was about to go off on hols - she was totally gutted and so upset at what they had done and how they had treated her. Actually nobody got what they wanted, unless they were old women who wanted boring brown helmets. I got a boring colour when I had asked for blue but ended up with, you guessed it - BROWN - even though I have been a brunette all my life and wanted soemethng different. MEH! This isn't a creative school, you wont' get what you want or anything intersting either. Forget it, take your money somewhwere people will respect you and give you what you want. You shouldn't pay money to feel humiliated and leave a hair salon crying and upset. They are unbelievably arrogant to think that this is acceptable and okay. Seriously, as other reviewers have said, just RUN! Keep your hair and your money!!! read more

Initially, I was a bit taken aback by the behaviour of the receptionist at one of the locations. It was a bit rude of her to not want to respond to my queries, especially as concerned the location of the other VS salon. Though, I suppose she is always asked for directions. Maybe just a bad day. For the rest, I was Princess for a Day! Davies Mews is where you want to start off to get a voucher (think this is Vidal Sassoon creative). Once you've collected a hair cut voucher you will be told where to go next. The lady at the Creative salon reception was just lovely. She was incredibly kind to everyone even though the phone was constantly ringing and there was a bit of a queue. I ended up at the Advanced Academy on Grovesnor, in the end. I had a stylist who was lovely, Aki. Perhaps not native to the U.K., but keen on details and very thorough. She spent so much time making my hair as perfect as she could. I have never had someone spend so much time just on blow drying one section of my hair before! I got a wash, cut and blow dry for free. It took some time, but well worth it. One of the male instructors, Scott, was also really knowledgeable about what he was doing. I had my hair brushed back and in a ponytail when I walked in and he could tell where I parted it without my saying so and used some fancy-sounding technique which made my usually lifeless hair bounce. In fact, my haircut elicited two compliments just after heading out the door. I just hope tomorrow it will look as lovely! I am sending all my friends there-they spoke to the right person for good publicity! I wish you the same experience! Regards, Debbie read more

Horrid experience, it will cost you much more than the standard fee for a cut to repair the damage. Basically their courses are extremely expensive, so they would enroll anyone who is prepared to pay for it regardless of whether they can do the job or not. I had the worst haircut in history, the damage is totally irreparable as well. The woman who was supposed to be in charge did absolutely nothing to rectify the situation. DO NOT ever go to this place. I can not get over the damage they did to my hair. read more

Be very, very , very wary about going. I have just been to the 48 Brook Street Academy. Was put in the hands of a beginner. Not only did they cut off 5 inches of length of my hair at the back without asking me, I have ended up with an uneven cut that looks as though I cut it myself. The supervisor, Jason, cut my fringe and I can tell you I would have made a better job of it myself. He has cut short lengths from the middle of my head that does not blend into the hair but just looks as though it has been hacked. He has cut the fringe too short at the sides and left it too long at the middle - all the time arrogantly telling me that because I have a widow's peak, there is nothing I can do. It looked a mess and I told him it did not look good. He then proceeded to cut even more of my hair off telling me he was removing weight. My hair goes flyaway if too short. The fringe is totally inappropriate for someone with a cowslick, my hair is different lengths all over and I am having to go back on Friday for a 'correction' with a senior stylist. If you book an appointment DO NOT let beginners at Brook Street anywhere near your hair or Jason. I never have anything complicated as I had hair to the middle of my back in length so I just require a trim at the ends, a few layers at the front and a side swept fringe - nothing technical. I could honestly have made a better job of my hair if I had cut it myself. They did not even show me the back so I don't know if that is even. I have previously been to the 56 Brook Street with the more advanced stylists and they did a great job but this last experience has wrecked my self confidence, it will take months and months to get my hair length back and I don't even have the consolation of saying ok it is too short but it is a good cut. read more

Was it my lucky day! On my first visit I was 'selected ' to be used by the trainer to demonstrate on to a class of students just how it should be done. Initially it was decreed that my colour was so faded that I had to be given a colour rinsed before the students even saw me. The cut and colour were amazing. I couldn't have been more thrilled. This 67 year old woman easily lost 10 years if not more! read more

I have been in this place and I totally not recommend! I have spent 7 hours for a cut and a color completely different from what I ask. Now I got this grey highlights in front of my face, which were in her mind blonde. About the cut, I strictly ask to keep my long hair and they cut it shortly. It was a teaching session, so I don't blame the person who was doing my hair (who at the end agreed to my complains) but the two teachers who were actually the reference figure for everybody. The thing that made me more upset is that the lady teacher told me about the color that was a communication misunderstanding , which is obviously not true, instead of understanding. They seem really far to accomplish your requests. read more

I receieved a fantastic haircut from the Vidal Sassoon Academy yesterday, for just £5 (student price). I was booked in for an appointment at the 'classic' academy - my advice is to arrive at least 15 minutes before your stated appointment time, as a huge number of people seem to be booked in for the same slot, and everyone seems to start assigning models to students before the stated time. The organisation at the beginning was a bit shambolic (I'm deducting one star for that), but I suppose that for such a cheap haircut you shouldn't expect the five-star treatment that a full-price salon gives you. After describing what you would like done to the hairdresser in charge, you are sent to a specific salon, depending on level of difficulty. I was actually sent round the corner to the Advanced Academy in Brook Street (opposite Claridges), for which I was very glad, because I could overhear some of the less-experienced students in the first salon complaining that they 'didn't want to do highlights' on one model who had requested them, because they were 'bored' of doing them. The Advanced, or 'Creative' Academy had a nicer atmosphere than the 'Classic' Academy, and was better organised - I will make a booking for this one in future. I was assigned with 4 other models to a class of already-qualified stylists doing a one-week course in advanced cutting techniques, so I knew that I was in experienced hands. Before the stylists came in, the supervising teacher asked each model what we wanted done to our hair, made suggestions, and then produced a diagram for our stylists to refer to. The haircut itself took about 3 hours, which I had been told to expect, because the stylist frequently stopped to ask the teacher to show her a particular technique, or to check what she was doing. Both the teacher and the stylists were friendly and professional, and I was very pleased with the end result. The other models seemed happy with their cuts too. I will definitely return here, but next time I will make a point of booking into the advanced Creative academy. read more

This was the first time at the Academy, recommended by a friend, I was a little nervous to begin with, I was put in the advanced academy where they are not actually students but already qualified hairdressers and they pay to attend the academy to learn the techniques of a Vidal Sassoon cut. I had a lovely Irish girl cut my hair who knew what she was doing, she done the most wonderul tapered bob for me which is wahat I asked for and for £12 is a real bargain, going to definitely go back for another cut and also a colour. I would recommend this Academy to anyone. The own downfall is that it does take quite a long time which you are told it would but was well worth the hanging around because you know the teacher will not let you leave until the haircut is perfect, which as I said mine was. read more

I have been here for a haircut and I wasn't disappointed..cheap and good! What else do you need?:) The only downside is the fact that the teachers keep disturbing.. read more

I went to Sassoon Academy in Westminster today for a trim and a fringe. I paid £5 as they have a student deal on. The wait was actually ok, I only waited about 15 minutes before I was called in. I was told to sit in a chair, waited as the stylists walked around trying to get organised, then moved to a different seat. I wasn't asked what I wanted done to my hair for a long time and then one man came over saying 'this is a colour and cut' pointing to me. I had to speak up and say I just wanted a cut. I was then approached by Daniel. He didn't introduce himself or smile. He was probably one of the rudest most unpleasant people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. He asked me what I wanted and I told him, to which he replied soooo rudely 'can I see it then' because my hair was tied up. I put it down and he asked me if I wanted layers, I said no just a blunt cut and he insisted I should have layers because my hair is 'so flat and needs some body'. I again said I don't want layers. He just didn't listen to me, was extremely unpleasant to talk to and I felt pressured and basically ignored. He walked away before I could protest more to the layering thing and I was worried that even if I did protest more he would just do it anyway. I literally didn't trust him at all and due to his lack of basic manners, his horrible demeanour and how tense I felt around him, I started to panic a bit. I had also read a review saying that if you fall into the hands of Daniel you should run. So I did. I got up out of my chair and went to the front desk to ask for a refund. They asked me what happened but I felt too uncomfortable to tell them one of their hairdressers is just horrible, so I said I just changed my mind. There were some hairdressers there who seemed very nice, professional and good at their jobs. There was a girl getting her hair done when I walked in who had lovely red/orange hair and a really cool haircut. I think I just got extremely unlucky getting Daniel and I'm glad I left. I also had another experience with Sassoon (the one just off oxford street) last year, where I told the woman I wanted just a blunt cut and she layered my hair so much and just hacked it to pieces. I hated it. I said 'no layers' and she gave me layers. Now I go to this Sassoon Academy and Daniel is insisting on layers and not listening to me!!! Never again!!! Lucky escape. read more

Worst hair cut I have ever had. The teacher did not listen to me so I have ended up with hair half the length I wanted it. I would not recommend to a friend and would never go back ever again. I have never been so upset after leaving the hairdresser. They ought to listen to the customer so they do not leave devasted. read more