What Trevor Sorbie does

Trevor Sorbie is a UK-based, privately held premium hairdressing business operating six owned salons across England (Covent Garden, Hampstead, Richmond, Brighton, Bristol, and Manchester) and serving individual consumers alongside a secondary professional stylist education segment. Founded in 1979 by Trevor Sorbie MBE at the flagship Covent Garden location, the company generates revenue primarily through in-salon hair services (cut & finish, bespoke colour, blow dry) with premium add-on treatments including the Lakme Aura-powered TS Smoothing Menu (Hyaluroplasty technology), Bond Fusion, Ultimate Keratin Ritual, and Ultimate Bespoke Blonding, plus hair extensions via Great Lengths and V-Light partnerships. Pricing is unit-based per service, ranging from £9-£39 for ancillary treatments to multi-hour blonding appointments valued in the several-hundred-pound range.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with bookings processed through the Zenoti online platform or by phone, complemented by a Refer a Friend scheme and student discount driving customer acquisition. Distribution is exclusively through the six owned physical locations - no franchise or third-party retail model. A secondary revenue stream is the Education & Training division, selling nine external courses to other stylists (Creative Path at £2,500 for six sessions, Foundation Cutting at £850 for three days, single-day workshops at £340). Wholesale product sales of Keune professional haircare and Glowwa supplements at the point of service contribute a smaller retail mix, alongside digital gift cards.

The company's competitive moat derives from its proprietary Vardering training methodology (originally inspired by Vidal Sassoon), mandatory for every hire regardless of prior experience, which enforces brand consistency; a multigenerational alumni network including Eugene Souleiman, Angelo Seminara, and current Creative Director Giuseppe Stelitano; and 45+ years of brand equity anchored by sustained L'Oréal Colour Trophy wins and Trevor Sorbie's distinction as the first four-time British Hairdresser of the Year winner. The company is led day-to-day by Giuseppe Stelitano (Creative Director since 2021 - the first technician to hold the position), while founder Trevor Sorbie now focuses on his MyNewHair charity.

Name

Trevor Sorbie

Legal name

Trevor Sorbie

Website

https://trevorsorbie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Trevor Sorbie is a privately held UK premium hairdressing brand operating six owned salons across England, offering cutting, colouring, smoothing, and extension services to individual consumers alongside a secondary professional education division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hair Salon Services

NAICS

Beauty Salons (812112), Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Haircutting & Styling Services (HSALAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hair Styling & Cutting (EDAOALAB), Professional Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatments) (CRABALAB), Women's Hair Salons (HSALAAAA), Men's Hair Salons (HSALAAAB)

Keywords

• Professional hairdressing services
• Hair colour treatments
• Hair salon extensions
• Hairdressing education courses
• Hair smoothing treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Leatherhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hair Services: Core revenue from in-salon hair services including cuts, colouring, treatments, smoothing, and extensions. Services are priced per appointment with varying duration and complexity. Includes dedicated appointment slots for Ultimate Bespoke Blonding (3, 4, or 5 hours).
2. Education & Training Courses: External courses offered to other stylists and technicians including Creative Path (6 sessions, £2,500), Working with Curls (£340), 360 Razor Cutting, Blending and Lightening, Short Hair Cutting, Capsule, Foundation Cutting (3 days, £850), Commercial Cut and Colour, and Innovative Cutting & Colour.
3. Professional Haircare Products: Sale of Keune professional haircare products recommended for home maintenance. Also includes Glowwa Collagen Creamer supplements. Products are sold in-salon and recommended by stylists post-service.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold online through the Zenoti platform, allowing recipients to book any service at their preferred salon location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trevor Sorbie operates six premium UK hair salons delivering personalised cuts, bespoke colouring, smoothing treatments, extensions and other in-salon hair services. The brand also runs paid education and training courses for external stylists and sells professional haircare products and gift cards in-salon and online.

Product overview

Trevor Sorbie is an award-winning UK hair salon chain operating six locations (Covent Garden, Hampstead, Richmond, Brighton, Bristol, Manchester) offering a comprehensive range of hair services. The core offerings include Cut & Finish, Bespoke Colour, and Blow Dry services, complemented by specialty treatments such as the TS Smoothing Menu (TS Beauty, TS Smoother, TS Sleek), Hair Treatments (Scalp Health, Bond Fusion, Detox, Revive, Ultimate Keratin Ritual, Colour Gloss), Ultimate Bespoke Blonding, and Hair Extensions (V-Light Extensions and Great Lengths). The brand also operates an Education & Training division offering external courses including Creative Path, Working with Curls, 360 Razor Cutting, Blending and Lightening, Short Hair Cutting, Foundation Cutting, Commercial Cut and Colour, and Innovative Cutting & Colour. Trevor Sorbie products include KEUNE professional haircare and Gift Cards. Founded in 1979 with flagship salon in Covent Garden, the brand is known for its Vardering training programme and has been awarded L'Oréal Colour Trophy and British Hairdresser of the Year four times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cut & Finish

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% greater resistance during brushing (Hyaluroplasty)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KeunecoreTechnology or IntegrationKeune is the primary professional haircare brand used by Trevor Sorbie stylists. Products are recommended for home maintenance after services. The brand also includes KEUNE Scalp Care range. Trevor Sorbie operates 'Sorbie at the House of Keune' as a specific salon location.
• KérastasecoreTechnology or IntegrationKérastase products used in salon treatments including Fusio-Dose bespoke treatments. Also referenced in aftercare recommendations for coloured hair (Pureology brand mentioned for colour aftercare).
• Great LengthscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLouise at Trevor Sorbie is an Ambassador for Great Lengths Hair Extensions. Great Lengths is a premium hair extension brand with ethically sourced 100% natural hair used in Trevor Sorbie salons.
• Lakme AuracoreTechnology or IntegrationThe TS Smoothing Menu is powered by Lakme Aura technology. The hyaluroplasty treatment uses Lakme Aura products exclusively in the three-tier smoothing service (TS Beauty, TS Smoother, TS Sleek).
• HAIRCONminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrevor Sorbie team participates in HAIRCON events with KEUNE x Trevor Sorbie live hair shows and masterclasses. This is an annual industry event.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Daniel Galvin Salons: London-based premium colour specialist salon chain with a similar multi-location (London plus UK) high-ticket positioning, founder-led reputational moat and emphasis on bespoke colouring services. Directly comparable as a UK premium salon competitor with overlapping premium colour clientele and B2B education activities.
• John Frieda Salons: UK premium hair salon brand originating from the John Frieda name with multiple London locations and a similar premium, brand-led, services-focused proposition. Closely comparable in target customer (affluent London professional), pricing band, and educational/creative-team orientation.
• Nicky Clarke Hairdressing: British celebrity-founding premium salon brand with a flagship London location and high-ticket creative reputation. Comparable as a founder-led, brand-distinguished, premium-tier UK salon competitor in the same customer niche.
• Toni & Guy: UK-originated, globally scaled hairdressing brand with salons across the UK and a strong education division (TIGI Academy). Comparable on omni-channel model (services + professional education + product lines) and on scale ambitions, though significantly larger.
• Rush Hair: UK premium-to-mid-market multi-site salon chain offering cut, colour and treatment services with an in-house education programme. Comparable as a UK multi-location salon competitor servicing a slightly different price point but the same categories (cuts, colour, smoothing, education).
• Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa: Chelsea-based premium UK hair salon with a founder-led brand and celebrity clientele. Directly comparable as a London flagship premium hair salon targeting the same affluent professional and event-driven customer segment.

Emerging players

• Josh Wood Colour: London colour-specialist salon with an emerging premium positioning and a focused differentiation on hair colouring. Comparable on the high-end colour and bespoke blonding customer, narrower in geographic and service scope than Trevor Sorbie.

Others

• Sassoon Academy: Founded by Vidal Sassoon, the original source of Trevor Sorbie's Vardering methodology. Comparable as a global haircutting education institution, providing an adjacent enabling/training peer with overlapping curriculums and target educator audience.
• KEUNE Haircosmetics: Professional haircare brand and Trevor Sorbie's core product partner; comparable as an enabling supplier and brand co-marketer relevant to Trevor Sorbie's retail product strategy and customer acquisition (See 'Sorbie at the House of Keune').

Broad incumbents

• Regis Corporation: US-listed parent of Supercuts, Regis Salons and other multi-brand salon concepts. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same salon services category, though at a mass-market price point and a much larger scale; useful as a category scale anchor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/17841400403057806
• Xx.com/trevorsorbie
• Facebookfacebook.com/TrevorSorbie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trevor-sorbie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trevor Sorbie