On a balmy Friday last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Charlie Le Mindu. Not only is he one of the hottest hairdressers in London at the moment, with many a celebrity client (including Bloc Party, Adamski, Florence & the Machine and Jodie Harsh, to name but a very few) he is also working on his new Spring/Summer Collection for London Fashion week in September ( he orchestrated the first fashion show dedicated solely to wigs at the autumn/winter 2009 London Fashion Week), has designed a jewellery collection with up and coming womenswear designer Gemma Slack and another in conjunction with Tatty Devine.

Some things you should know about Monsieur Le Mindu:

He works ALL the time.

Lady GaGa has asked him to make her some wigs. He has a dedicated and fond clientele, with some offering to pay for his flights and hotels across the world and back, just to get the cut and coiff he gives.

And he’s offered to cut my hair as I interview him. I am ludicrously excited and a little stunned.

On my way to see him I buy us both a bottle (glass of course) of Orangina. Charlie grew up in Bergerac, near where I used to live and I guess he may be a fan. Charlie calls to me as I come through the open front door and shyly make my way up the stairs.

“Hello! Up here!” I meet him on the stairs and follow him into his studio, quickly pulling out my gifts. “I LOVE Orangina!!! It’s my favourite! I just had one before….look! (He holds up a bottle). And in the glass they taste so much better.” Enormously gratified that I am completely on the same wavelength as the 22nd coolest person in the world (The Observer, 2008), I settle into the beaten up green leather chair in Charlie’s studio in Shoreditch. The room is all white walls, with huge gold letters on the far side saying SALON. There is a sweeping burgundy curtain that divides the room in two. Kitchen and basin/studio SALON. There are Barbies stuck to the wall, a deer’s head, a bird cage with two naked dolls peering out, a black shiny chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a natural comforting mess to the place. This is a place of work not a place of pretence or show. This is an artist’s studio and I feel like I am part of something.

I try to persuade Charlie to perm my hair. Something I have wanted my whole life but he smiles and shakes his head. “You are an actress. You have nice hair. I LOVE perm but I only do it on my clients that don’t care, you know? Because I love it, but it fuck your hair. Really.” I pout a little but am soon won over again. Le Mindu is just so nice. Humble, sweet but also cheeky and clever. And no bullshit. You can tell that straight away. I smile, he suggests a classic cut. Rounded out at the back, shorter at the front. “I love classic haircuts” he says.

He washes my hair in his little sink behind the curtain and we laugh at the fact that my recording device broke this morning and I am writing in an old diary (“No, you are okay don’t worry, lots of people do that.” See. He’s nice, right?) and that also my digital camera has gone walk-a-bout and I had to go to his local corner shop and buy a throw-away (he thinks the camera is brilliant). So back in front of the golden mirror, Charlie Le Mindu, coiffeur to the stars, starts to cut my hair…

You’re so young! 23. You’ve done so much. I feel old.

I am young, but I start work in a salon at 13. Anyway my boyfriend is 32 and he looks younger than me!

The Observer says you are the 22nd coolest person in the world.

I was 22 when that happened. I don’t really mind about things like that, but I’m like, “okay great”. Its fun but I don’t know, I wish I was first!

Are you happy with your style of work, do you think you have found your niche?

I will want more all the time, all the time more. It’s good I will never be happy.

Who cuts your hair?

It’s really horrible to be a pain in the arsee but I would be if I went to a hairdresser. I would be all the time watching them. So I prefer to have my friends do it.

What is hot right now? What is Charlie Le Mindu ‘Hot’?

Something really hot is something really boring. Susanne from ‘No bra’. She has the best hair in the world. So boring. It is long and just flicked over to the side like this (he gestures). It’s the way to go when everyone tries so hard. Or they should just wear a wig.

You used to live in Berlin – where did you go out?

For a big weekend I went to Berghain. Or else Rio or Scala.

Were you born with a talent do you think?

No. I just find what I love to do. I work hard. It’s not a gift, I just love it. I really love what I do.

What else have you been up to?

I work with Gemma Slack doing a new jewellery collection. She is one of my favourite designers. I was anxious to work with her. Her taste is so good. She is amazing.

What’s next?

I’m working on my new Collection every night after I finish with the clients, for next fashion week. I can’t remember the dates exactly. September. At the Royal Festival Hall. Also I am going to India to cut a clients hair and also I do India Fashion week. I’m scared of it actually but it’s going to be fun I’m sure. I’m going to do catwalk with moustaches for women. I’m also doing a programme in Paris for (the French television channel) ‘Paris Premiere’. I spend 4 days on the streets giving haircuts. I do two hours a day for four days. The programme is called ‘Chambre à L’air’.”

Where do you go out in Paris?

I like ‘Regine’ and ‘Chez Moune’.

What about in London?

I hate going out in London but if I have to I go toThe Macbeth. After that, all I like is really bad pubs. Some bad pubs in Dalston.

What products do your use on your clients?

Fudge is amazing now. I didn’t like so much before but it’s all changed. Really natural things. Some other products they say they are organic but I don’t understand it. Organic bleach, how does that work? But Fudge, it is so good now.

Do people tell you their secrets?

Yeah. I love it. I tell them mine as well. Sometimes they go too far and I’m like “Yeah! Ok-ay!”. They talk about sex. Too hardcore for me but I am open minded too.

You do Dita Von Teese’s hair, do you like burlesque?

Yes and No. I like it when it is beautiful. It can be horrible if it not done right. I like when it’s not pervert but when it is good, when it’s beautiful. And I can do nipple tassels. I can do it. It’s really easy!

You used to do nights giving haircuts in clubs in Berlin?

Yes I had a basin and I cut hair all night. I love to cut hair when I am drunk. I do really good stuff when I am drunk!!!!

What city are you loving at the moment?

I have times when I don’t like a city or the people. I felt like that about Paris for a while but now I love it. I went there and the people were so beautiful and they were speaking so perfect. I loved it.

When did you arrive in London?

At 6am on the 1st of January 2008. I don’t believe in New Year but I had to get out of Berlin.

What else do you love?

I love music. Have you heard of Kap Bambino? I do their hair. They are my favourite. I love them. They are playing Glastonbury. I am going to do haircuts at Glastonbury. I also like ‘Duchess says’.

What are we listening to now?

Peaches. I do her hair. Not Peaches Geldof. The singer Peaches.

Who is your idol?

I love Cher, she is my favourite. Next week I am tattoo her face on my legs

On one leg or two?

Ha! On one legs

Can you run in heels?

I can run in heels. I can do skateboarding in heels! I used to do drag acts before. I used to do break-dance in heels. I wasn’t amazing but I still did it!

Charlie blow dries my hair and curls the ends, remembering I like the perm effect. My hair feels great. It looks beautiful. The haircut I would have given myself if only I had the skills. Lighter, summer fun and perfectly echoing the vintage white eighties suit I have chosen to wear to see him.

“Alexia, you go out tonight?”

“I wasn’t going to but maybe I should take my new hair out”.

“Take your new hair out. Definitely”.

We exchange numbers and talk about meeting up to go to a new burlesque night in Liverpool Street run by some friends. Charlie downs the rest of his Orangina and I offer him the rest of mine as he still looks thirsty, he smiles, grabs it and polishes it off too. He has two more interviews today and countless clients coming in to have their hair made wonderful.

I leave him reluctantly and bounce down the dingy corridor out into the Shoreditch afternoon. 22nd coolest person, my grandmother, he goes way to the top of my list!

www.charlielemindu.com

Appointments by email or phone: enquiries@charlielemindu.com