Merging a blonde specialist salon with a sustainability mindset, Mitch is personified by a character that runs far deeper than the typical hair studio – he is cool, quirky and conscious, writes Cameron Pine

Mitch Studio is the new home and vision of Tara-Lee Mitchell, a creative hairdresser with over 14 years of experience at the forefront of local and global hairdressing. For Tara, the salon’s personality and aesthetic had to be something a little different to the norm – grabbing attention not in the same way a usual salon would, with the use of yellow glass partition, providing Mitch salon with a truly futuristic vibe.

We take some time out with Tara on why creating a new salon with a conscience was important to her future.

IN: What inspired you to create Mitch Studio?

Tara-Lee Mitchell: I wanted to create an inclusive environment for my team and clients. I wanted it to be luxurious and fun, but also focus on sustainability, as I knew there was so much wastage in our industry! 

IN: What did you use for design references or style references? What aesthetic appealed to you?

TLM: Colour was the first thing that popped to mind! Our logo is a pastel yellow, and I really wanted to run with that, but in a sophisticated way. Danielle Brustman was our interior designer and she’s amazing with colour so it was a perfect fit. The first piece that we bought for the salon was the amazing Entler Chandelier from L.A. which really helped set the tone of the build.

IN: What remains core to your brand?

TLM: We have created the Mitch manifesto that we remind ourselves with every day. It’s so we have something to go back to no matter how big the brand gets! The main points are to be honest, inclusive, mindful, fair and curious.

IN: How would you describe the design signature of the salon?

TLM: Super modern, but still earthy and welcoming. There are lots of wood and earth toned fabrics used throughout and lots of colour, with the signature being yellow – but in a very sophisticated way. I describe the salon as calm, comfortable and luxurious. 

IN: What materials remain core to the build from interiors to finishes and accessories?

TLM: The first thing that catches your eyes when you walk into our space are the tall yellow glass partitions. The bottom floor also features a mixture of white and mustard Italian glass tiles from Artedomus. Throughout the salon there are mustard stained American oak veneer shelving and upstairs workstations. We also stripped back the floors and polished the concrete! The building is from the 50s so there is some great texture in the aggregate areas. To soften and tie everything together we have beautiful curtains that give the salon warmth and an earthy feel. 

IN: Who inspires you from a design perspective? Any icons you look up to? 

TLM: Working with Danielle Brustman really blew my mind, she is so talented! I’m only really getting into design now, but I love vintage, art deco and mid century. I follow heaps of instagram accounts like @ausmodern and @the_60s_interior for inspiration for my own decor. I’m so lucky to have so many incredible clients like Kelly Thompson, who is a DIY queen. Her use of colour and the fact that she can do anything blows my mind. 

IN: What stressed you the most with the salon build?

TLM: We decided to start the build a bit earlier to try and beat the last lockdown but unfortunately there was the two week ban on construction that really put us behind so then we found ourselves at opening time, still with no salon! We had to hustle and find a pop up salon, which we did, but while we were setting it up I came down with an infection and ended up in hospital for three nights, so the opening really wasn’t a smooth one. Luckily we have an amazing team that just took over and got everything set up for us. Mitch wouldn’t be where it is today without them!

IN: What has been the biggest challenge for you since opening the salon?

TLM: COVID! It’s been so hard navigating it. It really blew up in January when we had only been reopened for just over a month.

IN: What brands do you use?

TLM: We are a Davines concept salon, and stock the whole range and use their colour. We are obsessed and it has a lot of values aligned with our sustainability mindset. We also stock R+Co Bleu.

IN: How have you ensured your salon takes on a sustainable approach?

TLM: We pride ourselves on being a sustainable salon.We are a part of Sustainable Salons Australia and recycle 95 per cent of our wastage. We also use Davines and it’s a BCorp certified brand. Our next step is working with Davines to be completely Carbon Neutral, which is happening very soon, and we would love to become a BCorp in the near future – Bcorp gives back to a more sustainable future in so many ways.

IN: What else inspires you about hairdressing?

TLM: The fact that it can really take you anywhere! There are so many different paths it can take you. Also you get to work with such a diverse range of people, different ages and walks of life.

For more information visit www.mitchstudio.com.au

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