adventures of a Strictly STYLIST

What has been your career journey so far?

My mum trained as a hairdresser, so my first toys were her training heads! I began working weekends and school holidays at 14, and by 16 I was a confident stylist. I went to college at 16 and visited Salon International where my eyes were opened to the wonders of hairdressing. I taught NVQ for five years and now run my own styling editorial courses. I moved to London nine years ago to start my freelance career, and within three months I was touring with Dancing on Ice. That season gave me a crash course in doing hair for TV shows. After the tour, I was asked to work on other TV shows and my dreams slowly started to come true. Eight years ago I met the head of the hair department and that’s when my Strictly Come Dancing journey began. In 2020, I opened my salon, Kitch Hair, and have quickly established the salon as a safe space where everyone feels welcome.

What inspires you?

Fashion, music and celebrity styling has always inspired me and the desire to make it my own. I love my job and I am constantly pushing myself to give 110% to every person I work with.

What are the challenges you’ve faced so far in your career?

Growing up in a small town in Wales, being very driven was perceived as a negative. I was made to feel uncomfortable when I said I was skilled and good at my job, but I am where I am today by working hard to prove myself to others. Being a stylist from the age of 16, I felt my age was used against me. Some managers can feel threatened by stylists that are skilled in different areas, but I think the opposite. If you have an amazing stylist, learn from them and keep them as long as you can as the clients will follow.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into TV work?

I wish I could give a secret recipe to get a career in TV styling, but as any other dream job, skills, professionalism and being in the right place at the right time, are all factors. It’s lots of hard work, especially in the beginning – Idid many free test shoots to build my portfolio and said yes to every opportunity. You never know who you will meet on a shoot, and it can snowball from a single job. Freelance styling is a completely different skill from salon styling – on set nobody cares if you do a great root melt. Showcasing your styling ability is a must to get the roles you aspire to, so hone those skills.

What’s next for Luca Jones?

We would love to open another Kitch Hair salon, later in 2023. Also, I have always wanted my own brush line so hopefully I can get the ball rolling with that. And I’m sure I will add a few more tasks to my to do list to keep me busy.