Sheila Gibbons & Dreamboards
Lambo's Folk Tales, Sherborne Times April 2018.
Sheilas, and my, Dreamboards have featured a lot in my recent posts. Here is some background.
Justin James, Salon Fish, Sherborne.
A dreamboard is a collage of words and pictures representing your goals and dreams for the year ahead. Sheila and I used old magazines (Sherborne Times even!), a poster-sized sheet of paper, some glue and scissors.
My 2018 dreamboard shows me as fit, with a dashing new hairstyle. The fitness bit is work in progress – I’ve re-joined the Boys School gym. Next, I had to find the perfect hairdresser to redesign my hair and newly acquired beard. Ideally, he would have trained with Vidal Sassoon in Mayfair, cut celebs hair backstage, done photo shoots in LA, be trendy, fashionable, stylish, be based in Sherborne and available now. However…
Justin’s dreamboard saw him converting a VW van into a state-of-the-art home with all mod-cons and taking the whole of January and most of February to tour Europe with his skateboard, surfboard and dog Milo, as you do.
I wait patiently for his return and meet Justin at his home in Yeovil just as the snow begins to fall at the start of March. I have difficulty taking notes as Milo, the boxer dog, is on my lap.
Justin was born in County Durham, 1975. The family - mum (hairdresser), dad (military) and elder sister - moved to Yeovil in 1978. Younger brother soon arrived. Justin saw little of dad but loved the idea of being in the Forces and travelling the world. Milford Primary then, aged seven, Sherborne Prep (subsidised as dad was serving Queen and country). Justin loved it: discipline, structure, rugby team and army cadet. Sherborne Boys school was a seamless transition: Duke of Edinburgh Gold, CCF. Life was fabulous until…
Justin’s world collapsed in 1989.
His dad dying, off-duty, brought a number of problems, his mum’s pension and Justin’s school fees to mention but two. He loved his dad to bits and had intended joining him in the Forces.
Justin’s dreamboard thought otherwise!
He quit school, went to visit a cousin in London, walked into Vidal Sassoon (Bond Street) and asked for a job.
Justin’s always loved cutting hair: first his grandmother’s 35 years ago and then his classmates’ hair - the mums were impressed. So was Vidal Sassoon, hence Justin’s rise through the ranks. Next was Knightsbridge with Tony & Guy, then Cardiff to manage a new store but the shop fit was delayed so Justin returned home.
He meets fellow hairdresser Jewls [Julian Lewis] for a beer. Jewls had just purchased ‘Richfields’ hairdressers and wanted a new name for the business. Many beers and many suggestions later, they settle on ‘Salon Fish’. They decided to paint the shop front, walls et al, bright orange like a goldfish. Western Gazette front page no less (horror, disgust, breach of something!). Salon Fish was launched in style.
Justin meanwhile headed back to Cardiff followed by Bath then San Francisco and Los Angeles, where he cut posh folks’ hair, surfed Venice Beach and had a lot of fun. Mid-20’s and life was good once more.
A Tony & Guy franchise becomes available in St Peter Port, Guernsey and the dreamboard changes again. 4 years later, with the franchise sold, Justin comes home to mum – but not for long. By 2006 he is in Manly, Australia, then New York, London, Paris and the rest working on fashion shoots. Justin says, “It wasn’t glamorous but it paid very well”.
He grew his beard, studied the Koran, got a tattoo of Ganesh on his leg - one of many. Meditation, spirituality and prayer became a part of everyday life on the road.
What he didn’t expect was his brother’s death in 2011. A car accident in Yeovil. Justin came home to support his mum and stayed. Death in any family is a shock. Dad and baby brother is tough.
He reunited with Jewls at Salon Fish, building a strong and loyal client base. He sets up teaching programmes, works with Yeovil College as an ambassador and gives talks in London at trade fairs. Most importantly, he returned to work late in February, after surfing with Milo in Tarifa, in readiness for my big day.
He and Milo give me a tour of the van. I am truly impressed by the craftsmanship and Justin’s attention to detail. They, Justin and Milo, both look so cool, photographed on a faraway beach playing in the surf. He’s clearly my man: we set a date for the cut.
I was nervous as I entered the Long Street salon. Justin smiled, took my coat, offered me a coffee and sat me down. He is very dapper in his skinny-cut jeans, Oxford brogue boots and designer shirt. Having let both my hair and beard grow since mid-December there was plenty to shape and design.
Do you have a dreamboard? Would you like to take off in a campervan with your dog and live the simple life? Change your hair, grow a beard (easier for men), have a tattoo? Life can be so much fun and remember you only get one go!
A huge thank you to Justin and Milo for sharing their dreamboard with me. And for my fabulous new hairstyle and look.
Have a great April.
[Above is taken directly from my Sherborne Times Blog, April 2018.]
So, Sheila & I really did get dreamboards! Om my goddess..
Ps. My current, 'top knot' look his entirely Justin's fault! Om Justin x
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