02 Nov 2026
Building a successful business takes courage, resilience, determination and, often, a leap of faith. For husband-and-wife team Marc and Sophie Trinder, the past decade has been a journey filled with challenges, risks, proud milestones and unforgettable memories. From a small basement studio with a big dream to one of St Albans’ most celebrated salons, Trinder Hair Studios has gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years. Looking back, Marc says the journey has been both magical and rewarding, and one that he and Sophie have loved every moment of.
When Sophie and I opened our first salon in 2016, we had a dream to bring five-star hairdressing to St Albans.
Our first salon was a small private basement studio in Verulam Road, but for us it represented everything.
Having both worked in leading London salons, we wanted to bring the experience, education and service levels we’d built throughout our careers to our local community.
Those early days were incredibly special. We worked tirelessly, built a wonderful loyal client base and quickly discovered there was a real appetite for the type of salon experience we wanted to create. In 2017, we received our first major recognition when Muddy Stilettos named us Best Salon in Hertfordshire. It was an incredible moment for such a young business and gave us confidence that we were on the right path.
By 2018, we had outgrown our original space. We took on a new lease in George Street and moved from a 200 sq ft salon into a 1,000 sq ft premises in the heart of the city. It was a significant step and certainly a risk, but one we believed in wholeheartedly.
Like many businesses, 2020 brought one of our greatest challenges. Covid arrived when we were still a relatively young company and, like many salon owners, we faced a great deal of uncertainty.
Looking back, one of the achievements I am most proud of is that we managed to retain our entire team throughout that period. It wasn’t easy, but we navigated it together and came out stronger on the other side.
That same year, we were proud to win Best Customer Experience at The Salon Awards. At a time when the industry was facing unprecedented challenges, it meant so much to be recognised for looking after our clients.
In 2022 and again in 2023, I was honoured to be invited by L’Oréal to lead a team backstage at the Central Saint Martin’s MA fashion shows. Taking members of our salon team to create the hair looks for such an iconic event was a fantastic experience and one of many exciting opportunities we’ve enjoyed over the years.
The year 2023 was also significant closer to home. When the neighbouring shop became available, we saw an opportunity to grow our business by a further 50 per cent.
We secured the premises and planned an exciting expansion. However, due to various delays and red tape that were completely outside our control, it ultimately took three years before we could officially open the doors to the extended salon. When we finally welcomed clients into the new space in 2026, it was an extremely proud moment.
Another memorable moment in 2023 was when our building received a Blue Plaque from Blue Plaques St Albans in honour of Frederick Sander, known as “The Orchid King”, whose orchids were sought by leading members of European society including Queen Victoria.
The building was his first shop, and it was wonderful to see his relatives attend the unveiling.
It felt like a special piece of local history and we were proud to be a small part of it.
In 2024, we were delighted to win Best New Salon at The Salon Awards, another achievement that reflected the hard work of our entire team.
Then, in 2025, we celebrated one of our most significant creative successes to date by winning the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Eastern Award. The competition is one of the most respected in the industry, so it was a tremendous honour. We also became an annual sponsor of The King’s Trust and hosted a Brilliant Breakfast, something that remains particularly important to us as we continue to support our wider community.
This year has been another landmark chapter in our story. In 2026, we made the decision to partner with Davines as our new haircare brand and haven’t looked back since. The entire team travelled to Italy to immerse themselves in the brand’s philosophy and culture, which was an unforgettable experience.
We also celebrated our 10th anniversary with a special party and were incredibly proud to be recognised on a national stage, winning Salon of the Year at both the Pro Hair Awards and the British Hairdressing Business Awards. To top it all off, we have also been named finalists at the British Hairdressing Awards and will attend the prestigious ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel later this year.
When I look back over the past decade, I feel enormously grateful. There have been challenges, sleepless nights and moments where we’ve had to take huge leaps of faith, but there has also been so much joy.
Most of all, I am proud of our team. They are the heart of this business and the reason we have achieved everything we have. Sophie and I may have started the journey, but it is our team, our clients and our community who have helped make these last 10 years so special.
It’s been an incredible decade, and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings.
