Peter

With over 12 years’ experience in the hairdressing industry, Peter began his career as an apprentice with Cheynes Hairdressing in Edinburgh, where he developed the foundations of his craft and quickly established himself as an ambitious and creatively driven young hairdresser.

At just 19, Peter progressed to the regional heats of Wella TrendVision, alongside gaining experience in editorial shoots and magazine work early in his career. While these opportunities gave him an invaluable creative foundation, Peter soon discovered that his true passion was commercial hairdressing — being behind the chair, building long-term relationships with clients and creating beautiful, wearable hair.

It was also early in his career that Peter began to recognise what he felt was missing from traditional hairdressing: a greater understanding of the scalp and the health of the hair itself. Hairdressers spend their careers working with hair, yet the scalp it grows from was rarely part of the wider conversation.

That curiosity led Peter to study introductory trichology alongside working on the salon floor, beginning a journey into scalp and hair health that has continued throughout his career.

At just 24, Peter took the next step and opened his own business. His vision was never simply to recreate the traditional salon model, but to evolve it — bringing together exceptional hairdressing with scalp health, hair integrity, education and truly personalised client care.

That vision has developed into PeterJames Scalp & Hair Clinic today: a modern evolution of the traditional salon where beautiful hair, healthy hair and scalp health are considered together. Exceptional cutting and colouring remain at its core, supported by hair and scalp science, advanced professional treatments and an individually prescribed approach to every client.

Peter has a particular passion for advanced blonding, colour correction and hair extensions, where protecting the integrity of the hair is fundamental to achieving exceptional results. His approach combines creativity and technical expertise with a detailed understanding of the condition, history and limitations of the hair — considering not only the immediate result, but its long-term health.

Education at the heart

Education has remained central to Peter’s career, both in developing his own expertise and passing that knowledge on to others.

As a qualified assessor, Peter is a passionate advocate for apprenticeships and creating meaningful career pathways for the next generation of hairdressers. He believes emerging talent deserves access to the same high standards of education expected at the very top of the industry.

This philosophy has shaped PeterJames’ commitment to structured, high-quality in-house training, combining hands-on salon experience with professional education and the expertise of the salon’s carefully selected industry partners.

For Peter, developing a great hairdresser goes far beyond teaching someone how to cut or colour. It means developing technical knowledge, confidence, professionalism and exceptional client care, alongside an understanding of hair and scalp health from the very beginning of their career.

That commitment to education applies equally to Peter himself. He is currently undertaking the prestigious Wella Master Colour Expert programme, continuing to advance his knowledge of colour science, formulation and technical colour at one of the highest levels of professional hairdressing education.

Alongside advanced colour, Peter continues to develop his knowledge across hair science, scalp health, trichology and professional product technology, bringing new knowledge and techniques back to both his clients and the PeterJames team.

Ultimately, it all comes back to the philosophy at the heart of PeterJames: no two heads of hair — or scalps — are the same.

Every service, treatment and homecare recommendation should be considered individually, taking into account the person, their lifestyle, their hair and scalp health, and what they want to achieve.

For Peter, great hairdressing isn’t simply about how your hair looks when you leave the salon. It’s about understanding your hair and scalp, protecting their health and creating results that continue to work for you long after your appointment.