Step Inside is a series of short films and interviews that tell the story of some of our talented members at Pop Brixton. Behind the food stalls and bars, there’s a thriving community of start-ups and independent businesses. ‘Step Inside’ is an exclusive peek behind the scenes to meet the people that make Pop Brixton and to take a look inside their units.
Issac is a freelance hairstylist, currently working on multiple projects with his business partner Virginny. Their most recent venture is Zazzah’s Place, a hair salon with an edge in Pop Brixton.
Tell me about what you guys do.
We generally work in fashion, doing hair for editorials, magazines, look books and all sorts. I’m master of one, jack of many trades. We work with artists a lot, we flew out to Lisbon to work with Madonna and we've been working with FKA twigs which is really cool. Our clientele ranges from the girl next door to presenters to all sorts, our work is diverse and we do pretty much everything in the realm of hair.
What is Zazzah’s Place?
We'd like Zazzah's to be a catalyst for our universe. We've got friends with interesting stories to tell that could change the narrative of black creatives being a minority, that's something we feel strongly about - letting the world know how much you've got to give, that we're not just a minority.
Is your location important?
Being in Brixton for us was a really important part of our journey, we're in the area that we grew up in and our eventual projects are devoted to give back to our people (and that's anyone) and letting them know there's more to life than just getting on with it. There's so much more.
You guys have developed successful freelance careers, what made you decide to open this place?
We’ve been looking back on our life, reflecting and we are very blessed. Zazzah’s happened organically. There's only so many meetings you can have at home before you need something bigger and more professional and Pop Brixton was perfect for us. We're still establishing exactly what Zazzah’s is but she belongs to everyone and is open to the world.
Where did the name Zazzah's come from?
Zazzah is a biblical name and it basically means 'belonging to all'. We loved “The Space” but then we dug a little deeper, played around with a few words and we liked the letter Z. You can spin it around, it’s an optical illusion and that’s what we’re about, effects and visuals.
What are your plans for future?
We want Zazzah’s to grow. It would be amazing to start a franchise or have little units around London! Thoughts become things and it will be what it will be but it would be amazing for Zazzah’s to be a family of creators, a photography studio here, a barbershop there, an events company here. The Zazzah family tree!
Do you have any tips for someone starting their own business?
Do your research (for sure) and get opinions. One thing that's beautiful about Zazzah's Place is there's bits of everyone that we know and love, everyone's contributed time, effort, energy and support to the whole process. Just go for it, navigate and trust your intuition.