James Brown talks to ELLE

Hairstylist James Brown has always been a big name in the hairdressing business, counting supermodel Kate Moss as a close friend and client, but he went slightly off the radar when his London salon closed a little over a year after its opening in June 2009. So where has he been? Working on his new product line Photo Fabulous and his E4 show the Great British Hairdresser.

You can tell James is at his busiest right now - when ELLEuk chats with him he tells us how excited he is to have a weekend off. ‘It’s so rare; I’m going to do nothing!’

His existing range, James Brown is available in Boots, so why did he create a new one? ‘Photo Fabulous is aimed at younger girls, but I’m finding that both the existing range and the new one are popular with all ages - apparently Sharon Osbourne is a fan of the James Brown Intensive Mask. I’m finding I have to send products out to my clients in LA as it isn’t available there. The ranges are not expensive, so that’s in my favour’ James tells us.

So what’s James’ favourite product from his new range? ‘I love the dry shampoo and my clients tell me mine is particularly good. You can use it for styling as much as for greasy roots. It gives hair that 60s style. Spray it into the roots and the temples, where hair is thinnest, for a boost of volume’.

His client list is impressive with childhood friend Kate Moss, unsurprisingly, being his favourite client. ‘I love everything I have ever done on Kate; she just rocks it out every time.’ So who would he most like to work with, but doesn’t? ‘Cate Blanchett. I love her, she’s an amazing actress, if she’s in film I’ll be there watching it. She always wears her hair so simple, and I love that’.