It is a meeting of the generations at Giselle and Andrew Hair Salon, Bexley.
The mother and son team, Giselle and Andrew Sayegh work side-by-side at their salon on Forest Road, catering for a clientele ranging in age from one-year to 95 years.
Giselle said working alongside her son keeps her updated with the latest hairdressing trends while Andrew adds that the younger clients enjoy chatting with the older ones.
Their business reflects not only the changing fashions but also the evolving character of Bexley.
Giselle, 58, started working at Sue's Hair Design, across the road in 1999. She worked there for 11 years and took over the business in 2008.
She moved the business across the road to the old arcade and has been at her present address at 448 Forest Road since 2022.
Andrew, 30, joined the business in 2016. Giselle's another son, Anthony is a school teachers and she has two grandchildren with another on the way.
Giselle said, "Andrew was a personal trainer but couldn't get a job so I told him to go to TAFE for a seven week course in hairdressing to see if he liked it and he did.
"He is now a fully-qualified hairdresser and he cuts the hair for the young guys who want the trendy hair fades and I cut the hair of the older gentlemen and the ladies."
The mix has worked out well and provided a dialogue across the generations.
"We've got grannies who sit next to the young lads. They share conversations. It's a meeting of generations," Giselle said.
"The young guys who come to have their hair cut by Andrew are very kind and obliging to the older customers," Giselle said. "The open the door for them.
"The ladies love watching Andrew transform the young men. The ladies like to comment and say they look much better after one of Andrew's haircuts.
Andrew said that a hairdresser has to be a good listener.
"You have to be easy to talk to and be consistent," he said.
"Giselle added, " We have a good working relationship. We bounce off each other.
"He has taught me how to do a bit of hair fading that the young guys like. He gives me advice on cutting and has got a different approach. He looks at it from another point of view, another angle and it works.
"I think we attract more clients because we are a mother and son and it warms the heart because we are family and our clients feel like family, too."
