Some careers in hair begin with trend, craft or ambition. For Faye Redfern, it began with something simpler: watching the subtle shift in energy when a woman sees herself differently in the mirror. 

Today, Redfern leads HER Salon, a business built on the belief that hair is never just aesthetic – it’s emotional, personal and tied to identity. After establishing her foundations in Western Australia, she recently brought HER to Melbourne, placing the brand within a broader cultural conversation around fashion, wellness and modern beauty. 

Here, Faye reflects on the moments that shaped her path, the power of restraint, and why the future of hair lies deeper than surface beauty. 

TJ: Looking back, what first inspired you to pursue hairdressing? 

FR: I grew up in salons – it was a huge part of my childhood. My mum was a beautician working from a hair salon, so after school I’d sit quietly in the corner and watch women arrive carrying the weight of their day – and leave differently. Lighter. A spring in their step. 

I remember being completely captivated by something as simple as a flip-over blow-dry. The stylist would spray the roots upside down, flip her back upright, and suddenly she looked taller – not because her hair was bigger, but because her energy was. 

I was ten when I did my first shampoo. And I just knew. Hair wasn’t about beauty. It was about how a woman feels when she leaves the salon. 

TJ: Your journey has recently taken you from WA to Melbourne. What motivated that move? 

FR: Western Australia built my foundations as a stylist and business owner. Melbourne is refining HER as a brand and pushing boundaries on what’s possible. 

The move wasn’t about expansion for the sake of it. It was about placing HER inside a broader cultural conversation – fashion, wellness, creativity. I have taught and worked in Melbourne for years, so it felt natural to create a home here. There’s something humbling about being around others who challenge your standards. It sharpens your own. 

TJ: How has HER evolved in Melbourne? 

FR: HER feels more considered now. In Perth, we proved demand. In Melbourne, we’re establishing tenure. The conversations have deepened – especially around scalp health and long-term hair wellness. I’ve supported women through hair loss, postpartum changes and medical transitions for years, but now that space feels central to where we’re heading. 

The future of hair isn’t just aesthetic. It’s intelligent. It’s biological. It’s emotional. 

TJ: What values are guiding you this year? 

FR: The art of restraint. There’s so much volume in our industry – online, socially, visually. I’m guilty of saying yes to everything and then feeling the burnout hairdressers know too well. 

Collaboration and community have always been central to who I am, but this year I’m trying to make decisions that feel right rather than transactional. 

TJ: Who has influenced your creative approach? 

FR: I’ve had incredible mentors in our industry, but I’m actually influenced by people who focus on mindset. I really admire the leadership of Brené Brown and her focus on intention and creating space for ourselves as leaders. That perspective has helped me carve boundaries in my business and protect creativity. 

TJ: Hair is personal and transformative. How do you connect beyond the style? 

FR: Hair marks chapters – a relocation, a heartbreak, a promotion, a baby, a reinvention. 

Often what a woman is asking for isn’t a dramatic change. It’s acknowledgement. She wants to feel like herself again, or meet the next version of herself. 

When she leaves strutting out the door, that’s the transformation for me. 

TJ: Long term, what mark do you hope to leave? 

FR: I’d be honoured to be remembered at all. But if I am, I’d hope it’s for raising the standard – of care, of culture and of leadership. And for the people who walk through HER – team or client – I hope they leave clearer in themselves than when they arrived.