Peckham-born hairdresser Oz Izzet, who started a salon in her hallway, has opened for business at Peckham Levels after a series of hard knocks.
Born and bred in Peckham, her parents had a restaurant on Meeting House Lane.
“I grew up in there, but I wasn’t into cooking or waiting tables. My mum’s friend had a hair salon and I used to sneak in there from when I was about 12 years old. By the time I was 15, I started working there every day after school.”
After trying her hand at various things, she studied at both Camberwell College of Arts and London College of Fashion, before they turned into part of the University of Arts London. “I had a lot of different interests, but I knew hairdressing was in my DNA.”
“I started a salon in my hallway at home, then had a studio in Surrey Canal Road.”
But when she finally landed her first big spot in Peckham, it was March 2020, two weeks before lockdown. “I was closed for most of 2020, still paying rent.
“A lot of people lost their businesses. That could’ve easily been me, but I just chose not to get paid, to sustain the business. And it’s paid off.”
Peckham Levels approached her for a space – “that felt really good,” Oz says. “And it happened at the right time.”
The Scissors of Oz launched last Saturday in Peckham Levels, with an opening event.
“This place was alive. Everyone was coming up to us and saying, ‘this area has never had a vibe like this before’.”
As well as launching her salon, Oz was determined to support female artists – “At the event I had a violinist from Peckham who’s a single mum like me [Kemi Omoniyi], the brow artist is from Peckham too [Pinar Ozcagdas], the DJ is from the Philippines [DJ So SHA] – they’re all female powerhouses with a story and vision to share!”
Empowerment is Oz’s main focus. “My work is my therapy. It’s a very two-way business for me – it’s about community, we’re basically counselling people. We want them to leave feeling good about themselves.”
The Scissors of Oz can be found on Level 5 at Peckham Levels, 95A Rye Lane. Check out the website HERE
The salon is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10-2:30pm, Thursday 10-8pm and Saturday 9-6pm.