Candy-coloured cocktails: Hair salon opens up pop-up bar

Just down the road from the original Bleach salon, where men and women enter as boring brunettes and blondes and leave with tresses in signature colours such as Bruised Violet and Awkward Peach, Bleach Bar set out to represent the brand’s ethos of experimentation and playfulness.

The interior, designed by David White, merges together diverging references such as Chinatown, Blade Runner and east London cool, to create a visually dazzling space. ‘Having the chance to collaborate with a brand that has such a strong existing language has been an exciting and interesting process,’ says White. ‘It’s been a challenge finding a way to apply their vision and style to a space without making it appear over-branded.’

During the 10-week residency, the bar will serve colourful, seasonal cocktails and snacks created by catering company Tart. Unlike the chemicals used in the salon, all the cocktails will be coloured naturally using fruit purees.

Bleach’s expansion of its brand into the food and drink sector fits perfectly in The Convergence Economy, in which brands can no longer rest on their laurels and are expanding beyond their origins to create new, exciting offers across sectors.