We can hardly believe we’re celebrating nearly half a century of Scotland’s largest salon group Rainbow Room International. What a fabulous achievement to reach such a business milestone, huge congratulations from the Tribu-te team.
Rainbow Room International
From humble beginnings
Rainbow Room International began with one salon situated on Buchanan Street in Glasgow in 1979 and has grown to become an eleven-salon strong group. Grown organically over the past 45 years, many of the Salon Director’s have been with the company from the beginning, starting as apprentices or young stylists and working their way up the ranks to franchise their own salon with the support of Rainbow Room International Co-Founders, Alan and Linda Stewart.
When Alan Stewart opened the first salon, his ultimate goal was to create a salon concept, which at the time was considered visionary and would provide the highest standards of hairdressing, customer care, training and secure financial future for his team members.
Lets hear it for Linda
In 1983 Linda Stewart joined the company. Linda’s business and organisational skills and talents along with her ability to set up systems and programmes assisted Rainbow Room International with its expansion programme. They opened a second salon 150 yards from the first – becoming their own competition. This was a revolutionary concept, not only because of the close proximity of the two salons, but at the same time Alan and Linda decided to launch the first progressive Hairdressing Academy in Scotland.
Linda Stewart
The Academy
In 2003, Alan and Linda moved the Academy to its current state of the art 7,500 sqft premises in Howard Street, which is at the forefront of today’s most advanced development programme, delivering over 120 apprenticeships with years of flawless audits, and has helped to grow and develop some of the industry’s greatest hairdressing talents. Academy Director, Laura Leigh Kerr, has since taken the Rainbow Room International Academy to new heights, introducing mental health training for the salon teams, exchange programmes for assistant and charity partnerships, and has won several awards for her extraordinary education programme. This programme has also led Leigh to become the Scottish Ambassador and Chairperson for HABIA, helping to write and develop qualifications including the brand new SVQ level 1 and shape the future of hairdressing.
Steps to success
Now, there are eleven Rainbow Room International salons in Scotland, including in Glasgow City Centre, Glasgow West End, Clarkston, Ayr, East Kilbride, Uddingston and Bearsden. All Directors grow their own salons and nurture their teams and have won many awards at some of the industry’s biggest events and regional events due to their incredible salon success and business acumen. Through their unmatched support to the salon group, Directors and the hairdressing industry, Alan and Linda Stewart received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for Services to Hairdressing in 2021.
Gorgeous shot from ‘the Culture Collection’ by @rainbowroomint
Artistic team
The Rainbow Room International Artistic Team has also grown leaps and bounds over the past 45 years, led by creative visionary, Suzie McGill, winning an endless number of awards and working backstage at some of the most renowned events, not only in the industry, but for red carpets and music festivals including the BAFTAs, T in the Park and TRNSMT to name a few. Now, the group have developed a Young Artistic Team, whereby their young stylists can take part in training and seminars to see what it takes to become part of the Artistic Team and can take part in seminars and events hosted by the Rainbow Room International Directors. This great initiative allows stylists to move up the ranks and ensures constant growth.
Highlights
Alongside growing an eleven-salon strong group, with a state-of-the-art academy, Artistic Team and Young Artistic Team, and winning a vast number of awards, Rainbow Room International highlights and successes include:
· Being the first salon in the United Kingdom to introduce Shitatsu Massage
· Introduction of a ten-step consultation process
· A solid career structure with opportunities for growth including promotion, incentives and bonuses
· Opening Glasgow’s first Day Spa and Floatarium in their Royal Exchange Square Salon
· Fast track training programme
· Fame Academy for Young Stylists
· Producing their own Rainbow Room International haircare company (of which products are still used in the salons and stocked in salons and online)
· An Annual Congress which culminates in an Awards Ceremony each year to give back to the team and reward them for their successes
· Glasgow’s first hair salon with an on-site cocktail bar situated in the George Square salon
Wow, what an incredible brand!
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