Since 2014 hairstylist Cim Mahony has received a limited number of clients by appointment only at his salon, which he opened together with his wife Lotte Barnholdt in the center of Copenhagen
Mason Pearson: a family company of hair brushes
Since 2014 hairstylist Cim Mahony has received a limited number of clients by appointment only at his self-named salon, which he opened together with his wife Lotte Barnholdt in the center of Copenhagen.
The couple’s adventure began in 2010 when Mason Pearson – a family-run British company producing hair brushes since 1885 – asked Cim and Lotte to become distributors of their products in Scandinavia.
«Our relationship with Mason Pearson began twenty-six years ago when Cim gave Lotte a hairbrush» on the salon’s website. «The model was the BN1 Popular», the largest of Mason Pearson’s brushes. «After all these years, Lotte continues to use it. A demonstration of the quality of these amazing hair products».
Making hair brushes since 1885
The design of the Mason Pearson hair brushes had not changed since 1885 when the English engineer after whom they were named invented the machine that automated their production. Pearson began his career designing looms for wool production in Bradford – in Yorkshire, in Northern England.
He moved to London after meeting and marrying Mary Avis. After gaining experience in the British Steam Brush Works, in London’s East End, he decided to go into business for himself, initially producing small handmade brushes. This was during the time of the Industrial Revolution.
Pearson borrowed from that furor of ideas and innovations to create an automatic machine that accelerated the process of hairbrush production – something which won him the silver medal at London’s International Inventions Exhibition in 1885.
A ‘pneumatic’ version of the brush
In the same year, he developed an evolved ‘pneumatic’ version of the brush, equipped with a small rubber cushion that was inflated through a tiny hole. Pearson continued to perfect his method, the same that the company used to this day, now led by his heirs. Mason Pearson’s modern hairbrushes still have the orange cushion made from natural rubber.
The ergonomic shape follows the original models, but the handle is made from cellulose acetate and acrylic. Old style brushes – with wooden handles made from sycamore or beechwood – are made to order. There are five models of different sizes: large, medium, handy, pocket, and military – oval, without a handle – and combs.
Each kind of bristle corresponds to a different use: those of only boar – imported from India and China, where they are collected using sustainable methods that respect the animals – are suitable for delicate and normal hair; those of boar and nylon are for standard and thick hair; those of only nylon is used for hard-to-manage hair. The brushes shine, clean, and untangle.
A pioneer in environmental lifestyle
Mason Pearson hairbrushes are sold around the world in just a few stores. Among these is Studio Cim Mahony in Copenhagen, which is also the headquarters of Barnholdts, a company founded by Cim and his wife that distributes beauty products that respect sustainability standards.
The company’s portfolio features hair and body care brands that reflect the environmentally attentive lifestyle adopted by Mahoney and his family over fifteen years ago. Among these is Less is More, an Austrian company that produces products conceived by biochemist Doris Brandhüber and hairstylist Hannes Trummer, which blend in essential oils.
The natural perfumes of Abel Odor, an Amsterdam-based company that uses 100% natural ingredients; and the candles and home scents of AOIRO, a fragrance brand founded by Japanese-Austrian duo Shizuko Yoshikuni and Manuel Kuching.
Cim Mahony and Lotte Barnholdt
The relationship between Cim Mahony and Lotte Barnholdt began long ago: they met as teenagers in Faaborg, an old port city located on the cove of Faabog, on the Danish island of Funen. Lotte was 16 years old. Cim was 15 and had just begun a formal apprenticeship as a hairdresser, a passion developed in his mother’s salon below their home.
«My parents didn’t want me to follow this path. As a teenager, becoming a hairdresser was an act of rebellion against them», Mahony said in an interview published on the Canadian website The Coveteur. Soon Cim moved to London to follow in the footsteps of Vidal Sassoon, the Anglo-American hairstylist who, in the 1960s, invented the short geometric haircut known as the ‘bob’.
In the 1990s, Mahony worked backstage at fashion shows and on photographic sets, while Lotte earned a degree in international marketing from Tietgen Business College in Denmark. Recently, Cim Mahony brought Barnholdt’s e-commerce and the production of editorial content, like photos, videos, and articles, together in a single online platform studiocimmahoney.com.
Cim Mahony’s salon in Frederiksstaden, Bredgade
Cim Mahony’s salon is located on the second floor of a nearly 200-year-old building on Bredgade, a street located in the rococò neighborhood of Frederiksstaden, surrounded by antique shops and art galleries. After almost two years of renovations, a period apartment with high ceilings was transformed into a beauty salon that preserves the private atmosphere of a home.
The minimalist interior design brings together vintage pieces and modern furniture, some of which are by the Swedish brand Svensk Tenn. Takara Belmont, Japanese, produced the hairdresser’s chairs. Fresh flowers, books, and decorative objects enhance every room, illuminated by the natural light from the windows overlooking the street.
No clients but guests
No more than one client at a time enters, greeted by Cim or one of his collaborators. There are no assistants: the hairstylists themselves oversee every phase of the treatment.
The salon’s creative director is Tracie Cant, a graduate of Central Saint Martins, also artistic director of Toni&Guy, and a favorite among actresses and fashion models. She takes appointments one weekend a month at the Copenhagen salon.
Sarah Vestergaard, colorist and consultant for L’Oréal Professionnel works at the salon, on red carpets, and backstage at fashion shows and photo shoots. After years of working side by side with Cim around the world, William Boka is now in charge of men’s haircuts and shaving.
Cim Mahony
Growing up around his mother’s hair salon naturally evoked a fondness for hairdressing and styling in Cim Mahony. Cim was able to transform this into a formal apprenticeship by the age of fifteen. Mahoney is currently one of the most elite hair stylists in the fashion industry.
