LONDON — Writer and editor Funmi Fetto has been obsessed with hair since the age of 5, when she once tried to wash her hair with fabric conditioner.

She’s now bringing a lifelong dream to fruition with the opening of a hair salon this fall and a product range next year.

Goodifferent will not be the typical hair salon and borrows all the elements of a member’s club — everything is meticulously curated from the art on the wall, the music playing on a Monday as opposed to the weekend to the bookshelves.

The salon will open its first post inside the luxury department store Liberty on the second floor.

Fetto wants to democratize the Black hair salon experience in central London as the majority of salons that specialize in textured hair are situated in suburban areas.

“Black women spend a huge amount of money on hair and beauty yet the industry isn’t really serving them. I can’t pop into a mainstream central London salon that a lot of my white counterparts will go to because they don’t cater to my hair type. It’s a frustration that I share with women in my circles who live in Paris, Johannesburg or São Paulo,” she said in an interview.

“I have spent most of my time and money in my hairdresser’s seat. Sometimes you want to have your hair done during the day and not necessarily travel far for it,” she added.

Launching a business has been no easy feat and it has taken a village of industry experts to get the ground running.

Black Sheep Interiors have designed the space, which contains five salon chairs against a backdrop of vintage furnishings, eclectic wallpapers and artwork from predominantly female artists that will be available for purchase. The artwork will change routinely and spotlight different galleries.

“We do hair, but we’re not a hair brand, in the sense that we’re not showing up like a hair brand. I really want the salon to feel like a living space. It’s inspired by the living rooms of Black immigrants who came to this country and started their hair businesses in their homes. There’s something really special and sacred about letting someone into your home,” Fetto said.

Marie Suter, the creative director of Mini Mega Studio and former chief creative officer at Glossier, has also come on board to help with the visual identity of Goodifferent. 

“I love brands like Loewe and Miu Miu and how they show up in the world, where it’s not just about fashion, but all these other things. Marie understands that and there’s elements of Goodifferent that’s luxe, but it’s irreverent and fun,” Fetto said.

She also enlisted the New York-based creative agency Pacific to design the brand’s logo and hired Lucien Pagès & AIPR for Goodifferent’s communications strategy. 

An earlier supporter of Fetto’s idea has been Bobbi Brown, who has come on as a fairy godmother to the brand. 

“She doesn’t officially invest, but she’s put in a little token and has been so phenomenal in terms of the advice she’s given and the connections she’s made,” said Fetto, who has been raising money for the business and is still on the outlook for more investors.

She has high ambitions of opening more salons after spending at least a full year studying the ins and outs of the business.

Fetto wants to expand Goodifferent across different countries, from Brazil, where there’s a huge Afro-Brazilian population, as well as Johannesburg and Lagos.

“We’re definitely interested in the U.S. and that’s a huge market, but so is the African continent and European countries where Black communities are being underserved in places such as Paris or Stockholm. I have friends who are having to fly to another city, usually London, to try and find someone to do their hair,” said Fetto, comparing the Goodifferent model to Soho House.

“There’s a consistency that you expect in different Soho Houses, be it in Mumbai or Mykonos. There’s also the nuances of the culture that has been taken into consideration, which we will do through the artworks, music and books,” she added.

Through a franchise business model, she wants to give Black women the opportunity to own Goodifferent salons.

“Women are the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs and yet they are the least funded. Black women come right at the bottom of the ladder of that funding pathway and I want to help change that. We’ve been talking about the same thing yet nothing is really changing,” Fetto said.

Like any member’s club, retail plays an important role. 

Hair care brands such as Briogeo, Melanin Haircare, Bread, Living Proof, Pattern, Davines, Trepadora, Innersense and Curlsmith will be sold at the Goodifferent salon with the brand’s own products joining the lineup in 2026.

“I see a lot of things coming through the pipeline [as a beauty editor] and there’s still so much that can be done within this space. I’m not seeing the textures, ingredients or formulations that could be really clever. I don’t want to develop something elitist and out of pocket, such as a shampoo costing 50 pounds,” Fetto said.

“I really want to be able to reach a wider audience of consumers because I know that there are a lot of people who might not come to a Goodifferent salon to have their hair done because of the prices. I don’t think the prices are exorbitant, but I would never say that the services are cheap,” she added.

The price list starts from 125 pounds for a silk press, a treatment to smooth the hair without using excess heat. The salon menu includes braids and different types of hairstyles with provided hair bundles.

One treatment Goodifferent will not be offering is hair relaxers, a chemical process that’s known to damage Afro hair and have serious health precautions.

Goodifferent is more than just hair for Fetto — it’s a way to change the language around Black hair and empower Black women to show up in the world.