Peter Collinge Celebrates His 90th Birthday

An exclusive event was held at our flagship salon in Liverpool last week to celebrate Peter Collinge’s 90th birthday and his outstanding career in the hairdressing industry. 

Peter began his hairdressing career as a highly successful competition hairdresser competing alongside Vidal Sassoon in the 1950’s. Following on from this success he opened his first salon in Church Street Liverpool in 1954, with his wife Hazel. More ‘Peter Collinge’ salons soon followed and in 1974, the Peter Collinge training school was established. Since then, thousands of stylists have trained with the Collinges some staying with the company and others going on to open their own salons.

The evening was a reunion of many of those staff, old and new, all of which have benefitted from this training.

Andrew made a speech paying tribute to Peter’s achievements, which was followed by a film of Peter’s photographic work, archive photos and messages from staff from all over the world. Margaret McQuaid, his first apprentice in 1954, made a presentation of a birthday cake together with the newest and youngest recruit to the Andrew Collinge apprenticeship programme, David Randles.

The evening was a glowing success and a fitting celebration for Peter’s exceptional contribution both to the hairdressing world and to the city of Liverpool.

Peter said he’d had a wonderful evening and was thrilled to see so many staff from over the years, many who said how lucky they were, to have been part of the company.
Andrew said ‘It’s a real testament my father to see how he is revered by all the staff, past and present and the respect they have for him.’

Peter joined the Fellowship for British Hairdessing in 1951, was president of the organisation in 1974 and was the proud recipient of the Fellowship Lifetime Achievement award and the Gold Medal. In 2012 Peter received an OBE from the Princess Royal for his services to the hairdressing industry. He attributes this award and the success of the company to investing in young people and providing them with excellent hairdressing skills.