PHOTO: Vintage and Burlesque Hair Glamour

Nina Butkovic Budden, who left Croatia for London in 1993, has opened the door of her new Nina`s Hair Parlous at a new address. The first and only vintage hair salon is included in the biggest antiquity home in London`s Alfies Antique Market in Marylebon. According to Nina, this was her ideal location and she is delighted because she managed to push her way through there. The salon does not deal with hair exclusively now.

The novelty is that they now have rockabilly barber Mark McCarthy and chignon queen Leila Mauro. They also have Issidora`s Boudoir, dedicated to make-up and beauty of the past, and this is the only place in London where you can get an original 1940s manicure with a crescent Moon and silver nail polish on the top of your nails. Nina revealed for Javno how the opening went. After fixing the heads of Lonson`s fashion elite, which lasted the entire day, as she said, they took a break at a party at the Phoenix Artist Club, which has the capacity for 150 people, but they still managed to cramp in 380 people, while some 100 were left outside. Guests were Nina`s clients, including: Chris Jones (Grace`s brother), designer Johann Brun (who discovered Galliano), Vogue reporters (which resulted in this), Next Models UK agent Versae Vanni, Monica Chung – art director of Cutler and Gross and The Wound magazine, Polit Sedgwich, cousin of famous Edie Sedgwick etc.

Mark McCarthy, who is not only a barber, but a bass player with The Wonder Stuff and Joe Corre`s band (Agent Provocateur) The Dirty Stop-Out, was in charge of the first part of the night as the official DJ. He played the best 1950`s rockabilly, swamp, cajun, soul and 60`s garage. Crimson Skye and Trixie Malicious made the night prettier with burlesque beauty, while The Broken Hearts DJs played 1930`s mix of swing, jive and doo wop.

We found out why Nina chose London as her life destination and why she started doing vintage hair styles. She arose tender nostalgia with her words and looked back on individuality which is absolutely ignored in Croatia at the moment.

Javno: What is it like living in London as a hair stylist?

Nina: London is the most exciting city, especially concerning fashion and fashion events. I love London because it gives me plenty of opportunity to experiment. High street fashion and alternative fashion trends are very popular, which is not the case in Croatia. When I arrived in London in 1993, I was a darker and could not believe that being dressed in black, having shaved eyebrows and purple extensions was a perfectly normal thing here. Kids don`t kill kids here because they are imaginative and don`t want to be clones of each other, the mentality is completely different from ours. Of course, the situation was far from ideal, because crime is always on the rise, especially teen crime. Being a hair stylist in London is fabulous, I found an interest in vintage hair styles, opened a salon, I work all day long, but the satisfaction I get is amazing, just like the support of the customers and the media.

Javno: How many parlours have you opened so far?

Nina: This is my second one, however, I closed the first one and I only have one now, but it is ideally located. I don`t believe in parlour corporations and big salons, because I am more inclined towards the small and exclusive boutique salon style, just like Nina`s Hair Parlour is. Small and unique!

Javno: Why did you decide on vintage hair and make up?

Nina: It all began with my Mum Nada, as the two of us enjoyed watching films with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Dean Martin every Sunday. Her hair stylist had no idea what I was talking about when I said I wanted fingerwaving and what the hell I wanted that on my head when perms were most trendy at the time. I was always fascinated with Hollywood glamour, especially the 1939s… Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo were my idols. Several years ago, the return of glamour was noticed in the press, especially as Dita von Teese appeared. A new movement former in London which combined performance, art fashion and burlesque. I had the fortune to be a part of that scene, co-operating with Tamara and Lara of The Whoopee Club, which was the initiator of this burlesque boom! Finally, more and more stylish girls and boys started wearing 1930`s and 1949`s clothes.

Then, two years ago, rockabilly started being trendy and there are so many people in London who are mad about the past eras. Some 20 girls in the style from 1920s to 1970s pass through my parlour a day. People say the salon always looks like a film set! My business partner Issidora is a specialist for vintage make up. Throughout the years, she collected, just like me, original textbooks for make up professionals and studied with the original books. We are proud to say we are the first and the only ones doing this in all of Europe.

Javno: Do you have grateful clientele in London?

Nina: Yes, very grateful and wonderful. They really respect my creativity and trust me completely.

Javno: of which profile are your customers?

Nina: Our clients are men and women of different ages and life spheres, who find it satisfying and challenging to look different and be singled out from the masses, this is a part of personal, creative expression for them and a way to feel beauty and elegance of their parents`, grandparents` era.

Javno: Do you think Croatia has the sort of audience for such a salon?

Nina: I think the Croatian standard is in a crisis, those who have money mostly show it off with expensive brands, impersonating world`s wealthy persons, thinking this would make them belong to a higher class, while those who have culture, imagination and  would be good audience – they barely make ends meet. I was in Zagreb last year, at the Kincl salon exhibition. It was wonderful and inspired me to make an entire collection… I don`t know how many people went to the exhibition, but every time I pass by their salon, there is barely anyone in there. Classic hair styles need maintenance and our people cannot afford it. The times when our grandmothers were at the hair dresser`s every week are now gone. I is more important for today`s girls to find a boyfriend who has money and a weekend house, while guys to find a girl who will look like a model so that they can look cool next to their friends… The relations are totally disturbed; I think individuality is totally ignored at the moment in Croatia. However, Croatia has a rockabilly scene, headed by bands like Adam & His Nuclear Rockets and The Madmen. English women are mad about them and they are one of the most popular rockabilly bands in Europe and America. I bet nobody is aware of this in Croatia, because most people still like turbo folk, Madmen started the first Croatian rockabilly festival in Medulin, called “Tear It Up”, and you will find me there next summer!

The first issue of the Replique magazine is due out this month, in which Nina has left her touch and which is entirely dedicated to the vintage lifestyle. This will be the first magazine of the type in Great Britain and Nina hopes all retroists will love it!

Nina Butkovic Expands Her Vintage Empire In London