Monochrome manpower at essensuals men billericay

Men's grooming has come of age, with destination barbershops and exclusively male salons making their mark in London and beyond.

The latest convert to the cause is HJ's 2007 Men's Hairdresser of the Year, Jim Shaw, who is responsible for opening the first-ever essensuals MEN, not in the midst of the urban jungle, but in Billericay, Essex.

Committed to bringing a West End feel to the suburbs, Jim has a wealth of experience and a well-respected reputation in the town through his other essensuals salon.

"With the unisex salon doing well, opening essensuals MEN was a logical step for me," explains Jim. "My aim has been to create a complete grooming experience in an exclusive, luxury environment for the style-conscious male in search of more than a quick trim."

Settling on a former travel agency in a prime position on the high street, and conveniently located almost directly opposite his unisex salon, Jim put his masterplan into action.

Six weeks later, after the refurbishment overseen by project manager Nick Pay, he was open for business.

As the first-ever essensuals MEN, Jim had design carte blanche, with the bars, clubs, salons and sleek hotel interiors of Hong Kong the inspiration for a masculine colour scheme of black gloss, cappuccino and stone; ultra-cool, minimalist and high impact, but with warmth and character.

Fact File Name: essensuals MEN Address: 70 High Street, Billericay, Essex Owners: Jim Shaw Size: 800sq ft Staff: 10 Clientele: All ages and professionals Styling stations: Nine Budget: £200,000 Financing: Self and loan Design: Bespoke Furniture: Takara Belmont and BSF Design Budget Box Belmont Chairs: £14,000 Black gloss tiles: £5,000 Signage: £6,000 Bespoke basins: £14,000 Audio and TV: £6,000 Shopfitters: £30,000 Miscellanous: £21,850 Pictures: £3,000 Shoeshine station: £150 How to Achieve the Look BSF Design - 01277 263603 Takara Belmont - 020 7515 0333 Innovia - 01753 612040.   Top Tips Try to keep within your set budget, make sure you get two quotes for everything Stick to the original concept and don't cut corners Find a project manager who can interpret your dream Pay attention to detail Ask clients for their opinions.