Friends + Co is a boutique hair studio in central Christchurch, now settled into its brand-new permanent home at Cotters Lane, 2/158 High Street. Led by stylist Stewart — the studio's resident curly hair guru and a leading curl specialist for Christchurch locals — the salon offers precision cutting, balayage and colour, wedding-ready styling, and late-night appointments for people whose schedule doesn't stop at 5pm.
The approach is consultation-led: every cut begins with a conversation about your hair type, face shape and lifestyle, so the finished look grows out well and stays easy to manage at home. The menu covers women's cuts and blow waves, men's cuts and children's trims, plus a full colour line-up spanning all-over colour, extra toners, fillers, colour removal, and foils from a T-section through to a full head. Hair health gets equal attention, with Wella and Olaplex treatments for dryness, damage and frizz, and premium conscious products like O&M used throughout.
All hair types and all people are welcome, and the new High Street studio has already won fans — reviewers call it 'absolutely stunning', praising the friendly team, great atmosphere and flawless service. Late nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays make it easy to fit a fresh cut or colour in after work, and online booking means securing a spot takes only a minute.
Friends + Co has found its permanent home. The boutique hair studio — known to many Christchurch locals from its earlier Corkin + Friends days — has moved into a brand-new space at Cotters Lane, 2/158 High Street, right in the heart of the city centre. It's the same premium styling and O&M care regulars know, now set in a space clients have been quick to rave about. "Fantastic new up and coming location that I hadn't discovered until today and the salon is absolutely stunning," wrote one first-time visitor.
At the centre of it all is Stewart, the studio's director and resident curly hair guru. Clients have followed him for years — one has trusted him with her cut and colour for over eight years and now "just lets him cut and colour it however he likes", while others credit "flawless service every time" and "perfection every time". That kind of loyalty, built appointment by appointment, is what defines the Friends + Co experience.
The studio's motto is "Knowledge, Precision & Imagination", and the service menu reflects it. Curly hair is a genuine speciality: from soft waves to tight coils, curls here are cut, styled and treated with the technical expertise they deserve, and Stewart is regarded as a leading curly hair specialist for Christchurch locals.
Precision cutting is the other cornerstone. Every appointment begins with a consultation covering hair type, face shape and lifestyle, with the goal of a tailored look that grows out beautifully and stays easy to manage at home. Women's cuts and blow waves, men's cuts and children's trims are all on offer, spanning sharp, fashion-forward shapes and classic salon styles — always wearable, always with a modern twist.
Colour at Friends + Co is treated as an art form. The menu runs from all-over colour to extra toners, fillers, colour removal and creative colour, alongside a full foils and balayage offering: T-sections, half, three-quarter and full heads, plus foil-and-tint combinations for clients wanting lift and depth together. Bespoke balayage is a house strength, with tone matched to skin tone and features. Two house rules are worth knowing before you book: a toner is required with every colour and balayage service, and the team recommends adding a blow dry or cut to your colour booking when you book online.
Hair health sits alongside the styling. In-salon options include Wella Infusion, Wella Deluxe and Olaplex bond-building treatments aimed squarely at dryness, damage and frizz, along with custom treatments, hydration boosts and smoothing treatments. Product choice is considered too — premium, conscious lines such as O&M — and the team is happy to guide you through caring for curly, colour-treated or repair-needing hair between visits. Need a fresh blow wave before an event, wedding-ready styling or tips on men's grooming? All part of the service.
One of the studio's most practical features is its late-night service. Life doesn't stop at 5pm, and neither does Friends + Co: appointments run until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, perfect for a fresh cut or colour after work. Wednesday and Friday hours are 9am to 5pm, Saturdays run 9am to 4pm, and the studio is closed Mondays and Sundays.
Booking is straightforward through the online booking system, or you can call 021 523 531 or email [email protected]. One note for foils: pricing varies between stylists, so confirm details with your stylist at consultation.
The Google reviews tell the story — "Totally brilliant hair stylists. Love coming here!", "Fabulous salon! Would highly recommend Stewart and the team", and "Great service & great atmosphere" from a client of nearly five years, alongside repeat thanks to Tamara and Stewart for cut-and-colour visits. For anyone in Christchurch after expert cuts, seamless balayage or genuine curly-hair know-how in a boutique one-on-one setting, the new High Street studio is an easy pick — and with late nights twice a week, there's a good chance a slot fits your calendar.