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Collingwood is home to some BIG names, and recently we discovered when interviewing David Hillis, founder of DAVID HILLIS Salon, he was a stylist to some of the biggest stars in the movie business! Contracted by Paramount Canada and Warner Brothers to style A-List celebrities’ hair during promotional seasons of newly released movies, when pressed, he humbly recalls that he met many celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Cameron Crowe, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Nora Ephron, Vanessa Redgrave, and Monica Potter. The salon’s hairstyles were featured in Toronto Life, Toronto Star and Quebec Elle, among other esteemed publications. was born.

profile - david hillis

The early days

The DAVID HILLIS brand started in the early ’90s. After 13 years of working in the industry, David decided to venture out on his own by opening his salon at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto.

David received his formal training at Toronto’s Vidal Sassoon for over a year and a half. Having received his training from some of the best professionals in the industry, David appreciates the importance of having a robust foundation of skills. He now enjoys giving training opportunities to other wanna-be-awesome stylists in his Collingwood salon. “It’s fun and rewarding to share knowledge and help people grow,” says David.

David Hillis Salon

Industry Experience

After completing his training and working at the Vidal Sassoon, David wanted to try a different area of the business. Years later, David sought a new opportunity to hone his craft and started managing Donato Salon in Yorkdale. When a chain salon expanded to 16 locations across Ontario, David was called on to lead as its educational and artistic director in Toronto. His experience and technical skills became widely recognized in the industry. In his 20s and 30s, David was hired by the renowned L’Oreal to do platform work teaching hairdressers advanced cutting techniques.

Start of the DAVID HILLIS brand

With his salon design completed and financing secured from a bank in downtown Toronto, David opened his salon in 1995 after two years of planning and strategizing. Having learned from experience that “a salon is only as good as its staff,” David recalls that he initially worked 60-hour weeks to give himself the time to hire the right people. He started out by doing photoshoots and sending press releases of collections while also teaching cutting, colouring and proper procedures for a chain of salons.

The new salon quickly started attracting clients who were drawn to its high-quality services and friendly staff members. David was soon contracted by Paramount Canada and Warner Brothers to style A-List celebrities’ hair. The salon’s hairstyles were featured in Toronto Life, Toronto Star and Quebec Elle, among other esteemed publications. Powered by a team of twenty-six staff members and six apprentices, the venture grew into a well-known powerhouse which drew a loyal client base from across Ontario.

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Coming home to Collingwood

In 2011, David made the decision to close his successful business of 16 years in Toronto and move to Collingwood, a close-knit community with vibrant energy—the town he grew up in and went to school. By this time, Collingwood had ‘grown up’ too; “It was fast becoming a haven for entrepreneurs looking for a place where ambition would find balance in work and lifestyle.”

David takes advantage of the town’s four-season locale, with its unparalleled summer, fall and winter lifestyle activities, including skiing and snowshoeing which is right outside his door.

David Hillis Salon Collingwood

When asked, “How were you able to grow a new business in a much lower populated location that is so different from Toronto?” David responds, “I just started cutting hair.”

He remembers that one of his first clients in Collingwood was the sister of his client in Toronto. David says, “It’s mostly word-of-mouth. Initially, I paid the bills by clients from Toronto following me to Collingwood. I just kept cutting hair, and the word spread in the local community. Now I have a loyal clientele that is Collingwood-based, Toronto-based, and a large following regionally too.”

Collingwood Hillis Salon


“In Collingwood, the salon offers the same exceptional services it was known for in Toronto but at a gentler pace that gives patrons more opportunities to embrace their salon experience.

For many clients, a favourite part of their time at the salon is the massaging shampoo wash, which allows them to sit back, relax and forget about the world outside. The team at DAVID HILLIS Salon is unparalleled in their expertise in providing the perfect hairstyle for everyday wear and special occasions—and whether the client prefers the trendy or the traditional, the hairstyle is sure to be naturally beautiful.

David Hillis Salon

The salon also carries Oribe products, from shampoo and conditioner to treatments and styling products. Oribe hair care products contain top quality ingredients sourced from locations around the world. Their formulas fuse natural actives and skin care ingredients with advanced technology to give you products that perform at the highest level and offer UV protection.

Hillis Oribe Products

Staying on top of the trends

Delivering the latest trends to the clients is an important part of the salon’s offerings. When asked about the current trends, David observes that a lot of hairstyles globally are now influenced by the ’70s. When asked about how the salon stays on top of the trends, David states, “I go down to the Oribe Academy in Toronto. I look at Vidal Sassoon trends. They are always at the forefront of haircutting.”

According to the seasoned veteran, the best haircuts are 50% technical and 50% artistic. David notes that if a haircut is too artistic, it tends not to last too long. If it’s too technical, it runs the risk of lacking softness. He adds, “But I offer clients whatever they want. Hair is like a piece of art. It’s interpretive. What might be beautiful to one person might not be beautiful to another.”

Looking to the future

From classic hairstyles to cutting-edge trends, DAVID HILLIS Salon continues to deliver phenomenal service to clients. The salon currently operates at 104 Hume St. with a team of six staff members.

Training is an important part of David’s job. He observes that training periods for new apprentices in the industry have become shorter over the past few decades. “If someone is trainable, I can train. I’ll share everything I know. It’s not a secret,” says David. But even after working in the industry for over forty years, David states that there is always something new for him to learn.

He notes, “You never stop learning in this industry. If you think you know everything, you’ve lost touch.”  Visit the DAVID HILLIS Salon website to connect: https://davidhillis.ca/

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Photo Credits: Dave West Photography