A Perfect Match
When Swedish haircare brand Maria Nila set its sights on expanding its professional presence in the UK, the goal was clear: partner with salons that reflect creativity, community, and a strong sense of identity. Enter bebop, North London’s award-winning, ethics-first salon known for its bold cuts, fearless colour, and inclusive approach.
With both partners seeing a responsibility beyond their service, the two brands are teaming up to bring a fresh wave of innovation to the professional hair scene. While the product performance always takes center stage, Maria Nila combines high-end results with a vision of creating a friendlier world for nature, wildlife and humanity. Maria Nila has always been an industry leader within environmental issues and since last year is also a proud B-Corp member.
We sat down with Pont Smith, founder of bebop, to learn more about the salon and about what this partnership means to them.
Tell us more about your salon and vision?
bebop wasn’t created to fit in, it was built because the industry didn’t. I wanted to tear the system up and build something new, grounded in honesty, compassion and guts. The aim was to create a salon that put people before image and creativity before conformity. It was designed to feel human. No egos, no gatekeeping, no rigid binaries and no one-size-fits-all beauty. Just great hair, honest advice and client care that goes deeper than surface level. I wasn’t chasing trends—I was focused on being true, and it worked.
bebop isn’t chasing traditional definitions of success, it’s setting a new standard for what salons can be.
Both team bebop, and Maria Nila are strongly ethics driven, tell us more about the partnership and what it means to you as a salon?
Our ethics were never a marketing strategy, they’re just how we think all salons should be. We believe that inclusivity, sustainability and transparency should be standard.
When Maria Nila approached us, we did our homework. They’re not just a brand with a vegan logo, they’re B-Corp certified, climate-conscious and built from the ground up with sustainability in mind. Partnering with a brand like Maria Nila means we can keep doing what we do without compromising our values.
Maria Nila recently launched a new color system, Color Collection, which is a high shine, long lasting color system with a patented bonding technology, “We wanted to create a color system that was easy to use, easy to love, and easy to connect with,” says Louise Bjelke, Marketing Manager at Maria Nila. “We could not be more thrilled to partner with bebop and make it one of our color destinations in the UK. Their creativity and playfulness really align perfectly with our brand and we are extremally excited to have them onboard!”
Your team are known for your bold colors and cuts. What are some key features that you look for in your tools – color and products – to keep innovating?
Creative work needs tools that can keep up, not hold you back. We need flexibility and performance. We’re known for bold, high-impact colour but we also do refined, understated work – lived-in blondes, seamless blends and soft tonal shifts. Our products need to do it all: vibrancy, softness, longevity, and serious shine.
What’s impressed us with the Maria Nila system is how refined it is. The bleach lifts clean without compromising condition, and the toners, especially in blondes, give real dimension and softness. There’s movement, tone and the shine is unreal. Our clients constantly comment on how long their colour lasts and more than anything, how glossy and healthy it looks weeks down the line.
What are some aspects that you have noticed with the new Maria Nila Color Collection that helps you and your staff in your every day business?
The system has genuinely changed the pace and flow of our day-to-day. The colours go on smoothly, perform predictably and don’t require babysitting. The shine is next level and the bond technology does what it claims. The hair feels stronger, not just softer and that’s something both our stylists and clients are noticing.
The Boost shades have opened up new creative shortcuts. We’re adding micro-tones (a drop of red, violet, even yellow) into lived-in blondes or soft brunettes, and it instantly makes the colour feel more bespoke. What’s been most exciting is how easy the range is to navigate. It’s built in a way that gives the team confidence straight away. That kind of confidence creates better outcomes and more loyal clients.
3 Quick Questions with Tanahya Grace, hairdresser at bebop and Educator for Maria Nila
Favorite hair trend right now?
I keep seeing things like ‘mocha’ this and ‘cowboy’ that, but it’s usually just a renamed version of something we’ve done for years. What I really love is adding subtle, creative tweaks to toners, barely-there touches of pink or lavender. Blonde but your mates look at you, squint, and ask, “Wait… is your hair pink?”. That’s why I love giving clients the Maria Nila Colour Refreshes as they’re perfect for keeping those soft tones going at home.
Product you think everyone should know about?
Maria Nila Power Powder, oh my god! It’s a volumising, matte styling powder that packs a punch and is FANTASTIC in bangs or around the crown for a little extra something-something.
How has the new Maria Nila Color system changed your colour game in the salon?
The Sheer Toners are absolutely stunning. They deposit fast, even and beautifully, and with the Boost collection, I can create those fun, bespoke tweaks to my blondes that actually last.
3 Quick Questions with Olivia Robin, hairdresser at bebop and Educator for Maria Nila
Favorite hair trend right now?
I’m falling in love with the French bob. It’s giving attitude with precision. Chic, sharp and always a serve. It somehow manages to say ‘I’m cool’ and ‘don’t speak to me’ at the same time, which I deeply respect. Styling it with the Maria Nila Salty Mist is my go-to move. It adds just the right amount of lived-in texture without losing the structure.
Product you think everyone should know about?
The Maria Nila Spray Wax. I don’t just recommend it, I preach it. It’s like texture in a bottle. Volume, grit, hold, drama, all without the crunch. I use it in fringes, on roots, through ends, basically anywhere hair exists. It’s the kind of product that makes clients say, ‘Wait, what was that?’ and that’s the goal, isn’t it?
How has the new Maria Nila Color system changed your colour game in the salon?
It’s given me main character energy behind the chair. The colours do what they say they’ll do. The toners are smooth, the shine is wild and everything falls into place like it read my mind, which means I can focus on creating colours that feel elevated. I’m in full control but the results still bring the drama that makes clients feel like celebrities. Clients leave swishing their hair like they’re in a shampoo ad and I fully encourage it.
You’ll find bebop at 8 Hornsey Street, London N7 8EG and on social media @bebopldn
To learn more about Maria Nila and their Color Collection please visit:
www.marianilapro.com
@marianilaprofessional & @marianilastockholm on social media
