A cut above

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

CUTTING EDGE: Living life to its fullest, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke is known for her energy and boundless enthusiasm. She is an integral part of her hair salon Spectra Hair and Body.

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Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke is a bundle of energy and hairdressing expertise. Emma Goodwin asks what makes her tick.

Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke has been in the hair industry for 37 years and currently owns Spectra on George St and Revolve on Grey St, leading an innovative team of stylists that consistently win award after award at various competitions around the country.

Ask any one of her stylists what makes Spectra so good and they will say Gabrielle and the support and nurturing she gives her team. She herself calls her team her children.

What's your hidden talent? Being a personality type of powerful playful – there's not much of me that's hidden.

What's your foolproof home-cooked meal? Roast lamb with its fat on from the home farm in Taranaki.

What are you working on at the moment? Sorting out our loft and trying to be organised with family photos, treasures etc.

If you could take anyone out to dinner, who would it be? My gorgeous new grand-daughter who is nine weeks old and in America, along with all her uncles, aunts, parents and grandparents.

What happened at the last party you went to? I danced on the lawn at the races looking like a lettuce. It is a staff joke.

What do you like about Palmerston North? It is home and it's been generous to my family in many many ways. I have travelled extensively and it is always nice to come back to where you are valued.

Tell us about your favourite holiday. Any holiday with Posh, Sporty, Scary, Ginger and Baby would be memorable. Which one am I? No, I'm not Scary.

What's your most embarrassing childhood memory? It was 1966. After my mother telling me I wasn't to go swimming at school, she noticed my togs missing from the tog pile, so dutifully phoned the nuns at St Joseph's and asked them to check if I had my togs on under my gym dress – which they did in front of the whole school at assembly. I had to lift my gym dress up and there were the togs. How embarrassing.

Who do you consider was a style icon of the past decade? Mary Quant for makeup, hair, clothes for the early 60s, but for this decade, it has to be Posh Spice. We can do her haircut blindfolded.

What is your New Year's resolution, if you have one? To make time today to ensure there is a tomorrow.

Who has influenced your career over the years? My husband, Jeff, because he thinks I can do anything.

What's your word or phrase of the moment? The eagle uses the storm to fly higher.

What's your most disliked band or musician and why? My most disliked music is something you can't dance to. I love to dance and sing.

What are you listening to at the moment? Vicki Lee and her soon-to-be-released new CD, Goin' Back. It has a beautiful tribute to Howard Morrison on it.

What are you reading? Two books on the go: The Secret, what great leaders know and do and How Successful People Think by John Maxwell.

What are your plans in the next couple of months? To keep everything happening with lots of prayer and partying.

- © Fairfax NZ News