Tuttii Fruittii and Toni Tits outside their hair salon. Pic: Rebekah Stancliffe

A hairdressing duo are turning to crowdfunding to secure a new home after being evicted from the caravan they have been using as a salon.

The couple, who go by the names “Tuttii Fruittii” and “Toni Tits”, have been running Tuttii Fruittii Technicolour Hair Salon from Frankham Street off Deptford High Street, since 2013.

The eviction notice came after Lewisham council granted planning permission for a private development to be built in Old Tidemill School yard, where the salon is situated. Building will begin in July.

The crowdfunding page, on crowdfunder.co.uk, has a target of £20,000 to fund a move to a former egg shop in Deptford, which has a basement space in need of major renovation. It will remain active until May 26.

The couple received the eviction notice four months ago after a “long drawn out affair” between them, the yard owners and the council.

The Deptford locals said: “When we found out the news we were shocked, but we knew it was coming. We’ve been trying to get through to the council, trying to make people see how amazing this space is and how necessary it is for Deptford to keep this project alive.”

“Fruittii”, owner of the caravan, said: “The caravan was £200 and a wreck when I got it so I decided to do it up and turn it into a hair salon. I didn’t have much money then so I couldn’t afford to open up a proper hair salon and I really wanted to create something different.”

Toni Tits (left) and Tuttii Fruitii (right) in their home. Pic: Rebekah Stancliffe

The couple, who met in 2010, describe their salon as “London’s only non-binary hair sculpting salon”.

“It’s a unique experience,” said “Tits”. “We offer to any gender, any hair length and hair type from classic to extreme styles. The title ‘hair sculptor’ came from the idea of perceiving hair as art in which you can sculpt it in any way.”

“Fruittii” added: “I see hair as a blank canvas. I’m not trained to see hair as a lot of hairdressers do, I see it as a canvas that you layer up and sculpt. I mix colours you won’t usually put together and with me there’s no boundaries to my work.

“In a lot of hair salons you get that feeling of being pushed into a direction without consent. Being put into a hair style that the stylist has been taught from a book. It’s important not to have pre-conceived ideas on what someone wants and actually ask what they like. We don’t push any ideas on anyone.”

Of the proposed new premises, she said: “We hope to have three different stylists: a barber, an Afro Caribbean/Caucasian stylist and me – the stylist who will be doing everything. It’s also going to be a hangout place where people can just chill. We’ll have a jukebox and do nice coffees and cakes.”

The couple plan to hold a fundraising event, “Szer“, at the Fox and Firkin pub in Lewisham on May 13 where all money raised on the night will go towards the work needed for the shop.

The pair hope to have their new home up and running by the summer.

To make a pledge, visit: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/tuttii-fruittii-technicolor-hair-salon