‘It’ Hair Salons Lure Trendsetters, From New York to Miami to Chicago
Select hair salons are setting the biggest hair trends. (Photo: MCG/Trunk Archive)
I was at a dinner recently when an editor from Vogue complimented a publicist’s honey blonde hair. “Marie Robinson!” exclaimed the publicist, to which the editor sighed, “Oh I should have known! That is totally ‘Marie Robinson blonde.’” Weeks later, I saw another chic editor who had the richest brunette hue and perfect messy-style lob. She mentioned she also visits the hair salon. And it hit me. Marie Robinson is the current “It” salon, the one where the tastemakers go and compare colorists, stylists, and frequency of visits.
Marie Robinson salon in New York is leading the current hair color trends. (Photo: Marie Robinson)
Throughout New York, San Francisco, Miami and cosmopolitan cities all over the world, there are a few select salons that seem to have their moments. I grew up with a mother who swore by the magic of the late John Sahag in New York. I did too, before moving onto Oscar Blandi, Vidal Sassoon, Garren New York and too many enterprises to count. But what makes a salon the “salon du jour” — and how can it possibly maintain staying power in a saturated marketplace? According to Robinson herself, her goal is to help every client look like one of the many celebrities or models they style (think Emma Stone, Michelle Williams, Candice Swanepoel). “We make trends and are able to foresee what’s to come by being the first to do it,” says Robinson. “We never forget that no matter how long someone is with us, we are only as great as our last hair cut, style, or color.”
Warren-Tricomi’s Miami location is the hot salon in Florida. (Photo: Warren-Tricomi)
In Miami, the global Warren-Tricomi salon is still on top, even after decades in the business. The reason, according to master stylist Edward Tricomi, is continued dedication to the craft. “Working on the art in general – the salon itself, the hair, everything,” says Tricomi. “It’s following the art and not the money.” The challenge, however, is to differentiate the brand’s salons enough for each region, ranging form Tokyo to Greenwich to Collins Avenue. “There are certain things that the Miami woman does that is different from say New York, so the salon is tailored in that aspect,” says Tricomi. “Each is based on the individual location but the quality of the work that comes from the salon is the same throughout.”
Anthony Christiano salon in Chicago is always ahead of the curve. (Photo: Anthony Christiano)
In Chicago, Anthony Christiano’s namesake salon on the city’s gold coast is enjoying its moment on top. The stylist has been in the industry for 30 years, but only just put his name on the door three years ago. How does he plan on keeping momentum strong and chairs filled? By focusing on the client as an individual and avoiding the T-word. “We don’t want to be trendy,” says Christiano. “We want to stay fresh and current and develop something uniquely special for each person based on their face shape and lifestyle. A service industry can go wrong at any given time. We try to keep it all seamless.”
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