A luscious pink carpet is rolled out to show you into the door. Upon entering, a well-dressed woman leads you towards the raspberry sangria bar and tray of pastel-colored cupcakes, with an equally inviting bartendress at your service. You are not here to party the night away at your favorite club though—you are here to learn. As an unconventional way to glamify your post-work relaxation, Luxe a Salon is offering “Lessons in Luxe,” where founders Ella Fedorovich and Elizabeth King will demonstrate how the most coveted hairstyles can easily become DIYs. The duo decided to offer this series so they could show clients “how to approach the trend in a way they can work it that fits their own style,” Elizabeth says.
At their inaugural class, “Bust a Braid,” attendees were given tutorials on how to master a series of braided hairstyles. The classroom setting is a clean and contemporary room with four styling chairs, lucite seating and mint and orange walls to accent the stark white rooms. Though pleated skirts and starchy polos are not required, the closer you look to a J. Crew or Anthropologie catalogue model, the more you will fit in. With a drink in one hand and their lecture guide in the other, the stylish students watched intently, marveling at every seamless step necessary to executing the French braid, braid band, knotted bun and the ever-so-daunting fishtail. Some took notes in leather-bound pads, others gawked slightly agape, and a brave few tried it simultaneously on themselves.
As any good teacher does, Elizabeth and Ella encourage student participation. For each of the four styles, various women were invited or coaxed to the styling chair where they would be models for the class and have the coif demonstrated on themselves. By the end of the event, almost every head was braided, with the intricacy and neatness determined by the stylist who took their extracurricular activity planned for the evening into account. Elizabeth left her students with a life lesson: “Teasing is the scaffolding of a building… but for your hair. You cannot have a good updo sans a teased crown.” (Rhianna Jones)
Luxe a Salon, 2109 West Belmont offers “Scarves and Strands” August 12, 6:30pm-8pm. $10 advance/$12 door, goodie bag included. Call (773)665-2049 for more details, or visit Style Listings at boutiqueville.com.