Tell us a bit about you and your career! How did you get your start, and what led you to your role as co-owner of Le Artof?
My interest with hair began with my poor Barbies. I would give them all kinds of haircuts, hair colours, braids and hairdos; I was obsessed with them. I’d play by myself for hours doing Barbie’s hair. When I got a bit older, I would always do my girlfriends’ hair and makeup before a night out. I was always super aware of the fashion dos and don’ts. I studied fashion in university and during that time, I was working as a receptionist at a hair salon and fell in love with it. I decided to stop pursuing my degree and give hair school a try. I loved every moment of it and quickly went from receptionist, to assistant, to official hairdresser. On that day I knew that I wanted to have my own salon and I worked my butt off for 5 years, right up until the opening of Le Artof, to make it happen!
Le Artof recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. How was the first year? What was the biggest lesson learned?
Le Artof turned one in February. It has been an amazing first year. My heart is filled with love and appreciation for my team, clients, family, and friends. The key lessons learned are to always communicate, to trust your gut and to never give up. Every hardship is an opportunity for growth and a lesson learned; and that makes every beautiful moment even more memorable.
Describe the salon’s vibe and style.
The vibe at the salon is relaxed, and not at all pretentious. We wanted a beautiful space where the quality of services is outstanding. We want our clients to be part of our family, to feel at home - free to talk, laugh and have fun with us.
How long have you been working with Great Lengths; what was your inspiration to join the GL network?
I’ve been working with Great Lengths for about 4 years now. I fell in love with the product and the extraordinarily natural results I was able to achieve with them. I love that with Great Lengths you can always match hair’s natural texture. You can never tell that my clients have extensions when they leave my chair!
What impact has being a Great Lengths Artist had on you and your business?
Being a Great Lengths artist demonstrates to our clients that we only use quality products, and this has had a definite impact on my business. With Great Lengths being one of the best brands of extensions, I can confidently tell clients they don’t need to be afraid of extensions. I've been equipped with the ability to educate clients, to help them understand that quality is everything, and to teach them the importance of maintenance.
What do you love about Great Lengths?
I love Great Lengths because the hair quality is always impeccable, the customer service is super-efficient, and the colour palettes are amazing. Great Lengths’ ethics are also a major factor in my love for them. The ethical sourcing and buying of the hair and making sure to give back to the Hindu community is very important to me.
What is your personal favourite hair trend right now? Why do you love it?
My favorite hair style at the moment is effortless, natural hair. Play with your natural hair texture, add subtle highlights to make your natural colour glow or add extensions for fuller, thicker hair and BAM you’re ready to rock this summer.
Do you have any colour or style predictions as we enter Spring?
I think warmer colours, warm coppers and golden blondes, will be the thing this summer, and a lot of hair accessories, hair accessories that will bring back the 90’s. The most important aspect of style is that people embrace what fits them best, rather than simply wanting what is trendy. That's our job at Le Artof and why they come to see us; for the best advice on what suits their unique beauty.
Do you have a style icon? Or a hair hero?
If I had to pick one hair guru I would say Vidal Sassoon. His hands were magical, he truly was an amazing artist.
If you could pick anyone- whose hair would you love to work on?
They are so many to choose from, but probably Lady Gaga. She just looks like a badass, a cool person and she seems willing to do anything with her hair. I would have fun with her for sure.
What, or who, do you look to for inspiration?
I watch a lot of fashion shows for hairstyle inspiration and I love looking back in time and trying to modernize the looks.
Your personal Instagram and Le Artof’s Instagram both have a unique and stylish curated feed. Do you have a strategy for your approach to Instagram?
Instagram is super important. It’s free publicity and most people use the app many times a day. I feel it’s an important tool to reflect who you are and what you love and of course, to show your work so it can inspire others. A picture is worth 1000 words, especially when it comes to our work. Clients use my page or Instagram pictures to show me hairstyles that they like. I use the app UNUM to help get a global picture of my feed and to create a better flow. I’m not constantly posting but I stay active. For the salon, we have an amazing human managing the Instagram!
You’ve held photoshoots for Le Artof. What was the inspiration behind doing so? Does Le Artof create original photo content often?
We LOVE Photoshoots. We have done two so far, one to be released soon. We prefer action shots and hairstyles that people can relate to rather than more artsy, funky or extravagant hairdos. Our consistent theme is always Badass Babes/Girl Power. We love to create!
What advice would you offer newly certified stylists to best take advantage of their GL skillset?
The best advice is to always be true to your clients, to inform them well about the product and the maintenance. Always respect the quality of your client's hair, take your time, and be meticulous - clean work shows the best results and that is everything.
Do you have any Great Lengths do's and don’ts?
Do not cheap out on the number of extensions your client needs in order to accommodate their budget. Cutting back on the amount will look bad and you don't want your work to look that way. Do: Blend! Blend! Blend! The extension cut needs to be neat. Colour blending is also super important. Mix and match colours perfectly for a better natural result.
What is your favourite part of being a stylist?
Making people happy and beautiful!
Do you have a favourite mantra, a quote or a saying you like to keep in mind?
“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”
What are your goals and aspirations moving forward?
I want my salon to be the place you want to go to for hair in Montreal and I want to be growing in terms of knowledge and branding, always. I want to do a lot of photoshoots. I want to inspire people.
