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Email this articleJUDIE & EVELINDA: Hair stylist offers tips
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By JUDIE SCHWARTZ and EVELINDA URMAN
Last week we told you how we lived vicariously through Jaime Miller, who has one of our dream jobs, working for top jewelry company Harry Winston. This week we moved on to our next priority - great hair.
We spoke with Lisa Niebrugge, a 24-year-old assistant in the apprenticeship program at Frederic Fekkai's salon on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Renowned hair stylist Frederic Fekkai has become a darling of the celebrity world with his signature clean, modern haircuts. His clients include Liv Tyler, Holly Hunter and Kim Bassinger.
Niebrugge beat a path to the famous salon armed with a degree in communications and a diploma from a beauty school. She didn't have salon experience, but her look, her preparation for the interview and enthusiasm for the job won the salon over. She had four interviews; at the last one she had to blow dry an employee.
Niebrugge's two to three year apprenticeship is one of the most intensive in the industry. Early on she had to choose between becoming a stylist or a colorist. At Fekkai you are either one or the other. Niebrugge chose to become a stylist and spends her days doing blow drys and observing the cuts of the experts. She's learning Fekkai's particular way of cutting and blow drying. For example, from the moment a stylist touches a client's head, the stylist builds confidence by first cutting the front of the hair, which is what the client will see most. When blow drying, Niebrugge was taught to section the hair using only one clip and brush and never putting the dryer down until the job is complete.
We wondered if Fekkai still cuts hair. Niebrugge says he hasn't yet cut hers, but he still frequents the salon. If you're lucky enough to sit in his chair it will set you back $750 for a haircut. Niebrugge's job has allowed her to help with models' hair at top fashion shows. She has met or worked with Paris Hilton, Harvey Keitel and Lorraine Bracco.
If you can't get to an FF salon, how should you pick a salon? Niebrugge suggested these tips:
Comfortable ambiance: Do you like the feeling of the salon and does the staff's look appeal to you.
Does the stylist consistently give you what you want; are they versatile and do they take your lifestyle into consideration when making styling suggestions.
Have realistic expectations. Just because a style looks good on a model, doesn't mean the cut will look good on you.
We asked Niebrugge what styles are hot in the Big Apple:
- Straight hair is back as worn by Reese Witherspoon at the Oscar's.
- Heavy bangs are on the way out; bangs are now pushed to the sides and are thinner.
- Wavy hair will resurface for summer styles.
- Short hair is more layered.
- Headbands are still happening-but are now thinner and are worn with pony tails and messy buns.
Color trends: Blonds should go for more solid color and less contrasty highlights; brunettes have fewer highlights with the ends colored lighter for a natural look.
Style Matters: We can't wait to tell our Great Clips stylists about these trends.
Source: Centre Daily TimesAll rights reserved.