“The most beautiful people are the ones that don’t try too hard and are just authentically themselves,” says Fekkai.Įasy for him to say. They trimmed the name, updated the formulas, and have resurrected the brand into a beauty and lifestyle collection inspired by the wellness of his native Provence, incorporating what he bemoans as the lost art of artisan and craftsmanship. In 2015, he and wife Shirin von Wulffen purchased a beloved French classic, Cote Bastide. Over the past three decades, his name remains synonymous with luxury hair care today, through both products and seven salons across the country.īut Fekkai himself has moved beyond hair. Salon owners Alain Pinon, Kao Hui, Susanna Romano, Julien Farel, and colorist Sharon Dorram are but a few who honed their skills at Fekkai. Clients had to take elevators to get from their dressing room to their stylist or colorist. A luxury hair-care line quickly followed, as did a move half a block away (thanks to backing from Chanel) to a five-floor space that became Frédéric Fekkai Beauté de Provence Salon and Spa. The notion of forking over $300 for a haircut in the late ’80s raised eyebrows (which were probably also done at Fekkai). His glistening dark eyes would meet theirs in the mirror, and in the spirit of a sexy co-pilot, he would ask, “So. Wearing the salon’s signature crisp lavender shirt and black trousers, clients (like fine, me) melted in his presence. The Aix-en-Provence native wasn’t too tough on the eyes, either. Seemingly overnight, every woman in New York (Hillary Clinton, Martha Stewart, Demi Moore among others) suddenly wanted her hair cut by Frédéric Fekkai (and his name graced the door of the newly built sprawling salon atop Bergdorf Goodman). “It’s a little less obvious, and softer that way - and new.”įekkai communicated his preference for short, “more androgynous” bob-style cuts that are precise and asymmetrical as well as shorter styles that are “wash and wear,” and slightly “messy.A handsome Frenchman moved from Paris to New York in the early ’80s. The ombré effects that are all the rage are toned down somewhat for the fall and winter, Michaud said. As for brunettes, the key color he points to is espresso, with no red pigments. “It’s a pearly silver color that’s preferred,” he said. Michaud told the stylists about the new “winter blond” tones favored over yellowish-gold hues from past seasons. “It’s a great opportunity for our team to meet the man behind the brand,” said Denise Marino, the salon manager, who has worked for Fekkai in Palm Beach for four years.įekkai traveled with Fabrice Gili, creative director at his SoHo Manhattan location David Michaud, national color educator and Patrick Coombs, the company’s director of education. “They need to see that Frédéric Fekkai is present and very much involved, and that their interests are his as well.” “They need to know the whole history of the company, his whole story and have a chance to soak up some of his wealth of knowledge, which will be valuable for them as they, and all of us, represent Fekkai in this community,” Barr said. Barr, who has been on board with the hair professional since the mid-1990s, has put together the new Palm Beach team and reached out to his mentor to assist in “transmitting his passion to them. “I want to be involved,” he said, noting that it’s his name out there associated with the salons and products that make up the Fekkai brand.įekkai flew in to meet with Philippe Barr, the recently installed creative director at the island salon. He has a long-term contract with Procter & Gamble. Fekkai, 53, who sold the company he built for more than 25 years to the personal-care products giant Procter & Gamble in 2008, has remained with the firm, serving as the “face of the brand”, and its chief brand strategist and product development guru.
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