Rock and Roll Zen
For fashion-forward dykes looking for a little rock and roll with your cut and color or a wee bit of Buddha ching with your blowout, then the Kyle Mathis Hairdressing salon in Santa Monica is your sweet spot.
I was told that Kyle Mathis was a Zen like oasis of a salon. I was a bit thrown when I walked in to what appeared to be the set of L.A. Ink. Kyle and his crew were tatted from tip to toe. There was a drum set in the middle of the floor, a few guitars hung from the ceiling with a blood red backdrop dotted with modern art. The über cute Kyle, who looks like he could tour with Tommy Lee, welcomed me, introducing himself. When I mentioned my preconceived notion of the Zen like oasis, he reassured me “This is Rock and Roll Zen.” Cool.
This unisex salon has a cutting edge crew. Kyle’s super sweet childhood friend Curtis runs the place with Zen like peace and ease. The two grew up in Texas where they started a friendship and their rock and roll ventures. Curtis convinced Kyle to make the move out to the land of LA a few years ago. Curtis complements his time at the salon with his involvement in three bands, one rock, one British and one country rock.
While I was there, a female stylist, a head turning dead on ringer for Kat on L.A. Ink whipped an average looking tourist into a sexy frenzy while a rocker/stylist who looks like he fell off a British band’s tour bus, convinced a Third St. Promenade youth, riddled with teenage angst, to add some layers to the back of his shaggy mop. The two talked about tagging and expressing themselves on fire hydrants while the cut took shape. It was architectural and interesting and perfectly suited his inner rage.
Sharing the space with a mix of Third St. Promenade drop ins, locals, hotels guest and Hollywood stars, Kyle who claims Niki Sixx as his creative mentor, succeeds in making you feel like the only on in the salon. Once a teacher for Tony and Guy in Texas, he’s a big fan of the short cut, yet remains conservative and incredibly attentive to your long hair needs, as was the case with me. He tackled my color, like a painter with artistic precision.
Curtis, the man behind the man and the in house music has The Raconteurs, Zeppelin, Eagles of Death Metal and Mars Volta (Latin influenced progressive rock) pumping through the salon. He buzzes about offering everything from tea to champagne, regardless of the hour, and a ton of rock history while Kyle welcomes the next wave of appointments and fans. If you want a piece of this rock ‘n’ roll oasis, the salon keeps rock star hours open until 9 p.m. six days a week, until 6 p.m. on Sundays.
On any given night, if you pop in for bubbles and blowouts, you just might catch Kyle jamming with his band. On weekends, the west side sexy set gathers inside his salon alongside Hollywood wannabes. During the week, it’s the local homeless that cheer him on requesting a turn at the mic. It’s a Zen thing.
For more info call (310) 393-7947
Feels Like Team Spirit
At The Doves salon in Santa Monica, the whole team is greater than the sum of its parts.
If you are looking for a little shake up in the hair department, perhaps an architecturally edgy look or a full sensorial experience in your next salon visit, then check out The Doves in Santa Monica. This unpretentious gem is a visual oasis good for hair and soul.
Designed by LA based architect Kaveh Amirdelfan, this sleek, modern bright white, open space, is accented with playful orange cupped chairs, hardwood floors and a color bar for those looking for a little buzz in their color.
Upon arrival, you are wowed by all of the heads of hair around you. All the women are sexy and edgy and hip to the minute in their hair and style from reception to guests to stylists. Keep your hair coveting at bay or at the bar where you can discuss tactics, angles, new locks and looks with the team.
Forget about the one on one retro attention, of yesteryear. This hip hair salon is full of modern, multi leveled service, which is coming at you from all angles, by every stylist in the salon. All eyes are on you and every hand is in your hair. It’s a nice welcome.
The team is led by British imports Christopher and Sonya Dove. The former teen sweethearts and previous spouses have clearly found their best roles to date, BFF’s and beauty and business partners.
“The team atmosphere has never been done before. We do an in depth consultation where we get a few different opinions, as three ideas are better than one”, says Christopher Dove, the co-owner of The Doves and co-creative director for North American Wella, alongside Sonya Dove on both fronts. “Then we determine which stylist is best suited for the job based on the customer’s price point,” says Sonya finishing his thoughts.
In a city based on ego and individualism, it is a wildly refreshing approach as all egos; yours, theirs and the guest’s are checked at the door. It’s all about the creativity with a wee bit of whimsy, as you park it at the color bar, where you too take part in the creative process as your color, not your cocktail is mixed in front of you.
I was chatting with Christopher’s now boyfriend, a hair star in his own right, while sipping on cappuccino and nibbling on Dove chocolates (naturally). In between giggles and gossip, I took in the loop of previous Wella hair shows, where Christopher and Sonya are clearly global super stars. It’s Cirque du Soleil meets Hair meets Sonny and Cher.
The unisex salon has surprisingly been equally seductive for both sexes, where they are most noted for their creative color. “We use a number of techniques on one head, which adds a more natural look and much more dimension than the one color,” notes Christopher. Touch ups typically are every six weeks, running you $55 to $450.
Vogue recognized The Doves stylist Chris Rosario as a “rising star” in L.A. It’s no wonder, as cutting edge cuts are all the rage. Fear not the Pob, Katie Cruise’s cut or any other overplayed locks look. There’s a definitive individualized twist in their mix, where no two heads are ever alike. (A cut and blow dry will run you $85 and upwards)
Extensions and styling are quite common in a media savvy city, where looks can change on a dime based on projects and premiers. The look is, unstructured structure, to go along with the no fuss Santa Monica style. “We chose Santa Monica because it’s European and affluent—yet casual,” says Christopher. Amen. Go team go!
For more info visit thedovesstudio.us.