Haute Hollywood Locks
Karen Loftus
(page 2 of 2)
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.
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