My name is Kamala and I'm the West Coast Editor for American Salon Magazine. Join me for a series of fun and exciting beauty adventures out here in sunny Southern California!
Recently I had the pleasure of attending a very special event at the historic Avalon Theatre in Hollywood held by Rene Furterer featuring international hair stylist Marisol Suarez – the founder of Studio Marisol in Paris and the award-winning master of avant-garde hairdressing and couture wig-making (both of which fascinate me).
Approximately 200 of the top hairstylists gathered for Parisienne des Annees Folles (The Crazy Years in Paris), which started out with a cocktail reception in a gallery that was decorated in a Gatsby-esque theme. Pierre Fabre USA President and CEO Laurent-Emmanuel Saffre, Rene Furterer Vice President Francois Viargues, along with the Rene Furterer team, were on hand to greet guests.
After mingling with the other guests, I was led into the main theatre for a spectacular presentation with Marisol, who demonstrated various hairstyles that represented the essence of 1920s Paris (and each look was created exclusively with Rene Furterer’s styling products). Francois served as the MC for the evening and explained that the 1920s was an extremely special period due to the innovation, fashion, music, art and architecture, along with the worldly inspiration that came from faraway places including Africa and Russia. He also explained how women wore the bob hairstyle as an expression of their liberation and freedom in society.
Multiple models graced the stage while a fun cabaret soundtrack served as the backdrop. I was intrigued by the sparkling hairstyles, which included sleek finger waves and pin curls adorned with sequins and glitter, Marisol then launched into a series of demos, including the “wet set” (a more feminine 1920s style), a unique French braid with a modern twist (along with the braids’ significance in African society), as well as Marisol’s legendary crown braid style.
I had the honor of meeting Marisol after the event, where she took the time to explain to me which Rene Furterer products she used for each hairstyle. Fun fact: she even used sculpting gel mixed with glitter to create one of the eye-catching hair accessories seen on one of the models! I was also excited to take home my sample of Leave-In Spray from the brand-new Rene Furterer Solaire product range. It was certainly a magical and inspiring evening and I got to fulfill my fantasy of being whisked off to 1920s Paris. Needless to say, I can’t wait to go back.
About: After graduating from the University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, West Coast Editor Kamala Kirk wrote for TotalBeauty.com and worked in the production offices for the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Prior to joining American Salon, she was the Editor for E! Shows Online at NBC Universal, creating editorial content for popular shows such as House of DVF, Keeping Up With the Kardashians and The Royals.