Miami — Samuel Cole Salon

Master Stylist Nikki Kepley Announces New Boutique Hours

Q: Tell us about your new life… How’s motherhood?
A: Oh goodness! Motherhood is crazy. All the emotions! It’s been the biggest, most consuming and confusing, rewarding and exhausting blessing I’ve ever experienced. Helping another human grow up is a fascinating experience.

Q: So you’re back to work, how’s that transition been?
A: It is actually wonderful! You know, leaving your sweet little baby at home sounds heart breaking but I am passionate about my career as a hairstylist. I love returning to the creativity and the inspiration that I experience on a daily basis.

Q: Now that you’re back into the swing of things, what trends are catching your eye?
A: Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of natural enhancements, which I am totally digging. I love the concept of taking what God gave you and making it amazing – Keeping color rooty but sun kissed in all the right places. I’ve been drawn to utilizing my razor to create natural movement and texture, I love creating lived-in wearable signature looks for my clients.

Q: We’ve noticed you have new boutique hours. When can people come see you?
A: I do! I am so fortunate to have a new schedule that lets me share my two passions, hairdressing and baby Nollie. I am in the salon Monday through Wednesday and look forward to seeing long time clients along with new folks in the future!

Stay connected with what’s trending! Follow Nikki professionally on Instagram @craft_and_mane

Samuel Cole Salon Attends First of It’s Kind LBP “Front Row”

Owner Jack Ray and Samuel Cole Salon stylists* attended the first ever Luxury Brand Partners Front Row in Miami. This four-day festival of inspiration featured industry leaders educating and sharing experiences with top salon owners, stylists and trendsetters from around the world. In addition to exposure to some of the most notable names in hairdressing, Front Row provided nonstop education in the form of hands-on hairstyling sessions and forums in which stylists learned from masters of the craft in a more intimate setting.

The epic kickoff show was introduced by hilarious comedian Natasha Leggero, and electrified the creative passions of the audience. Ronnie Stam and Joey George styled graffiti-inspired masterpieces side by side; James Pecis revealed that the most complicated looks can be simple to achieve if you think outside the box; Coby Alcantar paid homage to 80s artist Patrick Nagel by translating his iconic work into haircuts; Vivienne Mackinder deconstructed a classic french twist; Nicci Welsh used a flat iron to create beachy waves; color brand Goldwell illustrated a timeline of blonde on the runway – from Marilyn Monroe to Lady Gaga; and Kien Hoang landed the finale with a recreation of his backstage work in New York Fashion Week 2016 (for The Blonds). This star studded kickoff set the tone for the rest of the 4-day event: audiences honoring talent, and talent giving their all to inspire the industry.

Left to Right: Joey George, Ronnie Stam, Coby Alcantar, Nicci Welsh (top), Vivienne Mackinder, Kien Hoang

On the heels of the amazing kickoff, best-selling author Jim Collins inspired attendees with a keynote address to provide tips on how to combine passion, talents, and economic drivers to build a career. James Pecis led a hands-on editorial styling session, taking away safety nets to show stylists how to explore beyond their comfort zone.

Samuel Cole Stylists’ Hands-On Models: Alley, Kelsey in James Pecis’ session and Cara, Carolyn in Garren’s workshop

Vaughn Accord, creator of men’s line V76, energized the crowd with a drum performance in tribute to the late David Bowie. Vaughn created “Seven Characters of Men” as a collective snapshot of what his brand is becoming. From a “Brooklyn Biker” to an “Urban Bohemian,” V76 is about bringing out a man’s confidence and energy in his look. Smith and Cult exploded with color on stage, which reflects their nail and lip lacquer palettes. Models stormed the runway dressed to represent unique color names, like “Kings and Thieves,” “Cut the Mullet,” and “Psycho Candy.” Videos of fast-paced tutorials and depictions of each color decorated the show’s backdrop. Founder Dineh Mohajer strut the runway in a wedding dress – to Nirvana – holding a wedding cake that she completely smashed on the song’s cue.

Vaughn Acord with his “Seven Characters of Men” and the colorful Smith and Cult cast

IGK, a modern salon made up of four trend setting stylists: Leo Izquierdo, Franck Izquierdo, Aaron Genia and Chase Kusero, finished the show. It has locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and pop up salons around the world. The team of four simultaneously demonstrated various cuts, colors, and stylings with energetic passion.

R+CO creators Howard McLaren, Thom Priano and Garren hosted a “fireside chat” style interview in which they discussed their start in the beauty industry, what inspires them in their craft, and what they would be doing if they weren’t hair stylists. They each demonstrated cutting techniques inspired by artists – McLaren by the movie A Clockwork Orange and the late artist David Bowie, Priano by Classic Rock Icons, and Garren by a range from old Hollywood glamour to 80’s Rock. They also taught individual hands-on sessions in addition to the main stage shows to offer personal feedback. Samuel Cole Master Stylists Carolyn Nord and Cara Harrison learned from Garren first-hand how to balance the use of texture in an editorial look.

IGK Simultaneously Styling, and “The Collective:” R+Co founders Howard McLaren, Thom Priano, and Garren

“To experience Front Row was indescribable. Being surrounded by so many legends in the beauty industry was unforgettable. It puts things in perspective on how to really make something of yourself and provide the ultimate experience for our clients.” –Cara Dempsey.

*In attendance: Carolyn Nord, Sara Beard, Alley Biehl, Cara Harrison, Cara Dempsey, Tiffanie Spellenberg, Kristen Carson, Jenny Smith, Kelsey Easley,
Katie Hu, and Libby Bink

KatieM Attends Workshop In LA And Shares With Samuel Cole Stylists

Ramona’s Cover of Ukraine Vogue, compliments of her agency, Jed Root

Master stylist KatieM traveled to Los Angeles to attend a workshop within Oribe Education. She had the honor of learning from editorial stylist Ramona Eschbach. Ramona has had her work grace the cover of many magazines including Ukraine and Russian Vogue.

The workshop led by Ramona featured incorporating braids and sculpting the hair to create different looks with texture. The class gave the Oribe Educators inspiration through collaboration.

I loved working under Ramona! She is the real deal and working with her is such an honor” said KatieM.

KatieM took this amazing opportunity and brought back her inspiration and shared what she learned with her Samuel Cole team in a hands-on workshop. Stylists worked in teams on live models with the final look comprising different textures which merged together for a stunning fused look.

The class was a great learning experience! Working together with a stylist who might do somethings different than the way you do was a great change of pace. It opens your eyes on different ways to achieve similar results and working as a team gave it great satisfaction at our end result.” said stylist Dempsey.

Stylists Head To Miami To Attend Hands-On Master Class With Howard McLaren

Stylists Chelsea, Grogan,Veronique and Tiffanie with R+ Co Founder, Howard McLaren

Stylists Chelsea, Grogan, Veronique and Tiffanie headed to The New Miami Studios to attend the Master Razor class with Howard McLaren. The two day class featured demonstrations by R+ Co educators Andrean Noir and R+ Co Founder, Howard McLaren. Andrean Nior presented a visual curl enhancing cut which was designed to work with the natural curl of a client while developing the stylist’s eye for balance and weight removal. Howard McLaren wowed with his interpretation of the Razor Bob. Stylist then had the opportunity to take what they learned and apply the techniques and concepts to live models. It was a visual and free form class that allowed the stylist to bring their own creativity to the forefront.

Educators Howard and Julio show different ways to style the cut

Taking a class with Howard is an amazing opportunity due to his status as an industry innovator. Howard has been the Creative Director of some of the most influential hair brands. When creating R+CO, the goal was to create a brand identity that will inspire and push both consumers and hairdressers to want, expect and demand more.

It was such an inspiring and exciting experience! I can’t wait to go back to Miami and learn more!” said stylist Veronique.

Stylist Grogan working on her model

Building The Brand Called You – R + Co and V76 President, Reuben Carranza

Owner, Jack Ray and Reuben Carranza

Reuben Carranza, President of Luxury Brand Partners brands, R + Co and V76, recently visited Samuel Cole Salon. Reuben left his role as CEO of The Wella Professional Division of Proctor and Gamble to join the corporation LBP, which is revolutionizing the luxury beauty market.

Reuben’s talk focused on helping stylist identify their career “sweet spot”. He emphasized the need for each individual stylist to find what is important to them and identify what their ‘brand” means. It’s very important to be able to take a step back to evaluate their work and also to have a sponsor or mentor evaluate them as well. Someone on the outside can find the blind spots they might not be able to see from within. It’s about connecting with their clients on another level. A professional who is consistently giving a great performance will see it reflected in their work.

Samuel Cole Salon and Reuben

Reuben’s talk on branding yourself revolved around the importance of evaluating your career based on performance, image and exposure. Your performance, should be outstanding and consistent in terms of your technical skill. Image showcases the mental impression you make with others. Exposure focused on getting your name out there to fuel your career success with social media being a means to document your work then posting it for others to see your creativity.

Being a stylist we look to grow creatively but sometimes we need to look at it differently at a business perspective to grow in our careers.” Stylist Natalie Bowers