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Da Wickedest Hair

It is unacceptable for hair not to look tight — regardless if it is natural, relaxed, weaved, locked, an afro, a wig or colored. To give you the handle on the latest in hair wear, I stopped into Indra Salon, midtown Manhattan, New York's new premier, black hair boutique touting the slogan "extraordinary hair transformations," to chat with sistren hairstylist Juliett Fisher. With more than 15 years in the hair business, a flip through her hair book reveals tear sheets from several well-known publications such as Sophisticate's Black Hair and Hype Hair. Juliett currently styles and provides hair trends and tips monthly in Essence magazine. While I sit in her chair to get hooked up with some of her funky stuff, we talk shop.

A Hot Mess

"The look for fall and winter is controlled, messy edges," raves Juliett. "The perfect cut and style should have lots of layers. Any length or hair type is good for curls and color should be coppery red or neutral brown highlights."

Bring da Funk

James Bond's famous line, "shaken but not stirred" can be likened to Juliett's styling: "funky but soft." No passé pasted down hair styles or thin, split-ends. "I specialize in making hair moveable, regardless of length," Juliett says smoothly. "I can give you Beyonce's hair bounce, Janet Jackson's flowing ringlets, or cut you in a peacock Mohawk or a sassy cut like Eva from America's Next Top Model." In short, Juliett gets 'you,' she styles her clients hair to move according to how they move, their style. "Many of my clients tell me, 'wow, I didn't know my hair could do this'," says Juliett. To be in the hair business truly means you have to get into the client's head. "I am a people watcher so I study them first, how they walk, what they're wearing, how they speak," Juliett explains about her hair psychology. "Then I think to myself, what I can do differently to give her oomph." According to Juliett, it's all about getting the hair to reflect the personality but also a style, be it short and funky, mid-length with flips or long and curly. She is not afraid to suggest and give edge to the client's look. "I'm about being funky not harsh or hard," explains Juliett. "Coming from Jamaica I'm not afraid of color and not scared of standing out."

Un-beweavable

On the semi-hush is the lace front weave noted to be worn by celebrities Beyonce, Vivica Fox, Ciara, Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige. It's a netlike cap with lace in the front colored to match the skin's tone and matted to stay in place along the head sides. It has the appearance that hair is coming out of your own scalp, creating the perfect hairline. It blends right in and the weave hair is in the back. Juliett says one could even get half a lace front but it's expensive; her basic price starts at $1,000 - $1,500. But the real on the fake is this: a mane that stays in place and looks more natural is certainly worth the price.

Home Schooled

Juliett was born in Kingston and grew up in Port Moore. We had a good time laughing about some old-time, country hair remedies like pouring Red Stripe beer on hair to revert a perm and using Kool-Aid as a hair rinse. All jokes aside, Juliett is serious about her craft. Her specialty in funky cuts, bold color and tight weaves is inspired by her Caribbean upbringing. She regularly updates her style skills by taking intensive cutting classes at renowned Bumble and bumble and learning styling techniques from Tony & Guy and her home library of hair DVDs. Her hair idol is Neeko, a celebrated success for his cutting-edge hairstyles who is the celebrity hairstylist of Oscar winning actress Halle Berry and whose clientele also includes Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Pink and Puff Daddy.

~Bernie

Call Indra Salon at (212) 395-8556 to make an appointment with Juliett. Also, check out Indra Salon's website in the Hair Salons category of CHiC Links.

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