Across the ditch - LUCA HAIRSTYLING A Flagship Salon

KAO Salon Division is thrilled to welcome Wellington’s Luca Hairstyling as a Kao Flagship Salon. “We’re excited to welcome Luca Hairstyling to the Kao Salon family. Salon Owner and Creative Director Sophia Grace has created a beautiful salon destination with a strong focus on quality service and experience. We look forward to supporting Sophia and her team in this true partnership with Kao Salon.” said Rita Marcon, General Manager Kao Salon Division ANZ.

Luca Hairstyling Proudly owned by Sophia Grace, the Wellington salon opened in 2014. Sophia saw hairdressing as a multi-faceted industry where you could be creatively expressive and work intimately with people. Reminiscent of a New York Loft, Luca was perfectly curated by Sophia. A fusion of contemporary, industrial, and classic design. Created as a wellness destination in an abundant space, flooded with natural light in a heritage building.

An impressive salon is matched with outstanding service. “My desire was to create a salon that everyone enjoys coming to, clients and stylists alike feel relaxed, inspired, and looked after. With a commitment to creating the best version of our clients. Being a Kao Flagship Salon means we can offer our clients the best hair care available with Oribe and Goldwell as well as opportunities for my stylists. Kao believes in who we are now, and what we will be in the future,” said Sophia Grace.

Luca stylists pride themselves on customising a classically modern style and expert colour, that enhances the client’s natural beauty while working with their hair’s natural texture. Stylists that understand the difference of skin tone, eye colour, hair texture, lifestyle, manageability, and maintenance.

Kao Salon is known for breakthrough innovations in the salon industry, the home of luxury hair brand Oribe and Goldwell. Since 2008, Oribe Hair Care has set the standard for hair care within the prestige category. Blending awardwinning packaging and its signature Côte d’Azur fragrance, the collection is designed with talented hairdressers, sophisticated salons, and discerning customers in mind.

For 75 years Goldwell has delivered the latest innovations in combination with the best educated stylists. Making life beautiful for salons, stylists, and their clients.

HAIR BIZ EDITOR CHATS WITH OWNER & DIRECTOR SOPHIA GRACE

How did you get into hairdressing? What drew you to the industry and what led you to open Luca Hairdressing?

I was studying at Uni, and I became more interested in the sort of working environment I could best see myself suited too. Hairdressing presented a multi-faceted industry where you could be creatively expressive and work intimately with people. Working with an eclectic group of people and the public never allows for a dull day.

When I opened my salon Luca, I was looking to challenge myself in a new way and remain in the hair industry. The creative expression of bringing something into existence is very satisfying.

You have created Luca Hairdressing as a wellness destination, for the mind, body, and soul. What inspired this philosophy and how does it come to life in the salon?

This philosophy is about my desire to create a workspace that everyone enjoys coming too. For clients and Stylists to feel inspired, relaxed, and looked after. Nothing pretentious or intimidating but rather an energy that makes everyone feel at ease and enjoy giving and receiving the services of all things hair. It’s often said when people come into the salon that it “feels” amazing.

The salon is reminiscent of a New York Loft, tell us about the salon look?

The salon look was something personal to me. I didn’t use a designer instead preferring to cultivate my own interior.

It’s a fusion of contemporary, classic, and Industrial. It is a large salon, lots of space and light in a heritage building. It is private and peaceful.

It has a high ceiling and large windows which are great features. It’s much more like coming into an apartment than a salon which I think is part of the appeal.

You are all about creating the best version of your client, carefully considering their look, lifestyle, and hair maintenance. Share the client experience at Luca.

At Luca we have all new clients come in for a pre consultation before any service appointment. This ensures we can meet and discuss all the options and goals for the client. We can patch tests for allergies, test strand for lighting processes and quote for services. It also allows the client to meet the stylist and go through a series of designed questions to really enhance the service and ensure a successful outcome.

The luca experience is a treat. You can relax in a beautiful setting, with a French bistro next door you can order food and coffee, listen to great music, read magazines, or plug in and work, a clean clear space with lots of room and light. Looked after exclusively by your stylist.

Describe the staff culture of your salon?

Respectful, supportive, and fun. All striving for the greater good of fabulous hair and service for our clients. Never competitive instead promoting everyone’s own strengths. Helping each other and always happy coming into work each day.

How do you continue to motivate and educate your team?

Change. I love to keep the salon evolving, always maintaining it to be better year on year. And planning, being organised and having a greater vision for the salon and staff and bringing them all on the journey . It takes a team for a sustainable and special salon that people want to visit again and again.

What has been a career highlight and what has been your biggest challenge?

Certainly, opening my salon Luca is a career highlight. Transforming a forgotten space into a salon that so many people connected with. MY biggest challenge like so many has been navigating a business through turbulent economic times , uncertainty and the effects that has on people.

How do you stay ahead of trends in hair? Who inspires you in the industry?

I absorb a lot of what I see and read, and I make sure to actively see and read more of what is beneficial and important to me. I think in a world of information and imagery overload it’s all about being selective and going deeper with that. As a creative it’s very instinctual with relating it back into work life. If you naturally tune in to the good ,at home, work or traveling it will show up every day.

I admire the late Oribe Canales as a hairdresser and session stylist. He I think was the “tom ford” of hair. Glamourising an industry with impeccable attention to detail and contributing to some of the most iconic female looks of our time.

You are an Oribe & Goldwell flagship salon what makes this a great working relationship?

Excellent products , transparency, and opportunities.

Their ability to believe in who we are now and what we will be in the future. A true business partnership with both parties wanting to make the other better.

What do you love about the brands? And favourite products?

Oribe is the most complete, clean, and luxurious range out there.

It’s designed so considerately and full of must-have products. It is the fit I have been looking for in the salon and for clients at home. The imperial royal blowout is masterful, adding density with lightness to a blow wave. Goldlust shampoo and conditioner is spectacular and really sets itself apart with visible results of taming hair in a way that is usually salon achieved. I could go on and on because the range is really incredible in delivering solutions for all hair types. The fact it looks beautiful sitting in your bathroom or dressing room is not a coincidence.

What’s next for Luca Hairdressing?

Expansion. And continuing to cultivate and conceptualise the modern salon experience and service.