Where beauty MEETS ART Finding the right ambience for your salon is crucial to success. Anita Quade chats to director and founder of Le Petit Saint Dr Joseph Hkeik about his interior inspiration and how he has blended his two greatest passions. Tell us what inspired the interiors in this avant-garde atelier? “My two great passions in life are beauty and art and I wanted to marry these together in the creation of Le Petit Saint. I am passionate about the Art Deco period which is the inspiration for the atelier’s interior style, with its clean lines and curves, touches of gold and opulence, as well as beautiful lighting and crystal glass features. Le Petit Saint has been described as “a little slice of Paris, in Double Bay” with strong design references taken from haute couture boutiques. It is not just a shop – it is a unique sanctuary, designed to help you escape the hectic pace of the outside world, enveloping you in a realm of style, luxury and beauty.”
How did you choose the location? “With All Saint Clinic right across the road in Double Bay, I wanted Le Petit Saint to be a natural extension of my clients’ skincare journey. After a visit to All Saint Clinic, or in between their treatments, clients pop into Le Petit Saint to stock up on all their skincare essentials and to enjoy an express facial. Double Bay is also a vibrant community and, with our prominent corner location, we attract many new people through our doors who are new to the All Saints family altogether.”
You opened your doors in December 2020 how did the concept come about? “As you may know, I grew up in Lebanon and my sisters used to take me along to the beauty salon with them. I always found this such an interesting, fun and memorable experience – a time when the whole community comes together to discuss beauty, health and life in general! I really wanted to bring this spirit into the concept for Le Petit Saint and be able to offer the best in skincare expertise and products to a wider audience. Some of our customers already know us through All Saint Clinic, but we also attract a wider audience
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of people who are passionate about skincare and thirsty for knowledge about the best products that really deliver results.”
You have called the opening of the salon a revolution for Australian skincare and retail – tell us about that? “Le Petit Saint is a community-focused space dedicated to beauty and well-being. I have created quite a special environment where our customers love to visit and escape the reality of daily life, whilst also discovering something new and effective for their skin every time they visit. We have a sought-after line up of beauty brands that are not widely available (and some are in fact exclusive to us). Our unique offering combines my personal picks of the best in beauty brands, along with a wonderful treatment room where clients can drop by for a 30-minute skincare boost.”
Tell us about the brands you stock? “I have carefully curated an edit of beauty and wellness products from global cosmeceutical leaders – offering our customers effective solutions to enhance their natural beauty. I am passionate about brands that are backed by science and guaranteed to give my customers the results that they are after. I am very selective about the brands we stock and many are not