If the gorgeous colors of the couches in this photo look strangely familiar to you, that’s because they were designed to match signature Essie polish shades.
No detail was overlooked at Essie’s first-ever flagship salon, which opened in June at the newly renovated Samuel Shriqui Salon on 65th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City. So why now and why there? “Essie Weingarten, founder and creative director of Essie, has always wanted to have a salon she could use as a laboratory and mix and test new products in addition to getting her weekly manicures and pedicures. Essie is a long-time client of the Samuel Shriqui Salon in Manhattan,” says Leslie Marino, general manager, Prestige Professional Brands and Essie Professional. “L’Oréal [which purchased Essie in 2010] also saw it as an opportunity to open a true luxury salon — and we wanted to set the benchmark for that. It seemed like a natural extension of the brand and given the extraordinary growth that Essie has experienced over the last two years we felt that it was the perfect time to launch the first-ever Essie flagship salon.”
The salon uses Essie products, of course, plus products from Shu Uemura and Kérastase, making the Samuel Shriqui Salon a full L’Oreal Professional salon. Manicures start at $30 and up with pedicures starting at $65 and up. Hair services range from $60 for a blow out to $185-$300 for highlights.
Essie Weingarten (left) poses with Linda Wells, editor-in-chief of Allure, and salon owner Samuel Shriqui.
The centerpiece of the space is a recessed white wall that dramatically displays the full range of Essie shades. Clients may choose to have their nails done either inside or outside the salon in the tranquil garden area. Josephine Allen, Weingarten’s personal go-to manicurist, is the lead manicurist. There are currently five nail techs at the salon and they are looking to add more. In the future, you can expect to find more Essie salons in key markets around the country.
Watch an NBC New York video of the Essie Salon at www.nailsmag.com/essieflagship.
Each Essie polish shade is dramatically on display at Essie’s first flagship salon.
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