One day in 1997, while leafing through the latest issue of Vogue at the dentist's office, I read an…read morearticle about New York City hair stylists who specialize in long hair. I had been on a mission at the time to find a new hair stylist, and one young man in the story - a stylist for the models on fashion shoots - stood out and I wrote down his name and the name of the salon. Assuming that the salon would be too upscale for the young me I foolishly name-dropped to get an appointment, hoping I could could convince anybody that I was somebody... And that is how I first met Kieran McKenna at the John Frieda Salon, who as it turned out, was about as down-to-earth as they come. And delightfully British. And to this day I would never let anybody else ever touch my hair. Kieran even did my hair at my wedding! -- And - as I love to tell it - then he did my hair for my divorce! ;)
Before I met Kieran I was so sick of telling hair stylists what I wanted and then walking out of a salon with my long hair chopped off - when I worked so hard trying to grow it, and with a hair style that was not at all what I had asked for. What then developed was a twenty-one year relationship, as I followed Kieran over two decades from salon to salon, using the colorists that he recommended at each salon and always enjoying having my hair cut and styled by Kieran; the consummate professional.
When I arrived for my first appointment with Kieran, back in 1997, my hair was battered, fried and frizzled. It was embarrassing. But rather than blame me, my last stylist, the family dog, etc. as every other stylist always did, I remember Kieran dispensed with blame, saying "You work hard. Relax, it will be fine." And it was better than fine. It was beautiful. He always makes you feel relaxed, comfortable, and in the hands of a professional. From that day on I had the long silky locks of my dreams and - believe me - I follow every direction Kieran gives me as far as the care of my hair and the products to use. And it shows. Watching him in action, with his Louis Vuitton box of brushes and combs, his scissors and lotions, is like watching a maestro at work. He never finishes until the haircut is perfect. And while you are in the chair there is no-one else in the room for him. You are the most important person and you have his undivided attention.
The people who work for him love him, his energy is boundless and FINALLY there is a Kieran McKenna Salon! What a long road. These days Kieran rarely, if ever, mentions it but I remember back then how he had come here from England not too long before I met him, with John Frieda, and how he was instrumental in developing all of the hair care products with John Frieda that are now known and loved by millions. Of course back then, nobody had ever heard of John Frieda or Kieran McKenna. Now, nobody knows hair the way Kieran does - and combines it with such a winning personality. His haircuts, his instructions, and his advice have given me hair that constantly gets compliments and I just hope he doesn't become so popular that I can't get appointments anymore!
