“We are not only creating new images, we are restoring inner harmony”
Moscow’s most famous shopping center, which has a century-old history, showcases the world’s best brands and premium boutiques. There is absolutely no coincidence that above the kingdom of bright showcases, on the third floor, is a beauty salon JLDbeauty. Aleksandra Erdman, director of the salon, tells us about its uniqueness and what it can offer to its guests.
— Aleksandra, tell us about your salon, how long has it been open? Why did you decide to open it in GUM? What services does it provide to clients?
— Our salon has been open since 2008, and for 14 years it has been welcoming our guests. Why in GUM? Historically, there has never been a beauty salon here, and we were the first to offer such services. Time has shown that we did not make a mistake with the location. GUM is one of the most famous points of attraction in the capital; both Muscovites and guests of our city love it. People come here for bright sensations and good mood. And what could be better and more pleasant than to brush up, pick up a new spectacular image? Salon specialists are ready to help each guest, and not just fulfill the request for a particular “service”, but together with the client to define the changes that will make the appearance of a person as harmonious as possible. Our salon focuses on hair – modern haircuts, hair coloring – from root coloring and simple highlighting to work of any complexity, as well as hair styling, creating hairstyles for special occasions. Thus, we have all the necessary additional services to complete a new image: different types of makeup, manicure, pedicure, eyebrow and eyelash services, beard and mustache care for men.”
— What sets your salon apart from other beauty salons? What are your advantages and strengths?
— Our advantage is the highest level of employees and equipment, which can be called, if not unique, then the most advanced. Since its opening, the salon has been one of the industry pioneers, we have closely monitored all the news, so that our customers have the opportunity to get all the best, modern, exclusive. Our approach is based on techniques developed in France. These are precisely aligned haircuts that require minimal styling. This is a natural coloring that allows you to have the color for a long time, caring for the health of your hair. This is a dynamic and natural appearance of all our guests. Specialists of the salon are trained in the leading academies, they annually undergo internships in France, they closely follow the trends in the fashion industry, they know the latest haircut and coloring techniques. This creates a basis not only for a high professional level, but also for creative development. Each person in our team is an artist, who together with the client can create a real work of art – individual and unique.
Initially the salon was created as a «boutique» and not as an ordinary beauty salon. It is located on the third floor of GUM, where you can relax in a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere, without the usual hustle and bustle of shopping centers. Our clients can always be sure that the level of service in the salon will meet the highest standards. We have true experts in their field, who will help everyone to better understand themselves and take a fresh look at their reflection in the mirror.
— And if your client needs not only a stylish hairstyle, but also an appropriate makeup, what can you offer?
— Practically everything. From the architecture of brows, i.e. their correction, coloring and lamination, to all the existing options of makeup –– casual and evening. We even have courses to teach you how to do quality makeup at home. If our guests have a desire to learn how to do makeup on their own, our makeup artist is ready to give them individual lessons, using the decorative cosmetics they have. In just one visit, everyone can learn basic skills on the relevant topic, for example, skin care: you can learn how to select the right tone, work with skin foundations or types of eye makeup, discover an interesting makeup technique – cat eyes, smokey eyes, etc.
We usually offer our guests a short course of three two-hour sessions. It includes not only theory, but also obligatory practice, when the client uses the basic techniques. The makeup artist at this point can correct the client’s actions, point out any inaccuracies and show the right movements. This is enough for the client to master quality makeup at home. We also offer services to accompany our clients to the cosmetics store, here in GUM, to select their own cosmetic products. A woman is not always able to confidently navigate in a large store and correctly select the best products, and when there is a makeup artist who knows her, this task is solved more effectively.
— Who is your target audience? Who are your guests?
— Our clients are mostly people over the age of 35 who appreciate good service and quality modern materials. It is important for them to get a result that meets their expectations, for example, that the haircut and coloring be modern and emphasize their status. Both women and men come to us, the whole range of our services is in demand – from hairdressing, hand and foot care to therapeutic and recreational procedures.
Each person in our team is an artist, who together with the client can create a real work of art. We have experts in their field, who will help everyone to better understand themselves and take a fresh look at their reflection in the mirror.
Furthermore, guests can come to us with their children, and our specialists will simultaneously provide services to both adults and their children: they can do interesting hair style, offer an unusual variant of coloring or organize manicure for children.
We have a VIP room for guests who prefer not to cross paths with other visitors or just want to spend time in a private area. A person can relax in privacy there, while the professionals create their new image. If for some reason a person can not visit the salon, we provide on-site service within Moscow.
— What do you think is it about your salon that attracts visitors? Why do they become your regular clients?
— I believe that customers are attracted by the combination of a high level of service and a comfortable atmosphere. Our salon provides each guest with the opportunity to have a pleasant time and receive services of several specialists at the same time, without sacrificing quality or wasting time.
The clients of our salon get the newest and most interesting offers, they work with specialists of expert level, who will always hear and understand their wishes. Our visitors do not need to know how to properly formulate their requests, they need only a desire and willingness to change, we will do the rest. We will help the person to pick up a new image and harmonize the internal changes that are happening to them and their external manifestations. All this in the most comfortable conditions, you simply come to us and relax. You can do it alone, you can do it in company. Sometimes people come to us in a big friendly group, socializing and relaxing together. Especially since you can order from any GUM restaurant, have lunch or dinner in the salon without interrupting the treatment.
— When a new client comes into the salon, how do you approach them? How does the creation of a new image begin?
— Our acquaintance with the client begins with a short interview. The stylist asks the guest about their wishes and makes a “diagnosis”, finding out what they are not happy with in their appearance and what they would like to change or, alternatively, preserve. Once the main reference points are set, the specialist formulates their proposal and vision, based on the request. Sometimes additional materials are used for better understanding: look books and color books – catalogs of coloring options and haircuts. We can use them to visualize our proposals and show them to a person. Once the choice is made, work on the client’s appearance begins. After completion of the treatment the guest will be offered to evaluate the result and be provided with recommendations for home care. We really want all of our clients to feel that we do not abandon them after they leave the salon. We are committed to long-term cooperation and are ready to offer everyone an individual program of further change and development of their image with our help.
— Do you have clients who want to look younger than their age?
— Yes, of course, this request is relevant. Indeed, a successful person needs to look young and full of energy, regardless of the actual age. We can actually help with that. The subjective perception of age is influenced by both haircut and hair color. Thus, choosing the right hair length and shape of the haircut you can achieve a more natural appearance, make it distinctive and fresh. We change throughout our lives, it is natural, so it is important that the details of our appearance change accordingly. A hairstylist, who will understand our personality and tell you what you need in order to look spectacular at any age, can be a guide in these changes.
Our visitors do not need to know how to properly formulate their requests, they need only a desire and willingness to change, we will do the rest
— Is it difficult to work with visitors to the beauty salon today? What does it take to make a person leave satisfied and become your regular client?
— The most important thing is that the appearance that we created together with the client matched their inner state, and they felt comfortable and psychologically satisfied with it. This has become especially important today, recently we have experienced that many clients come to us in a somewhat depressed state, and their interests have shifted from self-care to other external factors. In this difficult situation, our task is to surround the person with care, so that they feel cherished, comfortable and safe. Therefore, today we not only create new images, but also restore the inner harmony of our guests, helping them to feel the immediate joy of life.
— Please share your plans for the future –– how do you see the further development of your beauty salon?
— We continue to develop in the direction established when the salon was first opened. Naturally, it is important and necessary to respond to the challenges and changes of the world around us in a timely manner. We changed the name of the salon this autumn. However, the traditions, standards of service and highly qualified specialists, ready to offer our guests the best novelties of the beauty industry in the comfortable atmosphere of our magnificent beauty area, remain unchanged.
Text: Tatiana Gitun
Photo: Denis Kuznetsov
