by Mary Darnell
Art + Autonomy Salon is a community built on the ideals of self-expression, collaboration and craftsmanship. We are dedicated to creating a genuine and welcoming environment that cares for every style and personality. The relationships we build are as important as the hair itself.
- Art + Autonomy Mission Statement
Our baby is turning one. So hard to believe. Conceiving our dream was one of those things that just happened. It happened somewhere amidst years of flirting with daydreams over drinks on Saturday nights, and asking ourselves all the inevitable questions: Could we really create something so amazing? Are we really ready? Before we knew it we had thrown ourselves into a long and sometimes difficult labor, gratefully collecting cheerleaders along the way, until finally our dream was born: Art + Autonomy.
Building our dreams from the ground up, L to R: A handful of us celebrating our lease signing in our empty space (there was no heat yet and it was FREEZING), Getting our hands dirty sanding and staining our soon to be stations, Jeffrey and Russell laying out the space.
From the get-go we knew we had to build more than just a place for people to get their hair done. We had an inkling we could create something so much more valuable: a community. A place where hairstylists have the freedom to pursue education and creativity endlessly and strive to perfect their craft. A place where clients are made to feel like they belong and will be served with the utmost care and skill. An environment of sharing, collaborating and simply having a lot of fun. So build we did. We built stations and shelves. We built an education program for our apprentices. We built relationships with our neighbors, other small local SoHo businesses, beauty editors and designers. We built excitement with our clients (Ha! We know very, VERY well the energy of our incredible and supportive clients built us!). Happily, a year in we can now say we have built momentum. Art + Autonomy has taken on a life of it’s own, and that is the real dream.
L to R: Our fearless leaders! Noelle Chen and Jeffrey Jagling, owners of A+A, starting off a meeting right one week into business last March. Siobhan styling on our rooftop during our Weekender Party for beauty bloggers and editors. A partial shot of our crew in Miami this January for some higher hair education at LBP Front Row (Oribe and R+CO).
We are so proud of the incredible year behind us. We are especially proud to have grown into a collective made of strong, talented and skilled individuals with a shared vision. Above all we are grateful.
To our clients and supporters, we cannot thank you enough. That we get to have a place in your lives is a privilege. Thank you for coming on this journey with us, and here’s to many more years together!