A bit lengthy, perhaps, but for those who might have interest, the following paragraphs flesh out in a bit more detail the thoughts and ideas behind the concept of Mode Salon and Color Studio.  I couldn’t help the urge to articulate my thoughts behind the creation of this new space, and share the ideas behind the experience I have hoped to create at Mode.

Given the myriad of options open to people in a city like Atlanta, it became imperative to “know thyself” and spell out just what is was that would make Mode different from other salons.  There are lots of skilled hairstylists in the city; so sharp skill, although absolutely essential, was just not enough to make the difference.  Make no mistake, strenuous, even brutal demands of skill are part of who we are, but when thinking through my best relationships with clients, namely those that have journeyed with me to and from a couple of vastly different salon environments, some things became clear as to why those relationships transcended salon environment and location.  

Personally, a successful client/stylist relationship is only such insofar as the interaction between the stylist and the client are comfortable, productive, and even meaningful.  The ideal salon is a space where the relationship between the client and the stylist is foundational to everything else that takes place.  This is the philosophy, the group of thoughts and underlying assumptions, that guides the life of Mode Salon and Color Studio. 

Anyone (and probably everyone) knows from one or many bad experiences with a poor haircut or sub-par color, that hair is a highly personal and emotional thing.  It is, of course, partly fashion – ever changing and always reflecting a certain mood or feeling of the day.  Some might consider this superficial, even frivolous.  However, it is unquestionably more than that.  Something that can have such a profound effect on the way we are perceived, and even how we perceive ourselves cannot be merely frivolous.  Hair isn’t just an accessory, its an expression, connecting a person with their stylist, the world around them, and even themselves.  It can evoke the most intense of human emotions, good and bad.

Thus, the choice of the name Mode.  Hair is both fashion and an expression of a particular way of being.  It is like a piece of clothing that we put on (albeit the same one every day), but it can also be an extension and reflection of ourselves – our outer and inner person.  Of course with each person, the degree to which each of these things are felt varies.  For some, it is primarily fashion and not connected with strong personal investment.  For others, it is primarily an expression of the person’s life.  If a style coincides with who we feel that we are, or who it is that we want and strive to be, we are satisfied, happy, and can even feel better about ourselves.  If there is a disconnect between a style and a person’s inner and outer vision – their comfort level and ultimately their desires – the results can be profoundly negative.  Hair can evoke happiness, confidence, empowerment, even tears of joy.  But it can also evoke tears of sadness, fear, cause great distress and anger. 

Now, this certainly has something to do with the skill of the stylist, but it does not start there, bringing us back to Mode’s guiding idea that the relationship between the stylist and the client is primary.  In fact, it is because hair is all the things mentioned above that we’ve come to realize this principle should guide the entire culture of the salon.  Expertise is essential, but it is irrevocably tethered to the interpersonal work that comes first.

A stylist’s most important tools are not only their shears and color brushes.  They are their ears, and profoundly important is their ability to listen, understand and communicate. 

Mode, then, is not just a name, but a symbol for what we do here, and how we understand doing hair.  Fashion . . . that corresponds to a way of being and doing.   It is entirely personal.  Artistry becomes a factor as the stylist weaves together the needs and desires of the client with the sharp skill of a master stylist.  To us, there is no other way.  It is fundamentally antithetical to our philosophy think of the client soley as a “canvas” on which the stylist performs his or her “art”.  Granted, some clients wish to present themselves as such, and for that situation, complete creative freedom may be appropriate, but this is not the norm.  Art may be defined as “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.”  Indeed, but those principles and what determines what is of “more than ordinary significance” are not at the discretion of the stylist.  They are discovered and recognized through the interaction of the stylist and client.  Make no mistake, this is no nod to the status quo.  We are committed to education, knowledge of current trends and techniques, as well as exercising our abilities to stay on, and even push, the cutting edge, no pun intended.  But there is an appropriate time and place for this exercise, and it is always with a willing participant!   

This is our point of difference, making this interaction a priority and creating fashion with substance – that enhances the overall quality of life experience.  We aim to provide through our skill, both personal and technical, mode (in the sense of fashion) that resonates with, and enhances, the personal mode (in the sense of being and doing) of our clients.  Dense for salon talk, I know, but those ideas that guide the experience of Mode Salon and Color Studio deserve careful consideration and articulation.  We take this very seriously, expecting excellence from ourselves, even if our manner is lighthearted and approachable, although never casual in a careless sense.  Our clients, who are the lifeblood of Mode, deserve nothing less.