Press

WAG MAGAZINE

March 31 2018

There are no workstations in Maison D’Alexandre. Instead, owner Alexandre Chouery selected 16-foot-long walnut dining tables — yes, dining tables — for use at his Greenwich-based salon. His goal was to create a palatial experience for his clients, while providing royal treatment. And the resulting furnishings — which were all handpicked by Chouery, along with the architectural and interior design — are a refl ection of just that. “When I decide to do something, I want to do it 100 percent, or I don’t do it,” Chouery says. The salon, which is decorated in denim-blue and gold, resembles more of a combination of a spa and luxury lounge than a traditional hair salon. “I wanted to combine the New World with the Old World,” says Chouery, whose international career spans some 25 years. To that end, he has selected refreshing scents, Gallic music and fl oor-to-ceiling bookshelves to showcase products. Even the front desk is more of a study than a reception area. Chouery opened the salon in July 2017, though his eyes have been long set on the three-fl oor building, which dates from 1904. “There’s a story in this building, which made me more attached to it,” he says, “because you can go and create a beautiful new building, but you cannot recreate history.” Chouery drew on elements from his eclectic background. He was born in Béruges, France, to a Greek mother and holds American, French and Lebanese citizenship. He trained under Jacques Dessange, a Parisian hairdresser and partner to the Cannes Festival, who has more than 365 salons worldwide. “I was always inspired by him,” Chouery says. “I’m still, every moment, inspired by him.” It was under Dessange that Chouery learned a special technique of cutting hair. But he’s always been passionate about styling. “I always knew that this is what I wanted to do,” he says. In addition to styling — which is priced at $250 for a haircut with Chouery and $200 with Rabih Fakhoury, creative director of style — the salon off ers hair therapies and coloration services, along with makeup application, a brow atelier, and nail therapy. I am delighted to experience a few of the salon’s many options. I begin with a consultation by colorist Ariel Zona, who identifi ed my treatment as the 20-minute Bespoke Advanced Hair Therapy by Leonor Greyl/Phyto ($65). The products used by Leonor Greyl and Phyto, both family-owned businesses, are oil-based, Zona explains, to better detox the scalp and nourish the hair. This is followed by a cupping treatment for the scalp. Cupping is an ancient technique gaining credence today in which a cup is momentarily applied

to the skin to create suction. Coupled with the Leonor Greyl/Phyto products, which included natural vegetal oils and plant extracts, this treatment proves invigorating and refreshing and certainly helps to alleviate stress and tension ($150 for a one-hour treatment). After a cut by Chouery, I feel like a new woman, but I didn’t expect anything less. The cuts at Maison D’Alexandre revolve around a client’s needs, lifestyles and habits, like coloring and washing frequency. “We know who you are; we know what you like; we know what you don’t like,” he says. “The energy in the salon is very welcoming so that you feel at home, and not just like a client.” The celebrity treatment doesn’t end there. Afterwards, I have my eye makeup applied ($65) by makeup artist Vera Nicolla, to create a more natural look than my usual. Nicolla also provides eyebrow threading ($50) and has my brows looking better than they’ve ever looked. Let’s just say that if the salon weren’t closing for the evening, I probably would have never left. Chourey says there’s a medical spa and offi ce in the works on the second fl oor, along with a rooftop deck and relaxation area. So I’ll be returning in the future. Maison D’Alexandre is at 33 Lewis St. in Greenwich. For more, visit maisondalexandre.com or call 203-661-1111.