One of Paris' many attractions along with macarons, Pierre Herme, couture, Hausmannian architecture is you can get a GREAT HAIRCUT almost anywhere. Plus the water is hard and alkaline and wrecks havoc on your hair. It behooves you to run the first day to a hair salon. 
Last trip I had no special place to go, so I just picked a chic looking salon and made an appointment. 
When I returned standing at reception was ANDREE PUTMAN, France's most important interior designer. DRW calls Putman the Coco Chanel of interior design. She's done interiors for Yves St. Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaia, Cartier, Ebel, mannequins for Barneys, and the AirFrance Concorde. You get the picture?As I sat in the salon chair she was standing in front of me, paying for her perfect helmet hairdo. Very tall, very trim, wearing a long black skirt, very high, strappy heels and black tights. No jewelry except for a giant knock-your-eye-out diamond ring.Utterly simple. Utterly chic. Did I mention that Putman is 82 years old. I could not take my eyes off her.Neither could the guy cutting my hair. While we both watched, I got a lousy haircut.
A day later I told M. the story of my bad haircut and Andree Putman. M. doesn't mince words. Once I showed her a watercolor of some red heart-shaped cookies. Her response,"Hmmm...looks like a piece of jambon/red meat"
This time her response, "Hmmm...it's short on top and long on the bottom" M. got out her cell and started dialing. "Can you make it 3:30 tomorrow?"Yes! Yes! Anything! Off I marched next day to Karine Orson, M.'s hairdresser of 11 years to be fixed.
*Here's one of Paris' secrets.
Every single Parisien arrondissement has it's own BEST boulangerie, chocolatiere, marche, wine shop, cafe, hair salon where the locals go and have been going to for years. You need a good Parisian friend to steer you to their favorite.
*Here's one of Paris' secrets.
Every single Parisien arrondissement has it's own BEST boulangerie, chocolatiere, marche, wine shop, cafe, hair salon where the locals go and have been going to for years. You need a good Parisian friend to steer you to their favorite.
While I got the perfect cut, petit chien blanc, VODKA looked on. I was smitten and distracted. But this time I didn't have to worry.
VODKA's owner, Karine Orson, salon owner did damage control. After 45 minutes my hair looked fine. But Karine said, "I'm a maniac...I'm a maniac!" and trimmed more hairs.
THE haircut! I was busy shooting VODKA...
Karine is on the right holding the adorable VODKA with her assistant.Karine wears a chic "hairy" sweater outfit so stray cut hairs don't make a difference.
MERCI Karine, VODKA & M. too!
VODKA's owner, Karine Orson, salon owner did damage control. After 45 minutes my hair looked fine. But Karine said, "I'm a maniac...I'm a maniac!" and trimmed more hairs.
THE haircut! I was busy shooting VODKA...
Karine is on the right holding the adorable VODKA with her assistant.Karine wears a chic "hairy" sweater outfit so stray cut hairs don't make a difference.MERCI Karine, VODKA & M. too!
