Top Notch Hair

Contesta Rock Hair opens its doors on Wuyuan Lu - By Maya, Dec 12, 07

We've all seen that big purple building off Wulumuqi Lu. The one that sticks out like some kind of garishly stylish, regal palace amongst the more subdued commoner buildings at its foundations -"Top Notch" engraved in gothic lettering on its side. Upon venturing in, the palatial air is proffered by a courtyard patio, replete with tables and chairs with umbrellas that beg for alfresco dining. A flat screen TV -- that ubiquitous public fixture in Shanghai -- here broadcasts models slinking around a boutique clad in Japanese via Europe fashions. Then, strangely enough, you enter a prim Japanese cake shop with authentic espressos, cutesy-small but rich deserts, and bistro-style seating. A piano is present (which small, sweetly annoying children were banging on when I visited), as is clean, polished décor rounding out the setting. Escalating the staircase, a shiny short-sleeved patent leather jacket and 1960s Bottega Venneta-inspired bag greet you at the top, and inside is a very "now" display of high-street fashion in the style that a Shibuya teenager would salivate over like Pavlov's dog. After this, a climax of style on the top floor, where we find a funky little hair salon. This is "Contesta Rock Hair," a global salon with a multinational roster of hair experts, specializing in the latest hair designs gracing runways from America to Europe to Japan and now Shanghai.

High end hair salons, I should think, are definitely something that Shanghai needs more of. This city does indeed lack such professionals –with the exception of our favorite sex columnist, of course.

As the name insinuates, Contesta Rock Hair is an Italian brand of salons first started in Rome in 1994 by the two brothers Santopaolo. Contesta Rock Hair started with simple hair styling but quickly grew to encompass a staff of DJs, PR professionals from hot night clubs, videographers, photographers, and fashion stylists. Together, the team came up with the concept of a 'lifestyle' salon, quickly incorporating all these visual and visceral elements. Contesta Rock Hair has created what they describe as a "fusion between art and beauty, creating salons that are melting pots of various stylistic elements: hair style, fashion, music, sub-culture."

A good example of this concept in action is Contesta's long time relationship with Miss Sixty, the famous Italian fashion brand. The two "grew up together," and have cooperated on various projects for seven years.

Contesta are also the global stylists for Matrix (by L'Oreal) and fly around to various fashion weeks to style the runways. Perhaps the best part about this high-end pedigree is that you too, a lowly customer off the street, are treated as if you are some specimen of female perfection. Of course, it is well known that Italian men love women, no matter their external composition, and such is especially the case with the Contesta stylists, who enable you to strut out of the salon with the confidence of Gemma Ward -even when you skulked in sick and hungover. A makeover of the head (inside and out) is how I would describe the salon experience at Contesta. It's only temporary, of course, but then again you can always go in for a pre-party blow-out when you need to. Prices are reasonable starting from 300rmb for a cut and blow dry and from 450rmb for color.

Contesta Rock Hair came into Shanghai like it started: by accident. Just as they never strategized a business plan to own 12 lifestyle-concept salons from Italy to Miami, the team was first flown in by Matrix for a shoot and, like many of us accidental expats here, fell in love with glamorous Shanghai. Top Notch as a concept salon/boutique/bistro is a marriage between Contesta and Japanese stylists of a similar mind-set.

The plan moving forward is to have this purple haven of style also become a gallery of contemporary Shanghainese art, where local artists can raise awareness and offer for sale their work. Contesta Rock Hair salons around the world already work this concept, which they further extend to electronic music compilations (Italy), a radio show (Contesta Rock Radio- Europe), local band sponsorships (Miami), and even parties. The concept has been so revolutionary and celebrated that Contesta has won 2 "Salon Grammy's" for "Best Global Salon and Best Client Philosophy."

For more information, check out www.contestarockhair.com. Top Notch is located at No.137 Wuyuan Lu, at the corner of Urumuqi lu. Call 15900499921 for info/bookings.

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