In 2019, celebrity stylist Ted Gibson and celebrity colourist Jason Backe had a vision to create a salon environment that was totally unique and spoke to the future of the salon industry. In Los Angeles, they created the world’s first hair salon that incorporates cutting edge smart home technology called STARRING By Ted Gibson.
Located on South La Brea, the spacious 1,100 square foot salon was designed by visionary Francisco Gonzalez Pulido of globally renowned, Chicagobased architecture firm FGP Atelier. “STARRING is the culmination of our creative vision to provide consumers with a forward-thinking, multi-dimensional smart salon concept, premium product line, and unprecedented luxury experience all in one,” shared Gibson. Backe added, “We’re excited to finally reinvent the largely outdated hair and salon industry, and put forth a new, disruptive way of thinking.”
Poised to completely reinvent all touchpoints of the salon experience from manufacturer to client, STARRING By Ted Gibson features five individual, semi-private pods known as clouds, in lieu of traditional stylist stations and chairs. Each cloud is outfitted with Amazon technology to provide a deeply immersive client experience unlike any other currently offered on the market. Architecturally inspired by hair blowing in the wind, each billowing cloud offers different ambient lighting options like “Everyday Sunshine,” “Moonlight,” and “Indoors,” to view hair colour and styles in various light and tonal settings.
“Gibson and Backe wanted to create a state-of-the-art salon that merged cuttingedge technology with an unrivaled client experience,” explained Gonzalez Pulido. “The idea was to reinvent and spearhead the salon of the future before the industry even caught on that it was behind—that type of forward-thinking is exactly how I approach design.”
Additionally, each cloud features an Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet with Alexa and smart home speakers for a truly personalized experience. The salon itself is voice activated through Amazon Alexa, and a state-of-the-art entertainment lounge welcomes guests instead of a traditional salon waiting area.
The salon offers an unprecedented retail experience and is entirely cashless, with shoppable window displays offering luxury products hand-selected by Gibson and Backe. The products span haircare, beauty, fashion, and more. Customers simply scan SmileCodes using the Amazon App on their mobile device, and all purchased items are delivered directly to doorstep, with the convenient option of auto-renewal subscriptions as well. Passersby on La Brea can also shop these interactive window displays from their phones without ever physically stepping into the salon. STARRING By Ted Gibson, the first smart salon in the world, has updated the outdated salon model. No retail, no front desk, just booking from an app makes the salon experience seamless and modern.
The Los Angeles salon, which serves as an archetype for future locations to come, follows the widely successful launch of STARRING By Ted Gibson’s premium hair product line. The line’s debut product, the versatile Shooting Star Texture Meringue, is the first of many styling and colour innovations Gibson and Backe are working on.
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