Frédéric Fekkai - Institut Karité

Look Great {Beauty Guru}
Meet hairstylist...
Frédéric Fekkai
Thanks to his beloved products and
masterful signature cuts, Fekkai’s
name is synonymous with luxurious
hair. We got a peek into what makes
the handsome French mane master
so fabulously chic.
By Taryn Adler
FRENCH BRED Born in Aix-en-Provence, Fekkai says
his homeland is an endless source of inspiration. He loves
the colorful village of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (above) and, of
course, Paris, where “women are a little more daring than
in the U.S.” Think: bold prints and short hemlines (below).
Cult Classics Thinking of hair like
skin is the Frédéric Fekkai ethos. “It’s
about more than just washing—it’s about
treating, hydrating, and making hair come
alive,” he says. Starting this month, the
brand will debut more than 25 new and
remastered products and packaging
(from $5; Fekkai salons and fekkai.com).
CAPITOL MOMENT
“I’m not a guy
who likes to
make someone
into something
they’re not.
I like it when
cut and color
are customized
for the
individual.”
HOT SHOT
Foreign Finds
On his regular trips to
France, Fekkai stocks
up on shea butter. “I
like the real 100 percent kind,” he stresses. “It’s ultra hydrating.” The nut extract is
also multipurpose: “I
use it on the skin, the
lips, and to smooth
hair.” A French favorite: Institut Karité
Paris Pure Shea
Butter ($50; institut
kariteparis.com).
In addition to a trusty pair
of scissors (Fekkai refers
to his cutting shears as “an
extension of my hand”),
he always carries a Sony
Cyber-shot DSC RX100M2
($750; sony.com) in his
styling suitcase to snap all
things inspirational.
Bob it like Beckham
Face-Off Tune in to the second season of The Face on
Oxygen in March as contestants battle to win a spokesmodel contract for the Frédéric Fekkai brand. Expect
to see Fekkai and his team of stylists alongside coaches
Anne V, Lydia Hearst, and Naomi Campbell (shown).
48 january/february 2014 Shape.com
This year, Fekkai predicts the
return of asymmetrical bobs,
à la the one made famous by
Victoria Beckham (shown).
His take on the chin-grazing
look, which is a bit longer in
the front than the back: “It’s
very simple, very cool.”
Photographs by Getty Images (France, Beckham, Clinton); Tommy Ton/Trunk Archive (model)
Fekkai, who owns
seven salons in the
U.S. and one in
St. Barts, has a lengthy
roster of A-list clients,
including Heidi Klum,
Salma Hayek, and
Charlize Theron. He
famously gave Hillary
Clinton (shown) a
layered, modern
’do in 1993.