Academy Tour: Lala's Updos at Goldplaited Finishing Salon

Lala’s Updos Hands-On Class

Format: Demo and hands-on styling
Awarded: Certificate of completion
Duration: 6 hours + 1-hour break
Cost: $200-300
Class size: 17
Bring with you: KMS California Hair Play Dry Wax, KMS California Hair Stay Medium Hold Hairspray, 19mm-25mm curling iron, 3/4in-1in curling iron, flatiron, tail comb or foil comb, lift and teasing comb, teasing brush (Up by Cricket), small elastics (in clear, brown and black), regular and large bobby pins, large and small hair pins, clips, regular brush, regular-sized hair nets (blonde, brown, medium brown and black) and water/spray bottle.
Skill level recommended: Any and all welcome
Upcoming classes:
Orlando, FL: August 30, 2015
Las Vegas: November 22, 2015
Santa Monica, CA: December 7,  2015
Vacaville, CA: December 13, 2015

Laura Kaszoni (@lalasupdos) is counting her blessings, she says. On Monday, August 17, 2015, the Romanian stylist shared with a crowd of 17 eager stylists at Chicago’s Goldplaited finishing salon that her rise to hair-industry fame has been a fast one.

“Eleven months ago, nobody knew my name,” Kaszoni said. “I didn’t know how to do updos. If it happened for me in 11 months, it can happen with any of you with hard work and passion.”

At the beginning of her hands-on styling class, and Kaszoni adds a caveat to her previous statement. Hard work and passion are paramount, but to gain a sizeable following via Instagram, as she has, stylists also need to know how to take pictures, find good lighting and a clean background.

But first—styling.

The first three hours of class are devoted to Kaszoni’s demos. She walks the stylists through six looks on five different models. First, a classic bun that she frequently has brides request. She also demos two takes on a Mohawk (she says they’re very popular right now along with braids), a half-up style, and a flower-adorned pony style that she quickly flips into a bun when everyone was seemingly taking notes or pictures. It happened so fast that we were all stunned and had to ask her to show it again.

Kaszoni says her motivation stemmed largely from feeling like she had failed a bridal client. She came to the U.S. from Romania in 2006 with a Psychology and cosmetology degree—neither of which were recognized in America. She went through cosmetology school again in the U.S. and worked part-time as a property manager and part-time as a stylist. When she had a client request updos for herself and her wedding party and they ended up disappointed with the results, Kaszoni was upset.

“I was so crushed by the fact that I ruined someone’s big day that I decided to go out and buy a doll and perfect my craft,” Kaszoni says. “I just wanted my bridal clients to be happy.”

Kaszoni spent two hours with her mannequin head religiously every day, and she says she still does for two to three hours daily. She was largely self-taught and soon realized that updos were what she was passionate about. Next, her 56-year-old boss suggested Kaszoni start an Instagram account, and things took off from there.  

Now, Kaszoni is traveling around the country teaching classes, but she emphasizes to the stylists at Goldplaited that she doesn’t consider herself an educator.

“If you have anything you think I can learn from you, I would love you to share it,” she says. “Don’t take what I say as a rule. Take my advice. Try it. If it doesn’t work, go back to what works for you.”

During the demo, Kaszoni has the stylists laughing at her anecdotes about learning English and the humorous trouble she got herself into a couple of times when she first came over from Romania. She’s very likeable and approachable; she doesn’t give airs of being above anyone else despite her impressive talents.

After an hour-long lunch break, stylists reconvene at the salon with live models for the hands-on portion of the class. Kaszoni does rounds in the room and offers advice and occasionally another set of hands when needed. She completes one more demo for the enthusiastic group to try out. Stylists come away with seven new styling concepts and a good deal of inspiration from the humble, cheerful Kaszoni.

“When I start to do an updo, I forget about myself,” Kaszoni says.