The Wella World Studio NYC opened June 2, 2014 to fanfare and fun. There was a who's who of salon professionals in attendance, checking out the new space at the corner of Broadway and Houston in Manhanttan's SOHO area. MODERN was there to get all the details.

THE EVENT: The Wella World Studio NYC in SOHO opens to the professional salon industry with a grand celebration and party.

DETAILS: The new studio at the corner of Broadway and Houston has taken over the third floor of the tasteful building in the heart of this exciting and artistic area of NYC.  The 11,000 square foot space has three convertible classrooms that fit up to 100 students at a time. The 60 person theater is complete with a 16 square foot video screen, stage and catwalk. The Studio is revamping its core class curriculum, adding fresh art-infused inspiration through the addition of several new course offerings including Watercolor Techniques for Haircolorists, Color.id Creative Atelier, Razor Mastery with Jason Schwind, Stitching a Shape with Claudio Lazo and Social Slam Live & Building Your Brand in the Social Age.

HIGHLIGHTS: Pop up artistic zones sprinkled the new space for the party. Stephen Moody executed a classic Sassoon cut in one corner, while Sebastian’s Omar Antonio presented two models in head to toe avant garde finish. Alexandra Matiz performed a color service in front of the “Master Colorlist Expert Hall of Fame” Wall and Claudio Lazo threaded an intricate up-do. Nick Berardi captured it all with photographs. In addition, DJ Natasha Diggs offered appropriately hot background music for the party while artists TATS CRU, the legendary NYC street artists and mural kings and “Art in Studio” pop artist Greg Frederickson fueled the artistic setting.

WHO’S WHO: The studio was crawling with industry legends. In addition to those mentioned above, enjoying the opening was Robert Lobetta, Andy LeCompte, Jennifer J., Christopher and Sonya Dove, Kiyah Wright, Diane Stevens, Danielle Caputo, Anthony Cole, Woody and Amy Michleb, David Maderich, Lois Christie, Mary Brunetti, Paul and Marie Gaglioti and so many more. Even the Wella top brass from Geneva and Wella Professionals headquarters in Woodland Hills, California stopped by to help launch the studio including Adil Mehboob-Khan, Wella Global President; Sal Mauceri, Wella North America CEO; Fabio Sementilli, VP Wella Education; Srebi Hanak, Wella Global Communications, Mary Atherton, Wella Communications, North America; Carole Protat, North America Creative Director and Geroge Kalpogiannis, Wella North America Marketing Leader. It was unbelievable.

THE LAST WORD: Adil Mehboob-Khan, Wella Global President met with MODERN moments before officially opening the space. “Our commitment to education is long standing,” he told MODERN Beauty and Fashion Director Maggie Mulhern. “If we are going to be true to our mission to elevating hairdressing and elevating hairdressers we must invest in education.” Added Sal Mauceri, Wella North America CEO, “The timing is perfect. I’ve always felt that we belonged downtown and here we are. This is where are stylists come and it has a perfect feel for us. When asked what I love best about this new studio, it’s interactive, flexible and enables people to express their individuality. This is the place for stylists to drop in, socialize network and hang out.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION: go to www.wellainteractive.com/studios or call 800-422-2336

Check out the two short videos here. Learn what the studio means to the artists, including Omar Antonio and Christopher Dove. %nopage