Kyle Mathis Salon: Rock N Roll Luxury Meets Southern Hospitality
Who would’ve guessed that it would take a Dallas transplant to dose Los Angeles with a true, upscale, rock and roll hair salon? After thirteen years of styling coiffures in Texas, Kyle Mathis finally had “one of those days.”
I just woke up and realized that I could do better and that I wanted more. I packed up my stuff in a month and I cruised.
He left behind a full clientele and a “kick ass salon” to start over from scratch. “You really have to find what you want to do in life and just take it and go. I really do believe that people are unstoppable and if you really believe in yourself and know in your heart that what you are doing is part of you. It will succeed.”
The man apparently knows what he’s talking about because his Santa Monica shop will be celebrating their two-year anniversary this December.
Forget pretension and snobbery and everything you think you know about upscale salons. Kyle’s taken the idea of a luxury salon and molded it into something that feels a lot more comfortable and easy going. Right from the start I felt relaxed in the space he’s created. Natural light floods the main room and his rock and roll inspired staffers are laid back and friendly. No one was rushing around or giving obnoxious stylist attitude and it felt similar to a chill Sunday afternoon at your best friend’s place.
Duke accompanied me on my visit and couldn’t help but have a “music geek-gasm” upon entering the salon. “You’ve really flipped the script with this place. I mean, with the drum set in the middle of the salon, the guitars on the walls, it’s great!” he enthused.
Kyle laughed and talked shop with Duke while I laid back for my shampoo. Kyle came in mid-conditioning to find out what kind of look I was going for. I told him that I really liked my long hair, but that I wanted to give it a little more edge, I wanted it to feel a little more Sandy Bottoms and a little less Aubrey Beck. He laughed and asked, “Who in the hell is Sandy Bottoms?”
He laughed even harder when I explained that Sandy was my washed ashore, gypsy-pirate alter ego.
Our easy conversation continued over the next few hours and I started to realize that Kyle’s southern roots were still intact. He has the LA, rocker guy look down pat, but his generosity and genuine nature betray his Texas upbringing.
He got into doing hair when he was really young and recalled going to his barber when he was fourteen years old and thinking, “Wow! This guy is making good money and he’s surrounded by beautiful women all day and they talk to him about everything,” Kyle said. “It seemed like the perfect job.”
While Kyle’s assistant was blowing out my freshly layered locks, he pulled one of the guitars off its hanging place on the wall and started into a Zeppelin tune. One of his female stylists walked over and joined him a few moments later. Not surprisingly, quite a few of the people working at the salon play or sing in bands in their spare time. “I have a kick ass staff and we have a lot of fun doing this. We’re creating experiences and friends here,” said Kyle.
The rock and roll theme runs deeper still. Local artist and musician Matthew Benware designed and built the beautiful wood furniture used throughout the salon and his paintings cover the walls.
Luxury without the attitude? Rock and roll minus the dirt and grunge?
I’ll take it.
I walked in as my everyday self, Aubrey Beck, with a flat, easy-to-forget style and gave Kyle carte blanche. Two hours later I walked back out into the world as Sandy Bottoms sporting a dreadlock-inspired, untamed, layered-do featuring two peek-a-boo purple and pink hair extensions.
Don’t get stuck on a one-track mindset though. Kyle takes the time to talk to every client, interviewing them about what they’re looking for and their lifestyle before deciding on a cut or color. There’s never pressure to go extreme or rocker here. “I’m just about giving people what they want and what will look good on them,” explains Kyle.
I honestly can’t remember ever being in a more welcoming salon. As if you needed any more reason to set your next hair appointment at the Kyle Mathis Salon, they also offer allergy-free hair products (that smell amazing) developed by the man himself.
They say pride’s a sin, but when your hair looks as good as mine did leaving that day, I say sin is in the eye of the beholder. Beware Los Angeles, Sandy Bottoms has arrived. Oh and Nikki Sixx, if you’re reading this, your on the top of Kyle’s to do list – for hair that is. Yours is tops in his book.
Photos By: Duke DuRock
