I learned something today: Vogue magazine does not always tell the truth. This may not shock you, but I promise it's shocking for those who un-ironically refer to it as The Bible. I learned this today while I was getting a haircut today from a guy named Tommy with arms full of tats and a thick New York accent. He may not have been stereotypically flaming, but he was definitely a talker. I learned about the Red Sox jersey in the Yankee Stadium scandal (yeah, I know, I'm behind the times); about Sally Hershberger in person (she walks around hair shows and "hits on little girls"); and also about the time the salon got a call from Vogue.
The salon, Sugar, is a pretty hip little place on Sunset, not far from my house. They do shows of local artists' work, they have reasonable prices and they carry the requisite organic/weirdly-named hair products. Recently, they were featured in Vogue as having the best blow-dry in the area. According to the indignant Tommy, they do no such thing. They like to do dry cuts, so exactly what would they be blowdrying? I had read that blurb, and never dreamed it wouldn't be the case....
He explained that someone from Vogue called up a bit ago, saying "So, we hear you're a fab under-the-radar salon in some weird part of L.A. that's not West Hollywood! How cute! We're going to feature you in the magazine. Aren't you thrilled?" When the Sugar guys said "Um, thanks, but if you write about us, we won't be under-the-radar anymore, ya know?," Vogue was speechless. But they pressed on, asking when they could come by and do a photoshoot. They wanted to bring in models--with their hair already done by someone else--and have them pose in the Sugar chairs with the stylists. Huh whaa? Sugar refused, and so Vogue went on its merry way. Then up comes their totally wrong article about the nonexistent blowdrys, along with a quote from a girl who used to work there "for like a WEEK, as a receptionist, and she was a shitty receptionist!" Good fact-checking, Vogue.
As a result, says Tommy, the salon is now getting calls from fancy Brentwood, Bel-Air and Beverly Hills ladies inquiring about their services (ladies who usually frequent Frederic Fekkai or wherever else charges at least 7 million dollars per visit). What's hilarious is how scared they are of venturing east of La Brea. Some have even said "Oh, no, I can't bring my car there," and hung up, after finding out Sugar is in Silverlake (a very nice neighborhood, thankyouverymuch). Whatever, they'd probably get lost if they came, driving around in a fruitless search for a valet. Two brave West Side callers heard the S-word, then told Tommy that "Oh, then it must be a cool place, because I know Beck is from there." Beck? That's what they know about the other side of their city? That Beck, who now lives in Malibu or something, was born way over there in the savage boonies? Hee hee!
In any case, I got a laugh, a great haircut and feel far better about myself than I did this morning (isn't that the way? Haircuts are magic.). Now maybe I'll go finish the new issue of Vogue.
5 comments:
hahaha oh my gosh that is soo frickin hilarious. Nice fact checking indeed. The last time my boss ventured over to silverlake for a show he was convinced his car was going to get stolen. He left early from Spaceland because he didnt want someone to heist it. Silverlake is TAME!! Youre more likely to get mugged in west hollywood than in silverlake.
I know nothing about the La area, but It's funny how all the snobby people find out the salons not in the heart of La and get scared. It's also funny that people actually take what Vogue says to heart. I personally rarely read anything from Vogue, but buy it every month because the pictures are so pretty!
please, like Sally Hershberger would ever go to a hair show.
I know its a bit late but I just discovered this. Although this is really funny somethings just aren't right. I work at sugar, co-own it, and I feel like we need to make some corrections here.
I do give really good blow outs. I also do dry hair cuts that are technically not really dry. Its more of a barber style cut. You sit down, tell me what you want, I spray you down with my water bottle and proceed to cut. Then I pick up my trusty blow dryer and finish the service with a little styling product.
As for the "photoshoot", this is what really happened. Vogue called and asked to do a feature on us, we were in shock because we're not really a vogue type of shop. They say we wanna do a photo shoot at your space, do you have any clients that are of vogue stature? I ask what does that mean? So I ask my most vogue like clients, girls who posses a classic beauty, and by the time we got back to them it was too late and they couldn't do it anymore. As for the receptionist, she worked their for almost six months which granted isn't a super long time but its' longer than a week.
I'm stoked you got a good cut and that you wanna tell people about it but you should do a little fact checking yourself. Your just making people seem like they're assholes when they're not.
hi Adriana! Thanks so much for letting me know the real deal...I'm glad to hear that the whole experience made a lot more sense than the way it was told to me. I assumed that I was hearing the story from the horse's mouth, but you're totally right--fact-checking is always in order. So you've restored a little of my faith in humanity (or at least in Vogue). And I'll be back for a trim really soon...my bangs are starting to poke my eyes. Best -- MG
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