| Elie Gerdak: Hair Guru |
| Karen Marie Shelton / Dedicated to FFOS |
| Revised Date: 4/5/2007 - Original publication
Date: 4/5/2005 |
Introduction
 During
my many years with HairBoutique.com I have
had the great blessing to meet some fabulous
hairdressers.
(Image of
Elie Gerdak courtesy of Elie.Elie salon -
all rights reserved).
One of
those treasures is Barbara Lhotan whom I have
worked with on several projects over the
last five years.
Recently
Barbara and I were chatting on the phone
about her work with the Elie.Elie salon
in Virginia. Barbara jets into Elie.Elie
about every four weeks where she "loves
every second that she has the opportunity to
work with Elie Noufal Gerdak, the genius
behind the Elie.Elie salon".
While we
were talking about her work with Elie, I
pumped her for details on this fabulous
hairdresser who is a true genius with not
only curly hair, but hair color and updos.
Actually, Barbara pointed out that Elie is
"amazing with any type of hair".
Indeed, Elie can transform any man, woman or
child with any type of hair that visits him.
Who Is Elie Noufal Gerdak?
 So who
exactly is Elie Noufal Gerdak? Elie, which
is what he prefers to be called, is an
Aquarian with a serious passion for working
with hair.
(Image of
Elie Gerdak courtesy of Elie.Elie salon -
all rights reserved).
Elie was born in Lebanon and began
his professional beauty career when he was
very young. He trained rigorously in the
traditions of the French Coiffure. His many
years of training included classic and
elegant styling.
While
working in Paris and London, he trained with
the industry's very best hair
designers.
He later moved to New York to
work with Vidal Sassoon. Elie's spectacular
hairdressing talents combined with his
European manners attracted a huge
following. He was wildly popular.
Eventually
Elie decided to move to Virginia where he
opened the upscale Elie.Elie salon in Tysons
Corner Virginia.
Barbara Lhotan & Elie Collaborations
 Barbara met
Elie, who she said was "brilliant, charming,
funny and very kind", at a long hair seminar
several years ago that was put on by The
Chadwicks.
(Image of
hair trends from Elie.Elie salon - courtesy
Elie Gerdak - all rights reserved).
Barbara was very impressed with
Elie's amazing talents and knowledge of
hair. The two of them bonded over long hair
techniques that they learned at the original
seminar. A long friendship was forged.
Eventually Elie asked Barbara, an industry
respected senior Paul Mitchell educator (of
the highest level of achievement), to travel
from her home in New York to Virginia to
providing training for the Elie.Elie staff.
The
training was very successful and ultimately
Elie asked Barbara to make regular visits to
the Tysons Corner salon, which was just
opening at the time, to work with him, his
staff and his clientele.
Barbara
confided that she adores her time with Elie
because he is "recognized by the fashion and
beauty industries as one of the best hair
designers today".
She
reported that Elie "works extremely hard at
his craft" and as "a performance
hairstylist, Elie creates wild and beautiful
updos on his unique circular platform stage,
located right within the Elie.Elie salon".
 When
Barbara is in residence at the Elie.Elie
salon she spends off-hours with Elie watching
hair videos and talking non-stop about new hair
styling techniques.
(Image of
Elie Gerdak courtesy of Elie.Elie salon -
all rights reserved).
So what type of hair
videos, I asked? "All kinds - anything that
will help us learn new and better ways of
doing hair" she replied. Barbara
told me that Elie is "happiest when he is
working behind the chair" and he is
passionate about always improving his
techniques".
Even though as Barbara said,
"the man is truly a hair genius, he is
always looking to improve his craft."
Although
Elie is known by consumers for his fabulous
talent with
curly hair, Barbara told me that he is
"absolutely amazing" with hair color and
does "some of the most stunning updos" that
she has ever seen. Basically, according
to Barbara, "Elie is amazing with all types,
textures, lengths and conditions of hair".
In fact,
Barbara reported that Elie is "brilliant at
mixing custom hair colors with special
conditioning formulas that are not found
anywhere else in the world."
Innovative Hair Styling & Amazing Talent
 Because he
is constantly pushing himself, Elie
continues to create amazingly innovative
haircuts and hairstyles combining his formal
European hair fashion design roots with the
classic good-looking modern American
Styles.
(Image of
Elie.Elie Stylists -
courtesy of Elie Gerdak - all rights reserved).
The results are dramatic,
incredibly stylish and very unique. His
styles range from simple elegance to
eye-popping head-turners. Visitors to the
salon have come to expect celebrity looks
from Elie and his styling team.
The
Elie.Elie Artistic Team is comprised of a
large team of hair designers who participate
in state-of-the-art training. The team
executes the latest haircuts and hairstyles
for both men and women. Elie's hair
colorists are trained in all the very latest
techniques and the provide innovative hair
color enhancements as well as corrective
hair color.
Innovative Hair Styling & Amazing Talent
 Although
I've never had the great honor of personally
visiting the Elie.Elie salon, Barbara
reported that the salon is "absolutely
gorgeous". She told me that Elie.Elie has
stunning taste reflected by his salon.
(Image of
Elie and Ouidad - image courtesy of Elie
Gerdak - all rights reserved).
The
Elie.Elie salon was designed to be
ultra-hip! The steel trussed salon is
luxurious, modern but with a little bit of
funk. Billowing silk curtains, captivating
blue hues of the Mediterranean and cool
European tiles set the stage as you make
your grand entrance into the salon.
There is
also an enticing retail boutique at the
salon filled with the latest Domestic and
European celebrity products such as
Goldwell, Elie's private Haircare Systems,
Kerastase Paris and Ouidad Curly Hair System
Products.
Goldwell
and Paul Mitchell hair color is used
exclusively in the salon and Ouidad products
are used for curly hair clients. Elie
and his staff
follow the
Ouidad - Queen of Curl -
"Carving and Slicing" techniques which is
performed by the Ouidad certified stylists
at the salon.
 Elie
was the second salon in the United State to
have a Ouidad Certified Hairstylist Design
Team that can perform the trademark "Carve
and Slice Technique" on curly hair.
(Image of
Elie.Elie Salon in Tysons Corner, Virginia -
image courtesy of Elie Gerdak - all rights
reserved).
Salon
clients may conveniently schedule
"e-appointments" online and visit the
Elie.Elie website to view services, special
events, product specials and packages.
Elie.Elie features spa manicure and
pedicures, Sothys Parisian Facials and
Skincare Spa treatments.
Special
salon features include the spectacular platform
hairstyling stage, internet stations and
digital imaging photography.
Summary
The
experience, talent and skill of Elie along
with his team of expert hairstylists and
salon professionals are what sets this salon
head and shoulders above the most
traditional salons.
In previous interviews Elie himself has
noted that "excellent customer service is
the hallmark of my salon. There is no
substitute for highly trained and skilled
hair designers."
At The
Elie. Elie Salon every client is always
treated like a celebrity.
Call Elie
or his very talented staff
for an appointment at 703-893-2711 or visit
the website at
www.elieelie.com. Elie.Elie is located
at 8041 LB Tysons Corner Center in McLean,
Virginia. Please tell Elie that
HairBoutique.com sent you. |