Elie Gerdak: Hair Guru

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 realted naturally 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 latest naturally curl styling techniques.

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.

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