Looking For Hairstylists

Candacy Taylor received a fellowship from the Library of Congress to document and archive beauty shop culture in America. This project examines all aspects of the salon as a cultural institution. It looks at the the meaningful connections stylists make with their clients, the physical and emotional labor hairdressing requires and the role the salon plays in various neighborhoods and communities throughout the United States. She will be traveling throughout the US photographing and interviewing established female hairdressers who serve a particular ethnicity and/or subculture. The interviews will be archived at the Library of Congress and the project will be made into a book.

Her previous book, Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress, has been well received.  It was featured in the New Yorker, Ms. Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The LA Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Photographer’s Forum and others.  and ABC television pilot for Counter Culture is currently in production.

Ms. Taylor has an nice sampling of salon already but is still searching for authentic salons in the NYC boroughs that serve a primary: Jewish, Italian, Russian, Cuban, Asian, Muslim, East Indian, Samoan clientele.  She is also looking for unusual salons such as those found in mental institutions, brothels, jails, etc.

Please pass this on to anyone you think would be interested in being a part of this project.

There is also a FaceBook page where you can connect with Ms. Taylor @ Beauty Shop Culture

Khamit Kinks is delighted to be selected as one of the salons to be featured in Ms. Taylor’s project on beauty shop culture.