July Salon of the Month - E Salon - myhairdressersearch.com

E Salon - Wahroonga NSW

By Rob Kotevski July 3 2009

Nine years ago, Emiliano Vitale’s father, Samuel, approached him about a potential site for a new salon. Samuel had been running a successful salon in Sydney’s Upper North Shore for 27 years but the demolition of Westfield Hornsby meant a new site had to be found.

A space in Wahroonga was located and this was perfect for the new salon. Proximity to the old salon meant Samuel would be able to retain much of his clientele base.

“He bought this place off the plan and put a deposit on it because they were just building it,” Emiliano tells myhairdressersearch.

At the time, Emiliano was running a salon in Double Bay. Twelve short months after the new salon opened, the gamble paid off. Due to the success of the new venture, Emiliano closed the Double Bay salon and worked and ran the Wahroonga salon full time.

Nestled in the Upper North Shore between Turramurra and Hornsby, the suburb of Wahroonga has a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. The village appears affluent, but not intimidatingly so.

“This is an area I always wanted to open in when I was an apprentice because I did my apprenticeship in Hornsby,” Emilano says. “There’s an upmarketness about this area. It’s got a very similar feel and clientele to Double Bay.”

E Salon went from strength to strength. In early 2006, Emiliano bought the adjoining shop space and knocked down the wall between the two. The result is a spacious, modern yet still inviting hairdressing salon.

Any given salon can only be as strong as its team. Not only is the E Salon team friendly and down-to-earth, but it also hosts some of Australia’s best hairdressing talent.

Among the many awards bestowed on to the E Salon team, Marc Mendicino took out the top honour of Men’s Hairdresser of the Year at the Australian Hair Fashion Awards earlier this year.

“I remember when we finished the shoot, I knew it was the most beautiful shoot we had ever done,” Emilano beams proudly. “I’ve helped another human being achieve their dream.”

As well as delivering a groundbreaking collection titled ‘Vacuous’, Marc’s colleague Leah White was selected as one of ten to join the noted FAME team while still in her apprenticeship. Leah is joined by fellow E Salon apprentice Lisa Muscat on the FAME team.

With a team hungry for success in the industry, it is crucial young hair stylists work in a supportive environment and find a mentor eager to help them succeed.

Leah’s previous salon owner did not help her realise her dreams and tried to talk her out of entering competitions.

“She lasted there six months,” Emiliano says. “The first thing I said to her was, ‘You can do whatever it is you like, you just have to know what you want and go for it’. There’s no secret besides hard work.”

In the midst of these accolades, there won’t be a ‘Positions Vacant’ sign on E Salon’s front door any time soon.

“We’re lucky now that we don’t have to advertise for apprentices. People want to come and work for us,” Emiliano says.

“That’s the thing about E Salon. Every day we try and give you the best of ourselves. We put our heart and soul in everything we do.”

The sky is the limit for the young team who have achieved so much while still in their apprenticeship. One is excited to see what the future has in store for the team.

E Salon
Shop 7/2 Redleaf Ave
Wahroonga NSW
02 9487 8011

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