Head Games

A LITTLE SECRET IN THE LAND OF HAUTE SALONS

Forty years ago, Vidal Sassoon ushered in the era of celebrity hairstylist as aura sculptor and sex-appeal seer. Each fashion moment has had its hair prophet, from the 1970s' Jose Eber to today's Sally Hershberger. Now a trio of humble hairstylists are trying to trim the split ends on stylist stature. The first thing that Alain Pinon, Kao Hui, and Susanna Romano did after decamping from their jobs at Frederic Fekkai and forming their own salon in 1997 was agree their names wouldn't be on the door. Since opening Salon AKS, the trio has quietly and steadily gained a following on the Upper East Side, and this fall they launch their own product line. AKS does have an O.C.L. (obligatory celebrity list), including Bette Midler and Julianna Margulies, but Romano says she and her partners have flourished by espousing a cool, friendly, democratic vibe. Relying only on a laid-back, West Coast feel and word of mouth, AKS has become quite a scene. "We feel fortunate that we enjoy coming to work every day," Romano says. "There's no room or time to have an ego." For once, success has gone straight to someone's hair.

DAVID COLMAN