Swiss German hair and make-up artist Cyrill Zen has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion – Clients include Hermes, Paco Rabanne, Chloe, Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista, Elle Macpherson, Elle and Vogue.
Two years ago, he decided that he’d had enough of the non-stop travelling that came with the job and realised his dream of opening a very unique salon. “I wanted to have a private space, more like an apartment and more exclusive than a shop, with no windows, so that people could not see my older clients with foils in their hair and the VIPs could feel comfortable too. Somewhere special.” And special it is.
Cyrill Zen is a calm retreat in the centre of the city, tucked around the corner from Santa Eulalia church. Inside, Anette, Cyrill’s wife and former fashion editor of German Vogue, has created an interior for the salon that lives up to the family name. It’s a vast expanse of white punctuated with colour, sleek retro chairs for clients to relax in whilst they are transformed and chaises topped with fluffy cushions for lounging and leafing through endless piles of glossy magazines.
The space seems huge, which is mostly because it’s devoid of other clients, the ultimate luxury.
Cyrill aims to have just one client in the salon at a time and doesn’t reserve the right for celebrities. It’s the antithesis of conveyor-belt style hairdressing where you’re gowned-washed-cut and blow-dried within the hour, having heard where the person next to you is going on holiday this year. A hair cut at Cyrill Zen is akin to a Spa experience.
]]>
First, a relaxing thirty minute hair treatment using organic Aveda products and hot towels replaces a regular wash and is carried out by Jill Willé, Cyrill’s delightful hairdresser and assistant. For two years Cyrill had the exclusive sale of Aveda products in Spain. With the advent of their flagship store in Madrid, his is still the only outlet to be vetted by the company and stock the products in Mallorca. “People buy the most expensive cream for their faces and then use cheap shampoo” he laughs, explaining the importance of good hair products to maintain healthy hair when you live in the sun.
Then it’s to the chair for Cyrill’s undivided attention. “I like to give a lot of time to every client. We discuss and work with them until they are satisfied” says Cyrill who can chat in his friendly, unpretentious manner in Spanish, German, English, French or of course his native Swiss German. “We don’t stop until we get the result we want, we really take care” says Cyrill explaining that if a new client comes for a complete change of hair colour, it can take five hours.
Cyrill also takes bookings for ‘events styling’ by appointment, creating hair and make-up to perfectly match the clients’ outfit, so that they can travel straight from the salon to a special night out. Of course, he is discrete about the celebrities he does this for, but stresses it’s for regular customers who want to look their best too.
Between all of this, Cyrill still travels to work on campaigns and shoots, having just returned from a shoot in Paris for German company La Biosthetique. “The trips, I just need them, they’re so inspiring” he tells me, enthusing over the new wave of models in Paris sporting peroxide crops and short, sharp bobs with bangs. His tip for summer 07 is to keep hair short, a modern take on Annie Lennox, or to give longer hair a 60s up- do, and pair with silver, glittery make-up – a futuristic take on glam rock.
Cyrill Zen is at C/Can Sanc10, 07001 Palma and is open 10-7 weekdays, 10-4 Saturdays and at other times for events styling, by appointment.
Photographer: Grant Scott
Text by Dagmar Riefler