I found a tall, fair man with luscious hair gleaming within the halls of Shangri-La Eros New Delhi. He didn’t look native, so I had to ask around, and he was it, Luca Piattelli himself, who was there to launch his luxury salon brand in India.
I have seen many stylists, but there was something about him. He didn’t look a bit contrived. Hence, I had to start this dialogue to get to know him. When you are branding something by your name, you become the brand, and he was very enticing for the very purpose.
First, I asked about the secret to his hair. It is very rare for men to carry longer strands that well.
He said, “Well, it is my job. But I take real good care of my hair.”
It seemed like a very cryptic way of luring us into his salon to get the best hair we could ask for.
The next question was about the inspiration or motive behind his salon.
He said, “I am inspired by beauty and like to create beauty.”
And what did beauty mean to him?
“Beauty is to feel beautiful within and have beauty around you,” he quoted.
Nailed it. But why Delhi? Why India?
“I have selected India because right now it is more inspiring with respect to any other country. And Delhi because it is the capital, the point of departure.”
This very response resonates very much with the current Indo-Italian diplomacy.
Once A Small Town Boy, Now International Luxury Stylist
But the journey to this point has been long. Once, Luca was just a small-town boy who lived with his parents, who were flower sellers. He wanted to attend a conservatory and become a musician but ended up attending a hairdressing school. In 1990, he inaugurated his first hair salon for men in his native town. Soon, he met Katia Carmignani – his fiancée at that time and now his wife – and opened the doors to lady customers.
Over the coming years, they grew like anything and expanded. Several celebrities started to flock their salon. Luca did not leave any stone unturned and took up several courses and strategies to help them grow. But the focus has always been to create beauty which remains.
This went on to prize him with the ‘Hairdresser Of The Year’, ‘Best Italian Salon’ awards and many more accolades.
His family, which now includes his daughters, is also into high fashion, art, and much more.
If you are convinced enough, why don’t you throng their place at Safdarjung already?