Vasilé European Hair Salon Brings Old World Traditions to Tucson
Arizona Gourmet Magazine
Holiday 2008
Vasilé “Stan” Florea has salon traditions in his DNA.
Vasilé is a third generation stylist,
who started working in family salons with his grandfather and parents
when he was just 13 years old. While he quickly mastered the techniques
needed to bring his patron's desires to life, he also learned that
styling means more than just embracing a singular art form.
“Yes, you got to be an artist,” Vasilé
says. “But, you have to be like a psychiatrist too, you have to be able
to handle the stress, people come in stressed.”
To that end, Vasilé European Hair Salon is
an opportunity for Vasilé's clientele to relax and escape the stressors
of their everyday lives, and explore all the possibilities that a
gorgeous new hairstyle can have on their personal
transformation.
Opened in 1985, Vasilé’s salon is also the
workplace of his wife, Lidia, another master stylist who specializes in
up-dos and color.
“She does my hair,” Vasilé says. “She is
really a master at work.” Vasilé, too, specializes in world-class color
highlights and haircuts, and also teaches his craft to a variety of
pupils here in the states and abroad in Europe.
Beyond his familial roots, his professional training includes stints in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.
To keep the salon's clients coming back and to help you try out new looks and fashions, Vasilé introduces new hair cuts every
six months, along with new colors and inspirations from cuttingedge stylists the world over.
Admitting that he specializes and enjoys doing highlights and haircuts, Vasilé says, with “the haircut, you frame the face; fine and medium hair, the layers and haircut is a lot different.”
After framing the face, “then you do detail,” he adds,“the volume, the texture…you can’t put one haircut on different faces; you can do the same technique but alter it to each face.”
Stocking most of his shelves with European products from Graham Webb, Vasilé combines these products with his styling
techniques— conceptualizing his next hairdo— and tops it off with his own European flair.
But although Vasilé crafts a unique hair
style for each client, he says, “Most of people in Tucson want natural
blonde, not bleach blonde, something healthy.” It's a look that they've
mastered and also one that the salon uses as a foundation for patrons to
find their own, perfect style.
“I will not stray,” says Libra Aguilar, a loyal patron who has been visiting Vasilé for nearly two years. “I love the ambiance
of this place. I love the warmth in the shop, and my mother and
sister now come here. I know he’s better than Tucson, but if he leaves,
I’ll have to find him, I might just move!”
Aquilar vows to wear wigs if Vasilé decides to retire, but he says, “I’ve got another 30 years before retirement!”
Through the end of the year, Vasilé is
offering a special discount to all new and returning clients— 15 percent
off any style, haircut, coloring, and products.
“For me it’s a reward if the customer is
happy, it doesn’t matter how good you are, if the customer is happy,
that’s good,” Vasilé says. “You wash, you move and go with your
hairstyle.”
