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THE STYLE GURU

At his new Beverly Hills salon and on his TV show, celebrity hairdresser Peter Ishkhans gives lifestyle makeovers—a blend of beauty, fashion and design advice.

Peter Ishkhans can’t help it. Not only can he see the big picture, he knows how it should look. Owner of the new Peter Ishkhans at Joseph Martin salon in Beverly Hills, Peter has been giving his clients lifestyle advice for years that includes hair, beauty, fashion, home design and more. Now, the stylist to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—Eva Longoria, Amy Adams, Eva Mendes—will offer his expertise to business owners who need a boost in the Style Network’s Make It Peter Perfect debuting this month.

How did you get started in the salon industry?
When I was a kid, I would go and get my hair cut. I would do odd jobs and save my money so I could go to the best place in town. It was about the time I started to worry about what I looked like, when I was 12- or 13-years-old, and I loved the whole experience of being in the salon. I loved the vibe and the people. There was this guy, Steve Moore who was one of the best hairdressers, and I liked his style and his attitude. But afterwards, I always thought, “I could have cut it better.” I always knew what I wanted to do with my life from the time I left school. I went to work for John Frieda in London and, years later, came to New York City in 1990 to open the John Frieda salon there.

You recently opened a new salon in L.A. Tell us about it.
This is my second salon here. I opened Bhava Salon in 2003 on Melrose Avenue. It was more tucked away. My new salon is on a corner spot in Beverly Hills with great visibility. We have huge windows—it looks like a glass house, almost like you’re outside—so people can see in and that’s wonderful advertising. I kept the décor very minimal and pristine—white walls with one powder blue one for accent, dark floors, faux lizard-skin chairs. I wanted the color and texture to come from our clients. They are the focus and interest.

Who has great hair now?
I always like Angelina Jolie’s hair—it looks luxurious and expensive. One of the cutest haircuts of the moment is Rihanna’s, the bob with bangs. In our salon, the most requested cut is the chinlength bob with layers from the Chloe ad. It looks good on a lot of women.

You have your own television show. How did that happen?
I’ve done a lot of TV work on shows like E! Fashion Police, Tease and Split Ends, but my new show boils down to one thing: All the experience I’ve learned behind the chair cutting hair. My dad is a psychiatrist and I never thought we had anything in common. Then one day, I was cutting hair and I realized we do. We both listen to people; the difference is he gives pills, I give advice. So I am translating what I do behind the chair to the television show. I’ve always been into furniture, interior design and whatever is aesthetically beautiful. That came across on Split Ends. I would go into a salon and say, “Why is it so cluttered? Move this here and move that there. Why is it this color?” The Style Network saw me giving style advice instead of just talking about hair and that’s become the basis for the new show. I am going into different kinds of businesses and helping give them style, an image and a brand. The owners tell me the problems they are having and then I tell them what I see. Most people think they need to get more customers but the real problem is the business has no image or style. I worked with a dog grooming place that looked like a cemetery. You wouldn’t want to sit in there it was so dusty. I work with these owners to find out what makes their business special, to discover their actual essence and to bring out the greatness within. We’re in an age when you only have one chance to make a first impression.

What advice do you have for salon professionals who would like to become involved with the media?
If you want to get media exposure, whether magazine or TV, copy someone who is successful. Hook up with people who are doing that. If you are new to the business, look for a salon that has photo work published. That’s what I did 30 years ago. I looked at Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and I kept seeing John Frieda’s name. I thought, “That’s where I want to be!” Envision what you want and watch out for it to appear in your life. Keep trying and it will come in time.