DRESSING ROOM : Beauty school helps students imagine a better life
Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008
John Paul DeJoria, chief executive officer of John Paul Mitchell Systems, visited our state Aug. 13 for the grand opening of Imagine, a Paul Mitchell Partner School. Among the latest manifestations of a new concept in beauty schools, Imagine is at 4201 E. McCain Blvd. (at the south end of the strip with Jason’s Deli ).
It is one of 107 such schools nationwide. The first Paul Mitchell Partner School opened more than seven years ago in Costa Mesa, Calif.
The school, already in operation, looks fancy and hightech enough. On grand opening day, it was swirling with student hairdressers, parents, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce officials and out-of-town guests.
John Paul Mitchell Systems is the parent company for a handful of U. S.-made brands, including several by Paul Mitchell. I’d seen the intriguing-looking DeJoria in Paul Mitchell ads for years and was curious about his story. It turns out that DeJoria, a Horatio Alger Award recipient, was once told by a teacher that he’d never succeed at anything; once worked as a janitor and gas-station attendant; and was even homeless for a time. But he went on to become the marketing brains behind the Paul Mitchell professional haircare system, named for his late hairstylist partner. DeJoria is also a prolific philanthropist, contributing to a number of causes.
During a short interview, DeJoria, who has attended every partner-school opening, explained the school concept.
“This is a career school,” he said. “Many times students applying are turned down because we don’t feel they really want to give it a career. They’re just doing it because someone said, ‘Well, try cosmetology.’ We don’t want to do that.... We not only teach them here how to be very good haircutters, very good hairstylists, very good hair colorists while they’re in school, but also how to display, advertise, promote... and the most important thing we do is we give them a culture.”
The nature of that cultural curriculum ? Students — called “future professionals” — learn “how to like themselves,” DeJoria says. “How to get along with their parents. How to get along with their friends. How to get along with mankind. Also, it’s a part of our program, all of our kids participate in fundraisers while they’re in school, to make their community, their state, their country and the world a better place to live.” Public service projects include providing food, shelter and education for 7, 500 orphans, infants to 12-year-olds, in the wilderness of South Africa.
The curriculum at all Paul Mitchell partner schools is identical, so Imagine’s students are receiving the same education as those in New York and Los Angeles. The goal is for Imagine school alumni to, as DeJoria put it, “be able to walk into a salon and be so darn good, you wouldn’t know they were [new graduates ].”
The most notable Paul Mitchell Partner School graduate is Robert Cromeans, among the world’s most famous hairdressers (see robertcromeans. com ) and artistic director for John Paul Mitchell Systems.
Imagine will be a trendsetter in central Arkansas, DeJoria said.
“What we’re doing... is raising up the quality of the professional salon business and the people that are in it. We’re raising the... way people look at the professional beauty industry because of the quality of the student.”
For more information about Imagine, call Casey Stephens at (501 ) 801-1844. For more information about Paul Mitchell Partner Schools in general, visit paulmitchelltheschool. com.
HOLD IT, DON’T DROP IT Little Rock’s Park Plaza announces the 2008 NearbyNow Hold It Win It for Back to School Sweepstakes. Little Rock shoppers can use NearbyNow’s online service to find any product, brand or sale at Park Plaza and put items on hold to pick up, by using the Web or a mobile phone. Through Sept. 5, those who use the NearbyNow service to place an item on hold (or send a text message “holdit” to 632729 ) will automatically be entered for a chance to win prizes, including the item placed on hold. Each time NearbyNow users check inventory or reserve a product, they have a chance to win grand prizes ranging from gift cards to iPhones.
Five shoppers per week are eligible for “Win It” prizes — the items they placed on hold. The sweepstakes is open to U. S. residents 13 or older; no purchase required. Log on to www. nearbynow. com / holdit for more information. SISTERHOOD AND CLOTHES
The Sisterhood Clothing Exchange Network (SCEN, pronounced seen ) launched its Web site, bscen. com, Aug. 18. SCEN is an online community of women who rent, buy and consign clothing and accessories. The site is unique, say its founders, in that it offers a “sisterly relationship between clients in a secure environment” as well as an in-home business opportunity for members to sell and rent their items.
Created by a group of sorority sisters — Arkansans Michelle R. Smith and Yolanda Williams Page, along with Keren Charles, Rachell Williams and Kyonda Cooper — the site is open to all women. Prospective members must fill out applications to be verified and approved for three levels of membership: Customer Level (free, buy items only ); Elite Customer Level ($ 10 monthly fee; can buy items and list items for rental ); and Designer Level ($ 20 monthly fee; can buy items, list items for rental and list items for sale ). To obtain Elite Customer and Designer Level memberships, a customer must be referred by an active SCEN member or have at least one successful transaction. Customer applicants can sign up anytime with no referral needed. SCEN offers a free trial membership for all levels during the first month. A promotion of 50 percent off the second month is being offered to those who sign up by Sunday. Enter the code HO-0808 on the membership application for the special. For more information visit bscen. com or e-mail info@bscen. com
DRESSING ROOM PICKS The Web site Newport News (newport-news. com ) has some good clearance prices, including: A black Shape Fx Seamed Knit Dress (now $ 21 ). Perfect for afterfive engagements, the fine-gauge polyester / Lycra dress features a fit-and-flare silhouette, vertical sculptural seaming, double V neckline, godet hem insets and is 26 inches from the waist.
My Favorite Shape Fx Boot-Cut Push-Up Leggings (black, gray or charcoal, $ 24- $ 27 ), which I re-ordered after wearing out the last pair. I keep forgetting how tight, unforgiving and downright itchy these leggings are when new. The breaking-in process begins again.
A recent convert to the Zumba fitness-dance craze, I bought three pieces of its branded exercise wear, all available in multiple colors at zumba. com: The cotton-spandex Zumba Fitness Nuovo Racer Back Tank, $ 19. 95, sizes small to extra large. It’s a snug fit; if you want more looseness, order up a size. The Zumba Speaker T-Shirt, also $ 19. 95. The short-sleeve, generously sized (up to 2 X ) cotton unisex shirt bears a colorful Zumba logo resembling a sound-system speaker. The Black Zumbawear Round Bra Top, recently on sale for $ 26. 95. Sizes S to XL, it’s good for cup sizes up to about a D. For high-impact activities, it’s at its most effective when combined with that snug-fitting tank, or another bra top.
Moisture-wicking performance activewear from Wal-Mart: Danskin Now’s Keyhole Tank ($ 12 ) and belted boot-leg pant ($ 15 ). The pants are slim fit (read: less than flattering to the heavy of thigh ) and the flare at the bottom is disappointingly narrow. But they’re quite comfortable, and perhaps that’s all that matters. Dressing Room is published biweekly. Send news releases to Helaine R. Williams, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P. O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or e-mail: hwilliams@arkansasonline. com
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