StoryInColor
1990s-2010s

Frédéric Fekkai

The Parisian hair-cutter who defined American salon polish

Frédéric Fekkai opened his New York salon in 1989 and turned French cutting technique into an American luxury brand. His clients through the 1990s included a list of film, fashion, and political names, and the layered, polished cuts he became known for set the tone for that decade's salon hair. He later built a hair-care brand under his name and continues to influence cutting standards in salons trained in his method.

See Frédéric Fekkai’s signature cuts on your own face

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Signature looks

  1. Soft layered shoulder-length cut

    Movement-led layers through collarbone-length hair, polished but never rigid. The cut that Fekkai built his salon reputation on through the nineties.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a round faceFlatters a heart-shaped face

  2. Glossy editorial blowout

    The smooth, high-shine, voluminous blowout that anchored Fekkai's salon work and his magazine appearances. Soft at the crown, controlled at the ends.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a long (oblong) face

  3. Long subtle face-framing

    Pieces cut around the cheekbones and chin to lift the face without dramatic shortening. Fekkai's version of the universally flattering layered long cut.

    Flatters a square faceFlatters a heart-shaped faceFlatters a diamond face

Notable clients

  • Hillary Clinton
  • Demi Moore
  • Cindy Crawford
  • Catherine Deneuve

Why their work matters

Fekkai brought a French cutting discipline (close attention to face shape, restrained layering, glossy finish) to an American audience that had been styling itself bigger and more set. The polished, movement-led shoulder cut he popularised stayed in salons through the 2000s and still anchors a lot of mid-length cutting today. His haircare line was one of the first stylist-led product brands to reach a mass-market audience.

Try Frédéric Fekkai’s signature looks on your face

Hairstyle Analysis renders eight cuts directly onto a selfie of you, including the layered, fringed, and wave-led shapes Frédéric Fekkai has built a career around. See which signature suits your features before you book a chair.

Run a Hairstyle Analysis

$4.99 one-time, no subscription.

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