Tennis Greats Swear By UES Stylist: Report

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY – For the majority of the year, hair stylist Julien Farel and his wife, Suelyn Farel, operate two locations: one inside the Loews Regency New York, on Park Avenue between 61st and 62nd Streets, the other, as of 2022, in Palm Beach, Florida.

But beginning next week, Julien Farel and seven employees will create a temporary salon at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, because Mr. Farel is the official hair stylist of the U.S. Open, according to a report in Barron’s.

“The players make appointments, but if an A-Lister like Nadal or Djokovic walks in, we try to make it work,” Farel told Barron’s. “We’re busy all day for the entire Open.”

At 250 square feet, the space is the size of a cozy studio apartment, according to the story, and offers “haircuts, blow-dries, hairstyling, and makeup sessions, manicures, and pedicures.”

The temporary salon has hosted hundreds of players since 2007, when Farel’s residency began, including Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Billie Jean King.

Ready for an appointment? Haircuts at the Park Avenue location start at $210, and a cut with Julien himself is $1,250. If you can get one, that is: there’s a waiting list, of course, which stretched to over 1,000 names during the height of the pandemic.

Whether you’re ready to let your hair down or ace your look, the 2024 U.S. Open begins Aug. 26 and concludes Sept. 8.

Where is your favorite place for a truly extravagant pampering on the Upper East Side? Or maybe you have the inside scoop on a neighborhood deal that no one else knows about? Email michael.mcdowell@patch.com.