In 2001, a decade before the natural hair movement even had a name – which converts to like three generations in style years – Marie Simone opened Shi Salon with the partial premise of offering an alternative to relaxers and chemical processes.
“A lot of African-American women wanted to wear color, but they couldn’t because they had a relaxer,” Marie Simone, owner and stylist at Shi said. “That would be two chemicals, and when we put a lot of chemicals in our hair it takes it out. I started thinking, ‘What if we started dealing with the hair in its natural state?’”
Salon Shi and Simone now have well-earned status as a national authority on hair – natural and otherwise. They’ve been featured in Jet Magazine, Essence Magazine, InStyle Magazine and Modern Style Magazine and the salon was the setting for the popular Style Network reality show Split Ends. Most recently, her expert opinion on the topic of natural hair was highlighted in Nikki “Curly Nikki” Walton’s acclaimed book Better Than Good Hair.
“It’s more than just about hair to me. It’s about women helping each other get to the next level,” Simone said.
“I think when you hone your craft, when you take care of your clients, you perfect your cuts and colors – and do it from a place that is positive – you yield positive results.”
On average, the downtown salon sees between 200-300 clients a month thanks to Simone and her team of stylists – Shataka Jackson, Tawana Willingham, Keondra Jones, Tiffany Johnson and Beatrice.
“For me, atmosphere is everything so I try to create a good one because it sets the tone for what comes in and how the ladies feel when they leave out,” Simone says. “If you set up a creative atmosphere where people can come and relax, then that’s what they will do.”
Simone calls Shi “an urban oasis,” and guests are delighted by the exposed brick, hanging mirrors and relaxing tones that color the walls and a soothing soundtrack of music that ranges from neo-soul to classic jazz.
“We really try to really give people an escape,” Simone said. “But first I want our clients to feel good from the inside out.”
Her daily goal is to arm women with the right information, tools and products to maintain their look, to keep their hair beautiful and healthy and to make them feel good about themselves.
“It’s an honor that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Doctors and stylists are the only professions that people let into their space like that,” Simone said.
“You don’t go to a doctor and say, ‘Oh, I have a cold. I want you to prescribe me X, Y, Z and A, B, C to me.’ They are putting their image in your hands, and it’s up to you not to take it lightly.”
Simone also wants Shi to be a place where stylists can come to create, grow and learn that there are no limits within their field as long as they keep to their mission of using their talent to empower women.
“It is your job to tell them what they can do, not what they can’t, and show them how to do it,” she said.
When Shi started, Simone was working from the simple thought of, “I know there’s a way I can make this natural hair move.”
Since then, an entire movement has happened around the practices she implemented well before they became standard practice. For her next big move, Simone wants her salon to literally be on the cutting edge.
“Great haircuts are my next focus,” Simone said. “With a great haircut, you don’t need a lot of product and you don’t need a lot of styling. If you have that foundation, everything else will fall into place. “
She also admits she wants to ease black women back into the idea of wearing their own hair.
“I love weave – weave is not a bad thing. But with a great haircut you can individualize it,” she said. “She can show off the bone structure, her eyes and her face. Your natural beauty.”
Shi Salon is located at 1900 Olive St. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (314) 588-9948 or visit www.mariesimone.com. The salon is also on Facebook and Instagram as shisalonstl.
