Damian West

Profile

At 14, when most high school girls are finessing their ponytails, Damian West owner Spresa Bojkovic was moonlighting as a salon assistant on her native Staten Island. After a stint at famed downtown salon Robert Kree a few years later, and with the help of some family-lent elbow grease, Bojkovic began turning heads as the matriarch of her own hairquarters in 1998; her boyfriend, Damian, and the West Village locale take namesake honors. Celebrities like Keri Russell and boho neighborhoodies have kept the salon's chairs busy ever since, even as the vibe has remained decidedly low-key. The non-descript lower-level entrance of this beauty spot's 19th century brownstone is easy to miss; inside, Bardot-style blowouts, affordable clip-on extensions, and mother nature-inspired color provide all the decor this down-to-earth salon desires. Bojkovic and company forgo an all-black dress code for jeans and flip flops—a fitting look for lounging with clients while they process color in the secluded patio garden. Exposed brick walls, a living room-like first floor waiting area, and the family cat pouncing up and down the wooden staircase make clients feel like they're hanging at a stylist-friend's digs during her off time. — Molly Noonan