by Jenny Bachynski | A couple weeks ago, I made my way to TRiM Hair Salon at 3851 Main Street to cut off a significant amount of my hair. In the last five years of living in Vancouver, I’d yet to commit to a salon that I loved. The space was comforting, warm, and decorated in a way I would want my home to look. With brick exposed walls, antique framed mirrors, and potted plants placed around the salon, it gave off an atmosphere very different from the other salons I had been to. All of the stylists have pretty impressive resumes, so I was unsurprisingly excited about my new haircut. Afterwards, I asked the owner, Sarah Stach, about her business and the art of styling hair…

Tell us a bit about yourself and how TRiM came to be? Born into a family of entrepreneurs, I decided at a young age that bossing myself around was clearly the only option for me. I have been in the hair industry for 7 years and last year, when I decided to go on my own (i.e. my fiancé Richard convinced me to just go for it), I wanted to create a unique and unpretentious space where people could feel at home and comfortable with their stylist. Once we found the location, we really had no choice because it chose us.

In your opinion, what makes a great haircut? A happy customer is the most important part of a haircut. If the haircut and color properly reflect my clients’ lifestyle, and we are able to work together in deciding what length/shape/style will work best for him or her, then we will have reached this goal. A great haircut needs to compliment the person wearing it and, fingers crossed, be complimented by the people seeing it.

I really loved the feel and design of the space. I found it to be very different from most salons. What was the theme or atmosphere you were going for when you created the space? Thank you! When creating the space, we wanted to make the salon feel welcoming and comfortable for our guests. We decided that the combination of natural wood, re-claimed doors and windows, plants, adding a brick wall, and a few favourite antiques from our grandparents’ homes would set the scene for a warm and inviting space.

Was it important for you to be located on Main street? If yes, what attracted you to the area? Absolutely! When we were looking for a place to call home, our radius was Main and 2nd to Main and 33rd. Our community is jam-packed with friendly boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and smiley people. The neighbours have a strong support for each other and it attracts people from all over Vancouver because of its uniqueness. Living on Main, and now working on Main, is such a beautiful combination. There is nowhere else we would rather be.

Working in a group setting on a daily basis must create a unique balance. How do you try and nurture the stylists talents and strengths? We take pride in our family of stylists. Not only because of their individual ability to create amazing haircuts, but also [because] they each bring a warm and friendly personality to TRiM. We nurture our unique group by bringing education into the salon to keep them up to date, and we send them off to any interesting hair cutting/styling classes that happen within the City so that they are always ‘on trend’. We also host family dinners with our staff every few months, and we support them in each of their lives outside TRiM.

What should you never do to your hair? Always do to your hair? You should never forget about your hair. Hair is a major part of our identity and should be maintained. Even if you have a ‘low maintenance’ hairstyle so that on a day-to-day basis it’s a breeze, you should keep it healthy-looking by trimming the ends every 12 weeks for long hair, and every 8 weeks for short hair. Don’t be afraid of change – a new do is the best way to change your look, and it’s never permanent, because it will always grow back.

What is one tool you could not work without? Scissors.

Are there any Vancouver hair trends surfacing this year? 2012 trends for men have more length on top with side parts….think Ryan Gosling in Crazy Stupid Love. For the ladies, we are seeing more messy styles and less manicured looks, and also casual buns with added accessories (Pearls, Feathers, etc)

How do you stay inspired as a stylist? My inspiration is influenced by education. Every time I take a class, whether it’s for cutting, styling, or color, I leave feeling inspired. The more we learn as stylists, the more versatile we are and the more we can help our guests find what they are looking for.

If you could cut any ones hair, whose would it be? If I could cut anyone’s hair, it would be Steven Tyler’s…enough said….or my 3-year-old niece Ella because she is the most adorable client in the world!

Thanks Sarah! To find out more about TRiM visit www.trimhairsalon.com.

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Jenny Bachynski was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. In her teenage years she packed up her bags and headed to Vancouver to pursue further education in fashion design. In 2009 she started her own small business Jenny Andrews Recycled Leather Goods, as well as her blog Jenny Loves. After starting her blog, Jenny discovered that one of her greatest joys was stumbling upon beautiful and interesting things, and sharing them with anyone who would listen.

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