Exclusive interview of Björn Donner, LSW member in Kiel
on November 25th, 2018
In an exclusive interview for The Leading Salons of the World, our new LSW salon owner, Björn Donner, tells us more about his career as well as the amazing experience that his salon provides to its clients, and more. An interview led by Veronique Gautier, Partner LSW.
Veronique Gautier, Partner LSW and Björn Donner, salon owner of björn donner
VG: Bjoern, welcome to New York, and welcome to the Leading Salons of the World. Congratulations!
BD: Thank you Veronique. I am very excited. This is great. Very happy to join the Leading Salons Circle and receive my Member’s plaque today.
VG: Bjoern, you have a beautiful Salon in Kiel, Germany. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into hair styling.
BD: Well, I didn’t actually start in this business. My old profession was very boring and I decided to change. I loved theater, musicals, opera… I always have. I loved the make-up, the masks, so I decided to study to become a make-up artist. In Germany it involves both hairstyling and make-up actually. I was very happy. I had found what I really like to do. I worked a lot for TV shows. And in 2007, I opened my first Salon.
VG: What is unique about your Salon?
BD: We opened this Salon 2 years ago. It is very clean, sits between the ocean and the forest. I feel very connected to nature when I’m there. It grounds me and it is so important to my clients. I can see that when they come in, they calm down.
VG: How do you approach a first-time client?
BD: I like to look at the entire woman, not only her hair, but the way she talks, the way she walks… I take the time to get to know her and figure out what her life looks like… busy, with children? I am looking to accentuate her personality. I want her to remain herself, but be the best version of herself that she can be.
VG: No radical transformations?
BD: I take them step-by-step. I know when it is the right time to take them to the next step. Like a friend. In the end, I want her to feel like a star.
VG: What is the best compliment you hear?
BD: ‘I lost track of time!’ What it means to me is that in my salon they are able to let go of their normal life, and relax, calm down…They get more than a haircut, it is more like a 3-hour spa experience. That makes me really happy to hear.
VG: It sounds like a Boutique Salon.
BD: Absolutely. We are so much more than a hair Salon. We are image consultants. Our client can buy scarves, jewelry, freshen up her make-up… We also do a lot of Bridal events and galas.
björn donner salon, Kiel
VG: I know you also have your own line of products: “bd”, your initials.
BD: Yes, we are about to re-launch the line next year in June. Packaging and product will be even more amazing.
VG: What is different about your products? There is so much already out there.
BD: We wanted to make it easy for people to use at home. Easy to rinse, easy to brush off, and also our products combine care and styling, so you don’t have to choose and you buy less products. We use very active ingredients, but they are very healthy for the hair, the roots and the skin. We use Keratin, Biotin, Algae, Bamboo, Kinko and Silk proteins. We also have a sun care line.
VG: Where are you distributed?
BD: In the Salon of course, and on TV, on HSE24. It is a Teleshopping channel. I have a show in Germany, Italy and soon Russia.
VG: Congratulations. I can see how perfect you are for this. A natural.
BD: I used to host a show called “Beauty night” on QVC. I had to introduce new products, and so, naturally, I became an expert in hair and cosmetics. One day, they offered me the opportunity to present my own brand. And here we are. This is all very exciting!
VG: Next milestone in June then?
BD: Yes. It will happen as part of the “Bunte Beauty Days’, which is very big in Germany. We will introduce the new line along with my book.
VG: What is the book about?
BD: It is a book that shares tips, but in a different way. Very much like a diary. It follows the seasons, and inspires you.
VG: This sounds like a great idea. Well, thank you again Bjoern for sharing all your news with us. You are a great addition to our Circle and we wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors. See you soon again soon.
BD: Thank you!
Discover the LSW page of Björn Donner'salon in Kiel by clicking here.
