Satish Christian’s ever-smiling face has always reflected that for him his work, hairstyling, is a passion. On many days, he would work long hours during the peak of his career. But he never allowed tedium or tiredness to impact the joy he derived from his work.
Even in times of personal joys and sorrows, India’s first male bridal hairstylist put his clients first. This dedication is what brought him to the top of his profession making him an iconic figure in Ahmedabad, where he set up his own salon in 1968 called ‘La Femme’ (‘The Woman’ in French). La Femme was the first salon in Ahmedabad (and perhaps India) to offer quality hair, skin and bridal services under one roof.
Today, the 78-year-old is retired. His daughter, Aanall Christian, who is trained in hairstyling, makeup and skin care, manages the salon carrying forward his legacy.
Satish introduced hairstyling as an art in Ahmedabad at a time when it was unthinkable for a man in India to venture into this field. He only did women’s hair. And, he persevered till his talent won him clients. Initially, his clients were from affluent mill-owner families. But as his fame spread, business boomed. Satish was honoured with the All India Hair and Beauty Association (AIHBA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Difficult childhood
Born in 1946, Satish lost his mother when he was just nine years old. “I had an elder brother and sister. Our struggles began when my mother passed away. A female caretaker would cook and care for us in our Raikhad home in Ahmedabad. When she was on leave, I never hesitated to do the household chores, including cooking,” says Satish. There were times when he was alone at home and food was short. At such times, neighbours would invite him over for a meal.
One of Satish’s favourite chores was to braid his elder sister Nalini’s hair. This was actually his first step in the field of hairstyling. He would experiment with styling her thick, long hair and that of his cousins when he was just 12 years old. He would come up with braided plaits, ponytails and even a bun or a French roll!
Magic wand
Then came a day that changed his life. Satish and his siblings were on a visit to their uncle’s home in Mumbai. He was taken to Madam Jacques salon at that Taj Hotel by his cousin. He was not allowed inside. But he watched wide-eyed from outside. The scissors, flying in the air, deftly cutting the hair seemed like a magic wand to him. He decided his career path then and there.
He was told that this was not a respectable profession. In fact, it was not a profession at all, people said. However, Satish was both stubborn and determined to pursue this field. His self-motivation and resilience were his strengths.
Turning point
The turning point in his life came when Parekh’s, one of Ahmedabad’s first supermarkets, decided to open a salon on its premises and asked Satish to take charge of it. Satish quit the fine arts course at C N Vidyalaya he had been pursuing and grabbed the opportunity. Soon his hairstyling skills became so popular that queues would form outside the supermarket.
Around this time, he met his soulmate and future wife Smruti. Satish and Smruti got married in 1973 after a long courtship.
Satish also started attending to clients at his Raikhad home. Initially, he had a broken mirror and only one chair! But his skill attracted a large clientele. Girls and women from affluent families would come for bridal hairstyling at odd hours to his home.
“Neighbours would watch the line of cars outside my home early in the morning and late in the evening. When women, all decked up, would emerge from my home at 7 in the morning, they would wonder what I was up to,” he narrates with a humorous glint in his eyes.
Fame overnight
A glamourous fashion show he organised to showcase his talent turned his fortunes overnight. Satish’s speed at hairstyling became the talk of Ahmedabad. He would take just 5 to 7 minutes to complete a complicated hairstyle!
He went on to have many celebrity clients, including film stars. Among these celebrities were – Mrinalini Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai, Parveen Babi, Deepti Naval, Asha Parekh, Sulakshana Pandit and many others.
When he started his line of work there were no books, videos, institutes running courses, or other experts to guide him. It was just his innate talent and a gift for close observation that helped him. If he chanced upon a magazine on hairdressing, he would pour over it eagerly, learning all he could.
Later in his career, he learnt from books and attended courses abroad. He would stay up late at night reading books on anatomy of hair and skin, cosmetology, and other subjects to increase his knowledge.
A great admirer of British hairstylist Vidal Sassoon, he met his idol on a visit to London. Satish was the first man, and he and Smruti were the first couple, to be taught by Shahnaz Husain.
“His love for nature, beauty and art in all forms, gave him a creative edge,” says his daughter Aanall. He obtained inspiration from whatever was around him, from flowers to paintings in art galleries. The sculptures at Ajanta and Ellora were one of his inspirations. Often, he sketched his hairstyles before executing them. He was an artist first, then a businessman.
Empowering women
Satish shared his expertise freely so that others could get skilled. Apart from his personal success, his valuable contribution to the profession was that he started training sessions at La Femme and also taught at many city colleges. He would tell his students: “Beauty lies hidden in the details. To appreciate it you need a sharp eye.”
Some of his students have gone on to set up their own salons in India and abroad. At La Femme, he would employ and also teach widows, orphan girls, single mothers and hearing and speech impaired girls. “My father trained girls and women in the interests of women’s empowerment. He believed that a woman can do anything a man could,” says Aanall.
La Femme has been literally ‘celebrating womanhood’ since 1968, as its tag line says. The salon had an all-woman team, except Satish, for many years. The idea was to empower women and help them stand on their own feet. Only recently, they have a few male hairstylists.
Man of many interests
Despite his passion for his work, Satish was keenly interested in many other things. Till recently, he was an ardent gardener. It was a stress-buster for him. He would wake up early and spend the morning hours with his plants. He enjoyed visiting botanical gardens, museums and art galleries, and was always game to go for a flower show.
“He had knowledge of all types of saris and where they were available. He liked designing my mother’s and my jewellery. Interior designing and travel were other things he was keen about,” says Aanall.
Satish Christian is a man who has embraced life with all its ups and downs with a smile on his face. Apart from his professional expertise, his biggest contribution to the social fabric has been that people started respecting hairstyling in Ahmedabad and Gujarat because of him.
This article is abridged. It first appeared as a cover story in ‘Dignity Dialogue’ magazine in the December 2023 issue.
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