Tiffany Glassburn found herself quickly captivated by the charm and community of the Arts & Design District when she first came to work in Carmel.
During her first hair salon job in the city, she commuted from Kokomo and drove through the district one day.
“I felt in my heart that I would build a career here one day,” said Glassburn, who moved to Indianapolis when she opened a salon suite inside Sola Salons in Carmel.
Glassburn opened her hair salon, Elysian Collective, a hair extension and hair color focused salon, in April at 5 W. Main St. in the Carmel Arts & Design District.
“We specifically focus on hand-tied hair extensions,” she said. “We have a strong passion for helping our guests gain confidence through their hair. There is a stigma with hair extensions that they are simply to take someone’s hair from short to long and that they look very unnatural and are uncomfortable or damaging to your hair and scalp. While, yes, they can aid in taking someone’s hair from short to long, hair extensions actually serve a variety of different purposes and can absolutely be safe and comfortable to wear.”
Glassburn said genetics play a large role in the condition of hair.
“(Some women) naturally have fine/thin hair that just does not grow, no matter what they try,” she said. “For other women, they may have suffered health complications that changed their hair. We have a lot of women who have struggled with their hair post-cancer treatments, thyroid struggles, and/or postpartum childbirth, etc.”
Glassburn said some women suffer from damage from heat styling, chemical damage, or a previous bad haircut.
“We have many different options through hair extensions that can help women feel confidence where they previously felt insecurity through their hair,” she said. “There is no better feeling in the world than seeing a woman see herself for the first time after her hair appointment and finally love what she sees looking back at her in the mirror.”
Glassburn has one other stylist working with her, but she said she expects to add more in the future.
The shop operates as a booth-rent salon.
“All of our stylists operate independent businesses inside of Elysian Collective,” she said.” I chose this business model because I am passionate about supporting other hair artists with the opportunity to own and operate their own business while still feeling like a part of a team of like-minded and supportive artists. We also have recently incorporated an apprentice training program.”
Learn more at www.elysiancollectivesalon.com.
