— Style —

Suelyn Farel

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CEO OF JULIEN FAREL GROUP; FOUNDER & FORMER CEO & CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF B SQUARED DESIGN & PRINTING; FOUNDER WORK HARD PLAY HARD, INC.

By Brenda Coffee content editorial director Mark Grischke photographer Noel Sutherland

As CEO of the Julien Farel Group, one of the world’s most elite beauty and wellness businesses, Suelyn Farel runs a demanding business. The company’s main Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa is located in the Loews Regency Hotel in New York City, the hotel where the term “Power Breakfast” was coined. Today Julien Farel’s elegant, 10,000-square-foot salon is where the “Power Hour” happens: a blowout, a manicure and a pedicure. In addition, there are Julien Farel salons in Miami and Cabo San Lucas, and each year, they open a popup location at the US Open where they cut the hair of the world’s best tennis players.

“I THINK WE’RE A SPECIAL BRAND,” SAID SUELYN FAREL. “WE HAVE A FANTASTIC FACE, WITH MY HUSBAND AND WITH HIS NAME (JULIEN FAREL), AND THE BRAND HE FOUNDED IN 2001. ONE OF MY BEST DECISIONS WAS TO COME AND JOIN HIM IN 2007.”

Julien Farel is a handsome Frenchman who styles some of the most powerful heads of hair in the world. He’s also a master of the art and science of hair. Julien’s passion for hair has led to the company’s innovative anti-aging haircare line, Restore. “Restore is a game changer,” said Suelyn. “It cleanses, treats and conditions hair in a single step. We help men and women with their ongoing hair problems.”

“Julien and I both have a really crazy, crazy work ethic. On my office wall is something that says, NRHW: Nothing Replaces Hard Work. I talk to my team a lot about that. While we have a little brand magic, we also keep putting one foot in front of the other, doing it every day. We keep driving and pushing and keep that relentless commitment to what we’re doing.

“Having been a CEO from my late 20s, I’ve always been a girl who goes on her instincts about my decision-making, whether it’s hiring, strategy or brand development. I don’t look right or look left a lot. I’m very much yes, no, works for us, doesn’t, on brand, off- brand, in, out. There’s not a lot of grey area.

“I’m a big believer in a quote from Michael Jordan. ‘Earn your leadership everyday.’ I want to always be the leader who’s alongside and next to, working through what we’re doing and solving the problems. We call my office the ‘war room.’ I like being very involved with those day-to-day decisions, with the growth and making sure my finger’s always on the pulse of our company. For me, that’s critical. I don’t ever see myself being  out of the operation. I love the nuts and bolts, the day-to-day. That’s what really excites me.

“So far Julien and I’ve had a great, fabulous, fun, fast, crazy ride together. Some days we call it “Fun, fast and totally Farel.”

Restore is an anti-aging game changer. It cleanses, treats and conditions hair in a single step.

– Suelyn Farel

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Q and A with Suelyn Farel

with Suelyn

MOST IMPORTANT SURVIVAL SKILL

Multitasking.

THROWS YOU OFF YOUR GAME

No coffee.

MOST DARING THING

Had children. We have two girls, age nine and seven.

ASPIRE TO

Global beauty domination.

WHEN DO YOU FEEL MOST ALIVE

Either after a really invigorating day at the office, or being on the beach with my family. They’re two contrasting environments, but they both really inspire and move me in different ways.

I find the highlight of my creativity is usually being out of my day-to-day work environment. Travel highlights my creativity; gets my marketing brain, my brand building brain, my out of the box thinker brain. When I’m in the office, I’m very centered on running an operation, delivering, accomplishing, achieving, very specific goal-minded. Both of those spaces are critical for me and my overall life balance.

CHARACTERISTIC YOU LIKE IN OTHER WOMEN

Strength, humility, honesty.

GUILTY PLEASURE

Sleep. I think sleep and time are the two greatest luxuries I have.

EARLIEST MEMORY OF FASHION OR MAKEUP

My grandmother had a beautiful set of white leather chairs from the 1950s, and I drew on one with red lipstick. I must have been about five. I remember being reprimanded but somehow being appreciated for my creativity. The P.S. on that story is those chairs were a wonderful inheritance and sit in the bedroom of our Hampton’s home. The lipstick is no longer there—recovered in white leather—but it was somewhat of a legendary family tale. It was really sweet I wound up with those chairs.

FAVORITE DESIGNERS

Tom Ford tops the list. I like Alberta Ferretti very much. For furs, Pologeorgis. I’m a real fur girl. I like Prada. You can never go wrong with Gucci, and I like a little splash of Pucci for fun prints, color and summer fun and of course, Hermès for scarves. I’m a big scarf, beach wrap, Hermès girl. I almost don’t go a day without some kind of scarf.

I love, Nedo Bellucci. He was originally bespoke men’s, and I modeled for him when he launched his women’s line last year. I found him because he was making my husband’s suits, and I asked him if he could do a shirt for me. Then he was having more and more requests so he said it was a natural transition. He thought it was interesting how many New York business women like a really well-tailored, white, men’s shirt. I love it because it has my initials, stitched in orange, and stitching around the buttons in orange, or I just did some others that are black on black. I love the fit. I love the feel.

MISSING FROM YOUR CLOSET

I need more red. The other thing that’s missing right now is more evening wear. I usually have that one backup dress I haven’t worn in awhile and I’m going to recycle. I have a black-tie on Friday, and I can’t figure out what I haven’t worn lately, so right now, I need backup evening wear.

GO TO OUTFIT

A slim fitted black suit with a Nedo Bellucci shirt and a pair of heels.

HANDBAG OF CHOICE

The Birkin, preferably orange. I also have a blue jean one I like a lot, too, but I’d say the orange Birkin is the standout.


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