La Salle businesswoman headed to Paris for Fashion Week

A La Salle business owner is set to travel to Europe this weekend to begin an adventure at the top of not only her list but also almost every hairstylist's bucket lists, and that is Paris Fashion Week.

Adrianne Henkel, owner of Maven Salon and Princeton native, said Paris Fashion Week is like the Super Bowl for hairstylists and to be invited was a dream.

"It's the elite. The cream of the crop. It's where the top people in our industry go," she said. "It's just really exciting and super cool. But, it's also such an honor to do it and to be able to do it in that environment."

Fashion Week is a series of shows for designers to showcase their latest collections. Elite hairstylists work in teams on the models who are walking the runway with the designer's vision in mind.

Henkel said she received the call to attend through connections she's made over the years through teaching classes in different states and classes she's taken.

"I can talk to anybody. It's just my personality," she said. "My name was brought up to a girl for (a fashion week in) New York. She had a girl going through some medical issues and she was like, 'I know it's last minute but would you like to come.'"

Henkel said going to New York fell through because the other stylist actually was able to attend. But, Henkel was mentioned to another stylist looking for another team member.

"When she asked me I just assumed it was for New York," Henkel said. "But it was for Paris."

Marissa Bonnell, of Mendota and Maven Salon stylist, said Henkel attending Paris Fashion Week will encourage people from small areas to reach for more.

"I feel like it shows people no matter where you're from or where you were opportunities are out there – no matter what," she said. "The best thing is it's going to show people that even though you're from a small town of 500 people or whatever you still have those chances, those opportunities."

Henkel said she's excited for the challenge Fashion Week will present. She is a part of a 30-person team and won't know the looks until she arrives.

"There's no set-out or these are the do's you're doing," she said. "You have to be far enough in your craft and your skill to be able to work like that."

She said now that she has been invited, she will be invited back every year. She's already been invited to Milan, Italy in February.

"I don't think I'm going to do it, because I'm going to Spain with my son in November. So, that's just too much energy."

Henkel said she has always been creative and even got the stern eye from her mother every time she was caught giving another Barbie a new haircut.

Despite her passion and creativity for giving her Barbie's new looks, Henkel said she didn't attend beauty school until she was 27. She tried everything else first.

"But, I always knew my heart was in hair," she said.

In 2011, she graduated from Educators of Beauty in Peru and began her career as a hairstylist. She has continued to take numerous courses since graduating, and with her experiences teaches classes as well.

"I went to work for a really cool boss at Luscious Moi Salon," she said. "He was a really great mentor for me. He was really into fashion and different things and he allowed me to hone my craft and really explore the different avenues of it."

Henkel said working there brought in new opportunities like Macy's Glamorama.

"They don't even do it anymore," she said. "So, I got to go and assist within that year and that was my first taste of behind the scenes fashion and I loved it.

"It was in that moment that I was like there's a whole other world other than just cutting and coloring hair."

That's where it all began, Henkel said. She said she has always worked outside the box, which can be hard in a small town. So, nine years ago she opened her own salon.

"It was at a time when I was into fashion colors," she said. "And I just didn't feel like I belonged at a Salon in town because they are all kind of cookie cutter."

Maven (Henkel's salon) is anything but cookie cutter from the decor to the way Henkel runs the salon.

Carina Esquivel, a La Salle native who has worked with Henkel for five years, said Henkel makes sure not to call herself a boss but a leader, who always has their best interests at heart.

"She wants the best for everybody," she said. "She wants everybody to succeed. She's told us she wants us to do whatever our strength is. Because every stylist here is good at certain things, so she wants us to focus on that and be really good at that."

Both Esquivel and Bonnell said Henkel encourages her team to take as many additional classes as possible that align with their interest, so they can hone their skills.

"She's always helping us find classes, things that are maybe in the area like certified extensions," Bonnell said. "She's always willing to help you better your education, as well because she wants you to be as good as she knows you can be."

Henkel will have the opportunity to attend seminars and classes from some of the top professionals in the world and she said she is excited to be able to put this experience on her resume to continue the next chapter.

"My children are older, so this opens up new avenues for me," she said. "I'm ready for more."

She said she doesn't know what comes next after the "Super Bowl" but she has a couple things on her radar.

"I'm at a really fun place in my life," she said. "Part of me is ready to sit down and enjoy the rest of my kids. I worked so hard when they were little ... Going to Paris Fashion Week is – getting there was so exciting, so I just want to live in the moment."

Henkel arrives Sept. 22 and leaves Sept. 28. Her shows are Sept. 25 through Sept. 27.