Hairstyles of the past defined the stars who wore them. Think the Louise Brooks Buster Brown bob. Jean Harlow's platinum blonde waves. Shirley Temple's sausage roll curls that bounced when she danced. Betty Grable's curly updo that launched thousands of planes in World War Two. Audrey Hepburn's sweet, girlish bangs and ponytail of the 1950s. And as each style appeared on the silver screen, women everywhere had to have that look. It would seem that these hairstyles have been forever lost, only to be occasionally reproduced in period movies. Not so at Tigerlilie. This Lincoln Square hair salon is blending the past and present beautifully to bring back some of that old glamour in a modern, updated form. That's due to the creativity and vision of the salon's two owners, Antje Kastner and Angelica Rivera. "We're very much into a vintage aesthetic here, with a 1940s theme," explains Antje. "We love rockabilly and we're into rock and roll. What's classic is never going to go away."
From the Tigerlilie Salon window on Lincoln Avenue, a Victrola and an old-style chair dryer catch your eye, while a mural of tiger lilies peeks through from an interior wall. That mural was hand-painted by Antje, whose talents and eye run beyond creating beautiful hairstyles. That mural actually inspired the salon's name—not the other way around. "We knew we wanted a mural of flowers, and Antje started to stencil the tiger lilies up there," recalls Angelica. "One day, we met for lunch and said to ourselves that we couldn't leave without coming up with a name for the salon. By the time we walked back from the restaurant, there the name was, right on the wall in front of us."
The salon is a shrine to art deco glamour, from the reception desk to each beauty station, which sits in front of a unique vanity dresser. A front counter is filled with a collection of antique beauty implements such as the "BuTee Wave home permanent set," the "Million-Dollar Razor," sundry curlers and space-age hairdryers. There are also a number of items associated with tiger lilies. "People like to bring in anything that says 'tiger lily' on it and give it to us," says Antje. "A lot of what's in the case comes from our clients." Prints of glamorous women line the walls, like sophisticated pin-ups. Also on the wall is Antje's Master Craftsman of hairstyling certificate, which she earned through years of education and apprenticeship.
Antje and Angelica opened Tigerlilie Salon in October 2005. The two met while working at a salon called Friendz at Irving Park and Elston. Before long, they realized that they both took a similar approach to their careers—they love the art and creativity of styling hair. And they both had the desire to open their own salons. For Antje, caring for hair was in her blood. Born in East Germany, her grandfather had a salon in Rostock where her mom worked as a hairdresser. That's where, in fact, her mom met her father, who was also a hairdresser. "Back then, it was a communist country, so no one could actually own anything," says Antje. As a child, she spent many hours in the salon with her family, where she helped out with little tasks like sweeping up. "The salon had those old pump chairs, and I used to run around and pump customers up and down," she recalls. Eventually, she went to beauty school, which is where she earned her Master Craftsman. In Germany, the certificate requires more than two years of schooling in classes that range from business to technology. Then you complete a three-year apprenticeship. When Antje was 20, she took over the family salon, Kastner Beauty Studio, and ran the business with her mom. "I did hair and my mom did both facials and hair," she explains.
In 2000, Antje made a big decision to leave her home and the salon in Germany and come to Chicago. "Making the break was hard," she explains. "But I was so young and yet so set in my ways that I needed to try something else." She fell in love with Chicago immediately, although she found that working as a hairstylist in the US was a completely different experience than in Germany. "It's such a melting pot here!" she says. "I came from Europe and was accustomed to working with all of this fine German hair that won't curl. All of a sudden I had so many variations, colors, and textures of hair to deal with." Every day was an education for her.
 While Chicago was a new experience for Antje, it was home for Angelica. She grew up in the Lincoln Square area. For as long as she can remember, she was always fascinated with hair and drawn to creative pursuits. "When I decided to go to PivotPoint for beauty school, a whole new world opened up for me. I discovered hair competitions, makeup artistry, and all sorts of things," says Angelica. "I knew immediately that this is where I should be." After finishing school, she worked as a receptionist at Taglia di Capelli. The salon owner became her mentor, and before long, Angelica was assisting in the salon. "To perfect cutting takes a long time," explains Angelica. "It's like being an artist. You have to challenge yourself constantly to learn."
Both Antje and Angelica had a good idea of what they'd like their salon to be like. So began the quest to find the perfect space. "I live in the neighborhood and one night I noticed the empty storefront when I walked by," recalls Antje. "I called Angelica immediately and asked her to come look at it." Angelica noticed a sign when she arrived. "I saw the sign from the old business, and it was 'Angel Beauty Salon.' I said to Antje, 'See, it has my name right on it!'" They both worked hard to create the sophisticated atmosphere that the salon now has, doing all of the design work themselves. When all the pieces finally came together and it was time to open, Antje and Angelica suffered from a bit of stage fright. "We still had the paper on the windows the weekend we opened," explains Antje. "We were working on our first customers, who came in for a wedding, while the paper was up. Finally we looked at each other and said, 'Okay, it's time to take the paper down.'" After the salon had been open for a while, Antje and Angelica had a visit. "The previous owners came in and looked around," says Angelica. "They couldn't believe how much it had changed."
Antje and Angelica make such compatible business partners because they share the same philosophy and passion for styling hair. "I truly love doing hair, both the art of it and what you can give," explains Angelica. "I have an idea in my head of what I want people to feel, and it's wonderful when you can make that a reality." Antje enjoys the art and process of styling hair, and the perfection of that process. "Some days, cutting and styling hair is like sculpting," says Antje. "Other days it's all about color, all day long." They both find inspiration in all sorts of places, like nature, flowers, new and old movies, and the way colors blend together. They also find inspiration in their clients—in the different shapes of their faces, eyes, the color and texture of their hair, whether their style is conservative or more experimental. "You need to be a good listener to be a good hairdresser," explains Angelica. "I've had clients come and and tell me that their last hairdresser didn't listen and ended up cutting off all of their hair. Listening to clients helps you be more cultured and educated. We care for so many different types of people, such as teachers, lawyers, doctors, that you can learn so much about the world from them."
Music is another huge source of inspiration for Antje and Angelica. You'll hear a variety of different music as a patron of the shop, ranging from their rockabilly favorites to world music. "Music is a really important part of my life," explains Antje. Their playlist includes James Hunter, The Straitjackets, and Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, to name only a few. Not long ago, Antje received an interesting phone call. Singer Morrissey was in town and in need of a haircut. Would she be willing to go to his hotel to trim his famous pompadour before he performed in Chicago? Of course, her answer was yes. She was thrilled to have been asked and says of the experience that Morrissey was a complete gentleman.
Other inspiration comes from artists and professionals in the world of hair. "People like Vidal Sassoon are incredibly inspiring," says Antje. "He took the classic bob haircut and added his own ideas to create something entirely new." Antje and Angelica hold a lot of respect for Martin Parson, a Canadian stylist who specializes in updos, and Robert LaBoda. "He didn't let anyone say no to him," says Antje.
It turns out that Lincoln Square was the perfect neighborhood for Tigerlilie Salon. "It makes me feel like I'm at home," explains Antje. "People ask me if I miss speaking with people in German, but I can do that anytime here." Lots of pedestrian traffic and the many events that bring people to the neighborhood have helped the locals get to know the salon. And the business owners and neighbors have been extremely welcoming. "There's not any other neighborhood like this in Chicago," says Angelica. "Everyone here knows each other and everyone is willing to help each other out." Tigerlilie Salon may have a strong customer base in the neighborhood, but its patrons come from all over, including the South Side, out west, and downtown.
Although it specializes in vintage updos and hairdos, Tigerlilie Salon offers all types of cuts, colors, styles and perms to men, women, and children. The focus is on hair and makeup, rather than other salon services. Special events like weddings and proms are always welcome. "A group of girls called us because they all wanted 1950s hairdos for a birthday party," recalls Angelica. In fact, the salon received a write-up in the January 2006 issue of Time Out Chicago for its updos, titled "Party like it's 1949." When recreating old styles, Antje and Angelica have learned modern tricks to make the style more effective in today's age. "Women getting a finger wave used to have to sit under a dryer for three hours or more," says Antje. "We've developed ways to work around this with new styling techniques." Tigerlilie Salon also welcomes work for photo shoots, styling, and hair and makeup for musicians and performers. All of this work has meant that the salon is growing quickly and they're currently searching for good hairdressers and a receptionist to join the staff. "We're looking for the right people who are interested in working in this type of environment," explains Antje.
If you're interested in what Tigerlilie Salon has to offer, walk-ins are always welcome or you can call for an appointment. You'll have the pleasure of meeting either Antje or Angelica and experiencing what they can do for your hair. Both love sending off happy clients. "As a stylist, you get a feel for things and you're able to respond to what people need," explains Antje. "I love when someone leaves the chair really happy. When you see them, they seem like they're an inch taller and they just exude confidence that's amazing to watch."
Tigerlilie Salon
4755 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
773.506.7870
www.tigerlilie.com
Call or stop by for an appointment.
Monday - Thursday 11:00am to 8:00pm
Friday 11:00am to 7:00pm
Saturday 11:00am to 6:00pm
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