Robert Gioria

While training one day at the Robert Fiance Beauty Academy in New York City, the upcoming hair gurus were asked to raise their hand if they would ever want to own a salon. Everyone’s hand went up except for the hand of a one Robert Gioria. As fate would have it, years later the once-skeptical trainee would own an impressive list of four salons, a product line, and would work on clients from the everyday woman to the hottest celebrities.

A Long Island native, Robert Gioria initially made the jump to Manhattan in his early 20’s to pursue a career in acting. When acting didn’t quite pan out and waiting tables night after night started to lose its appeal, Robert turned to his friends for some career advice. One suggested giving the hair biz a try, and the rest, as they say, is history.

After completing training at the Robert Fiance Beauty Academy, Robert landed his first hair gig at Jean Louis David on 57th street, located in the original Henri Bendel’s. Two years later he moved to Bruno Dessange, gave Jason Croy a whirl, then went to Headlines in Chelsea. After six months the salon was up for sale, and an entrepreneur was born. With the help of business partner Kree Perkins, Robert bought, renovated, and established Headlines as the go-to salon in Chelsea

The two retained ownership of Headlines for ten years, however two years later in 1996, Robert and Kree fell in love with a Bleecker storefront. The next day they purchased the space and opened their second and highly successful joint venture, Robert Kree. The salon’s talent drew the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Ethan Hawke, Casey Affleck, Julianne Moore, the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John Kennedy, Jr., Kevin Spacey, and Mariah Carey, and appeared in such publications as W, In Style, O, The Oprah Magazine, Hamptons, and WWD, as well as E!’s Fashion Emergency and Style Network’s Ambush Makeover. The year 1998 brought more milestones as Robert opened yet another salon, Bang, on 7th Ave. and 16th Street, and Robert & Kree launched their self-titled hair care line.

Having run three successful salons, Robert decided to take a break from the biz and in 2001, sold Robert Kree to the other half, Kree. Five years later, Robert once again walked by a storefront, this time on whimsical Commerce Street in the West Village. Fate beckoned and shortly after the space was his. With the help of business-savvy friend Michael Linn, by late September 2006 the once empty storefront was renovated and turned into the sleek space that is now the Robert G Salon. Looking forward to what the future holds, Robert is once again behind the chair, back and better than ever.