OUR MISSION
Our Asheville studio works to create beautiful, lasting memories with our team, clients, and community. We are a collective of leaders in hair-care and wellness with a passion for continual education. We aim to build a legacy rooted in excellence, inspiration, collaboration, progression and sustainable beauty.
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OUR TEAM
Our team is made of a blend of experienced, talented artists that share a common passion for beauty, growth and connection. Our level system is based on each stylist’s demand of time. Our team members bring creative vision and unique backgrounds in addition to a heart for service so that every one of our guests feels cared for and pampered.
Salon Managment & Operations
ALEJANDRO
OWNER / STYLIST
Favorite service I like to perform: Razor Cutting
IG Account: @Alejandro_ashes.steel
Home Town: Queens, NY
Special Training: Bumbleandbumble NYC, Editorial Styling backstage & on set, Wella
Astrology Sign: Pisces ♓️
Favorite Color: Blue
Special or Hidden talents: Great Cook & Multitasker
Favorite Pastime: Being Home
What Inspires Me: Inspiring People
Editorial stylist, educator, Great Lengths Extension Specialist & Wella Master Color Expert
Alejandro, brings 26 years of experience in the industry. He has worked backstage at the Victoria Secret Fashion Shows as well as New York, Paris and London Fashion Weeks, styling hair for a long list of top fashion designers. He has also styled countless celebrities including Adriana Lima, Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr, Stephanie Seymour, Naomi Campbell, Milla Jovovich, Paris Hilton, Melanie Griffith, Fran Drescher, Vanessa Carlton and many more. He has worked on various editorial and commercial shoots including Vogue, Elle, W, Vanity Fair, V Magazine, Nylon, Cosmopolitan and Abercrombie along with Feria for L’Oreal and Garnier commercials. Alejandro has spent years training and collaborating with some of the best hairdressers in the world including Garren, Max Pinnell, Italo Gregorio, Richard Ward, Laurent Philippon and others. Most recently, Alejandro worked as International Educator/Stylist for Bumble and bumble and has trained thousands of hairdressers around the world along with being the CEO/Founder of PROHAIRKIT.com and co-owner of ASHES & STEEL STUDIO. He is also a published author of his memoir… “THUNDERPUSS - A Queens Tale” (Available on Amazon) Great Lengths Extension Specialist and Wella Master Colorist!
Once called, "the Manhattan style set's best-kept secret" by Allure Magazine (November 2006) Alejandro is now available to you at A&S Studio
GARY
OWNER / STYLIST
Favorite service I like to perform: This would have to be color.
IG Account: @newyorkfanatic
Home Town: Portsmouth, England
Special Training: Wella Master Color Expert & Vidal Sassoon London
Astrology Sign: Aquarius ♒️
Favorite Color: Tough, I ❤️ blue, green and grey equally
Special or Hidden talents: Equestrian
Favorite Pastime: Traveling
What Inspires Me: Family
WELLA Master Color Expert
All the way from the United Kingdom, we bring you Wella Master Color Expert and Stylist Gary Topple. Trained by world renowned brands including Vidal Sassoon, WELLA and Bumble and bumble with over 14 years in the industry, Gary is no stranger to the "ART OF HAIRDRESSING". At Vidal Sassoon Academy London, he mastered the fundamentals of precision cutting with the ABC method. While at WELLA World Studio London, he honed his craft in Corrective Coloring, Special Blondes, Red Carpet Hair, The Perfect Blow Dry, Glamour Styling, Color Essentials, Color Dimension, Creative Color and completed the esteemed "BEST of BRITAIN CUTTING and COLOR" program. At Wella NYC he became part of the elite group of Master Color Experts. His one-on-one training with Lead Colorist, Reese, from Bumble and bumble University/BbU has aligned him with numerous leaders in the industry.
With his extensive knowledge and experience in the hair industry, you can be assured Gary is one of the very Best Hairdressers in Asheville!
Brenda
Salon Manager
OUR TEAM
Bella
Stylist
Favorite service I like to perform: Dimensional Balayage
IG Account: @hairbybellalo
Home Town: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Special Training: New York Fashion Week Runway Stylist(with Aveda), Kerastase, Redken and Bumble and Bumble
Astrology Sign: Libra ♎️
Favorite color: Lavender
Special or Hidden talents: I played ice hockey for 15 years
Favorite Pastime: Hiking with my friends and their dogs
What Inspires Me: I get inspired by my peers success!
Ren
STYLIST & HAIR EXTENSION SPECIALIST
Favorite service I like to perform: Dimensional Balayage
IG Account: @ren_hair_salon
Home Town: Chicago, IL
Special Training: @camouflageandbalayage , Linson Jamison, Goldwell and Redken
Astrology Sign: Libra ♎️
Favorite color: Sky Blue
Special or Hidden talents: I play competitive beach volleyball and i’m a competitive chess player chess!♟
Favorite Pastime: Shopping or Painting
What Inspires Me: Leaving a legacy…
After graduating high school, I made the bold decision to pursue my passion for hairdressing by moving to Greenville, SC. There, I enrolled at Paul Mitchell the School and dedicated myself to honing my skills. Under the guidance of a seasoned stylist with over 20 years of experience, who had trained and worked with Anthony Cole, I absorbed invaluable knowledge and techniques.
Color theory quickly became my forte, and I developed a reputation for my expertise in all things color. I thrive on big transformations and never shy away from a challenging color correction. In my quest for continuous growth, I expanded my skill set to include hand-tied and tape extensions, always seeking to push the boundaries of my craft.
Education is my obsession, and I firmly believe that comfort is the enemy of progress. Embracing discomfort is the key to personal and professional growth. I am constantly seeking new opportunities to broaden my knowledge and stay at the forefront of the industry.
SAMIRA
STYLIST
Favorite service I like to perform: Hand Painted Balayage
IG Account: @samira.salama
Home Town: Palestine, Jordan
Special Training: Trained by top stylists in Bumbleandbumble techniques and Wella Color.
Astrology Sign: Capricorn ♑️
Favorite Color: “Black”
Special or Hidden talents: MUA tutorials
Favorite Pastime: You can always find me in the kitchen discoving something new
What Inspires Me: Family
Samira’s heart for learning and growth stands out amongst the crowd. She brings her experience from a leading salon assisting some of the top stylists in the Asheville area to us here at ASHES & STEEL.
Samira began her beauty journey in 2017, when she moved to the United States. She is a proud Palestinian-Jordanian citizen and splits her time between Asheville and her home countries.
On top of her work behind the chair, Samira has an Associates Degree in Cosmetology. She has a passion for brilliant highlights, balayage and guiding her clients to a healthy hair lifestyle
CHLOE
STYLIST & HAIR EXTENSION SPECIALIST
Favorite service I like to perform: Blonding Services
IG Account: @chloebelle.d
Home Town: Denver,CO
Special Training: Nick Arrojo, Carlos Carreon, Guy Tang
Astrology Sign: Virgo ♍️ | Moon:Pisces ♓️ | Rising: Scorpio 🦂
Favorite color: Turquoise
Special or Hidden talents: I’m an awesome cook
Favorite Pastime: Spending time with my son and being out in nature
What Inspires Me: Creating Art
With 15 years in the beauty industry, Chloe’s journey began managing salons before diving into her cosmetology training. Over the years, she has trained under renowned stylists including Nick Arrojo, Carlos Carreon, Guy Tang, and Larissa Love, and has assisted top stylists in Denver. Chloe’s experience spans from editorial shoots at Denver Fashion Week to producing wedding looks with a talented team of stylists.
Her love for the craft goes beyond technique—Chloe thrives on creativity and building personal connections with each client. As a Bellami extension specialist, she specializes in color services and women’s haircuts, with a particular passion for working with blondes and redheads. Book your appointment with Chloe today and experience her artistry firsthand!
CHRIS
STYLIST
Favorite service I like to perform: Haircuts and Balayage evenly, but love a good blow out too!
IG Account: @Chrisashesandsteel
Home Town: Asheville Baby!
Special Training: Aveda, Kerastase, Oribe, Bumble
Astrology Sign: Gemini ♊️
Favorite color: Emerald Green
Special or Hidden talents: I’m a great dancer 🕺🏻
Favorite Pastime: Traveling & making memories.
What Inspires Me: The gift of living another day with family, friends and my partner
After eight years working at a “Top Salon and Spa” in Mooresville, Chris brings his love and talents for the industry back to his hometown of Asheville! Having trained with various top hair brands including Bumbleandbumble, he is now available to you at A&S Studio!
Geoffrey
STYLIST
Favorite service I like to perform: French Balayage/ lived in color and bouncy blowouts
IG Account: @geoffreyrbergold
Home Town: Dunellen, NJ
Special Training: Loreal Professional, Redken, French Balayage Certification
Astrology Sign: Aquarius ♒️
Favorite color: Green
Special or Hidden talents: Former professional ballet dancer , great cook
Favorite Pastime: Travel, interior design, time spent with my dog
What Inspires Me: Nature and people
Geoffrey’s career in hair started 7 years ago in NYC, but his passion for it began as a child. Geoffrey mastered the art of French balayage, French Color & Cutting techniques while under the apprenticeship of NYC’s most sought after stylists. Geoffrey is a certified L’Oreal professional and was chosen to attend the expert network training. “Education is my driving force”! Attending multiple classes a year to stay inspired on the latest trends. His visionary attention to detail helps him maintain clients in Palm Beach and NYC. Returning to him not only for his artistry but for the profound relationships built over the years.
Anastasiia
Apprentice
Favorite service I like to perform: French Balayage/ lived in color and bouncy blowouts
IG Account: @avb.styles
Home Town: Asheville, NC
Special Training: AB Tech
Astrology Sign: Pices ♓️
Favorite color: I Love them all! 🌈
Special or Hidden talents: I am Trilingual - Russian, Ukrainian & English
Favorite Pastime: Reading
What Inspires Me: I get inspiration when I see people happy with a great result or when people are passionate about they’re craft.