By Aida Toro
If you are walking on East 7th Street in Manhattan’s East Village and simply just feel magical...then that means you are taking in some of the positivity Jamielynn De Leon and her staff at Rogue House Salon spread throughout the block and the East Village in general. De Leon is the owner of Rogue House Salon, a place that combines the warm vibe of a neighborhood barbershop with the amenities and expertise of a modern boutique salon. De Leon founded the salon in late 2016 and became known as one of the neighborhood’s prestigious salon owners.
“I worked my way from the bottom to the top, lead artist at all the salons I worked at,” said De Leon. “I have long term relationships with clients and because of them, I was able to open my salon and I thank them for always being supportive and believing in me. Because of them, I was able to inspire others.”
De Leon is known as an accomplished hair artist throughout the New York and Los Angeles area for her creative approach. She began her career in Los Angeles, where she freelanced with a focus on editorial projects following with completing her training at the Fred Segal Beauty Salon and Vidal Sassoon.
She then made the big move to New York in 2008 to take advantage of an opportunity to work with the renowned Ted Gibson. From there, she moved to a downtown startup salon called Birds and Fellas, where she strengthened the business by bringing clientele and improving operations. De Leon was then recruited to become the first manager of the Fox and Jane Salon, another growing salon.
“Believing in yourself and visualizing the end goal is what anchors the dream to becoming a reality,” said De Leon about her process in launching Rogue House Salon. “There were hard times I’ve experienced as a business owner, but what kept me going was knowing that every bad experience is a blessing in disguise.”
She also believes teamwork and unity are important when owning a business. De Leon always wanted to create a salon consisting of a judgment-free zone as well as a place where people can connect, hang out and feel safe about their hair.
“We have people coach my team and train them on all avenues from consultation to the experience in the chair,” said De Leon. “Rogue House Salon is creating salon leaders of today, impacting the hair community and having work-life balance.”
De Leon always tells her team that she is their teammate and a boss when she has to be. Nonetheless, they all have respect for one another, she said.
“Training my team creates the environment and energy of our chill vibes at Rogue House Salon,” she said.
Aside from running Rogue House Salon, De Leon has acted as the lead stylist for various shows at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), including, Cindy Monterio, Affair, Vaishali Shadangule, and many more. She is also a Manic Panic brand ambassador and has been featured on The Today Show, That Jack Show, Hair Preview, Glossier, and Time Out New York.
“When I received the opportunity to work at NYFW, I felt it was in my path and so happy my team was able to experience the moment,” she expressed. “NYFW is a time where all artists comes together under one roof. Being the lead team for hair not only stands out at the salon but definitely at one of the biggest shows in New York for the year.”
De Leon was the lead artist for the first time in 2017, which she mentioned was a momentous moment in her career.
“My craft and hard work spoke out for itself,” she said. “The ability to create different looks, such as a chignon bun or smooth pony has a certain finesse to it and having an amazing team that delivers your work shows leadership and craftsmanship.”
De Leon is also a Life Coach. “Being a life coach is a great tool to have and vital to self-awareness,” she said. “The course was a year long and after completing the course, I was given a new lens into life.”
The ability to understand a person and their perspective changed her communication and interactions with others, she mentioned. Nowadays, De Leon utilizes her life coaching tools in her everyday life. All the way from mentoring and leading her team at Rogue House Salon, to having a great conversation with her clients. “Many are astonished by the perspective that people come back and seek advice,” said De Leon. Currently, her career is leading towards editorials and collaborating with people. Her next ventures are to create House of Annex, a sub-branch of Rogue House Salon, for editorials and weddings. “I love helping people and one day when I hit a sweet spot with Rogue House Salon, I would love to take a missions trip,” she said. “The abundance and growth in my life would give me the perspective of poverty, so humility is everlasting and always in my heart.”