Chami Saks wears a wig daily — for religious reasons.
She is an Orthodox Jewish woman, and in her faith, women’s hair becomes sacred once they marry. While each family has their own customs based on who can see the woman’s hair, generally only the woman’s husband, children and other women are allowed to see the woman’s biological hair.
She founded Serenity Wig Salon in Squirrel Hill because, to her, a wig is more than just hair.
“We initially aimed to meet the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community, where married women cover their hair,” said Saks. “What we discovered was a broader need to serve the hair loss community in Pittsburgh, including those experiencing alopecia and undergoing chemotherapy as well as the transgender population.”
A wife and mother of five, Saks started the wig business in her Squirrel Hill home for family and friends. She opened a brick-and-mortar salon in another area of Squirrel Hill, also on Murray Avenue, before moving the current space last November.
Part of the expansion included a private room where clients can receive a consultation. Providing an area where they feel comfortable taking off or trying on a wig or just talking about their personal situation is an important part of the experience, Saks said.
“I want customers to feel serene and know that they are in a safe space,” said Saks, who chose the salon name because it represents a feeling of peace, love, calm and happiness. “It’s a vibe. I believe God dropped this idea of serenity into my head.”
The salon offers a variety of services from cuts to color.
A biological haircut is $50. For wigs, a wash and set is $50 and a cut is $200.
Wigs do need to be washed and often times they need to be cut. The stylists can do cuts on people, but if the wig needs to be washed it is removed since it will also be cleaned on the inside.
The salon can color the hair. Saks can supply hair pieces as well as wigs called hat falls, which don’t have hair on the top of the wig, for those who wear hats and full wigs. Saks named a wig line Lola after her grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. Her grandmother “represents energy, and she’s a fighter,” Saks said.
In the beginning, Saks traveled to New York City and Los Angeles to search for wigs. Seven years ago, she decided to make her own. She incorporated what she liked from various wigs. There is a science behind making wigs that are created from high-end Slavic virgin hair — hair that has never been processed with color or any other chemicals, Saks said. She sources the locks from Israel and Ukraine and said hair should come from willing donors who are fairly compensated for their hair.
“We believe that all hair going into our pieces should be virgin Remy hair (a term used to describe human hair that has been collected and sorted so that the cuticles of each strand are intact and facing the same direction),” Saks said. “We believe that all hair pieces should be created in safe and fair working environments. We believe that every customer has the right to know where their hair was sourced from and how it was sourced. A good wig is an investment.”
The price for pieces starts at $2,400. A full wig starts at $4,150. These can last five to seven years if properly cared for, said Saks, who has clients ages 14-85.
Dr. Debra Abell, a dermatologist, had been traveling to New York where her daughter was in college and found a wig store to help with her thinning hair, which runs in her family.
“I love Serenity Wig Salon,” Abell said. “I love that is woman-owned. I love that they use European hair because it is softer and so natural looking. You know what you are getting and they listen to you.”
The wig-choosing and fitting process takes time, Saks said.
“Adjusting to a wig takes time, too,” Saks said. “We talk to clients and tell them not to worry. We have seen it all. We try to make it fun and be as positive as possible. When we started this business, our mission was to create pieces that would mimic the client’s natural hair or turn out like the hair they always wished that they had. In order to do this, we needed to be involved in the entire process of creating our pieces.”
The wig process is about developing a relationship with clients to understand what they want, said Polina Neft, salon manager at Serenity Wig Salon.
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“It’s very personal. We grow with our customers and see them throughout their lives from the challenges to the best parts of their lives. We help people going through a traumatic experience and help to make it less traumatic, to make it seamless and easier. We pride ourselves in customer service and making people feel happy and not like they are being judged. The goal is that no one knows it’s a wig.”
Dani Feldman, of Squirrel Hill, who had purchased a wig in Florida, recently brought it in for a wash and set. The salon has also refreshed the wig because the color was fading.
“It is a really nice space,” said Feldman, who is observant and covers her head with a wig, hat or scarf daily. “Everyone is friendly and professional and I love to see so many different types of people looking for hair coverings and I love that the salon is reaching a broader population.”
Serenity Wig Salon is located at 2734 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.
Details:serenitywigsalon.com