happy place team

creator of happy place, stylist + colorist

she/her

For the past 15 years, Kat has been dedicated to being there for people with all kinds of hair, from super straight to spiral curls + everything in between. Kat provides a safe space for her clients, no matter who they are. No judgement, just honest, professional assessments + super detailed consultations. She loves getting to know her clients + enhancing their inner beauty with artistic and personalized cut + color.

Kat is a born New Yorker with a background in art. She trained in Soho + worked her way through Brooklyn. She is the owner of Happy Place where she handcrafts all of the products in the line.

@hair.by.kat.russo

stylist + colorist

he/they

Vanni is an Aveda Institute NYC graduate on a mission to create a welcoming + celebratory space for non-traditional, gender-free beauty. While learning how to care for their own hair as a trans + queer individual, Vanni realized that others in his community often didn’t feel comfortable in a typical salon atmosphere + that it was something that he felt compelled to change. Vanni’s goal is to serve those in the niche queer-alternative scene by offering creative + refined cuts, natural texture styling + vivid color all while protecting the integrity of the hair. Some of Vanni’s favorite cuts to do are shags, mullets, pixies + unique geometric shapes. With V, you’ll be embraced for your beautiful, authentic self!

@venus_trimz

stylist + colorist/retail manager

she/her

Alex began her professional hair career in 2014. Born and raised in Long Beach, CA, she became proficient in blonding + vivid haircolor, + also worked as a color educator. Alex later moved to Seattle, WA, where she began specializing in enhancing all natural hair textures. Alex moved to Brooklyn in 2022 to pursue adventures on a different coast. Her approach to hair is detail-oriented, but laid back, resulting in fun, often bold shapes + colors with a soft, natural, lived-in quality. She loves to make looks that grow and move as you do. Her favorite services are textured haircuts, curl services + vivid colors, but she succeeds in anything from lived-in balayage, to traditional color + precision cutting.

As a human with sensitive skin, Alex is committed to using only the best clean color + non-toxic haircare available. She will never use products that are tested on animals, contain artificial fragrances, parabens, resorcinol, ammonia, or other harsh toxins. Her clean product offerings are available in-person or for online purchase through her affiliate links.

In her free time, Alex loves hanging out with her two cats, exploring, baking bread, going to antique stores, watching films, playing videogames + rollerskating.

@alexandrascissorhands

junior stylist/curly hair specialist

he/him

Elias Lin started cutting his own hair as a teenager after feeling out of place + judged at salons. Seeing a need for safe + welcoming spaces for the underserved, he pursued beauty school. Now, Elias's hair philosophy is grounded in embracing the natural state of one's hair + finding styles to accommodate your desire for expression. Elias is making care + couture more accessible. His favorite cuts are executed with the Curl by Curl® technique which he specializes in.

@yourqueerbarber

stylist + colorist

she/her

Samantha’s passion for hair has been lifelong. She got her start in beauty at age 15 when she decided to work her way through Kevyn Aucoin’s book, “Making Faces”. She used herself +10 year old sister as models. Samantha decided to get a formal education through Paul Mitchell academy + then pursued a hair education through training with R+Co, Oribe, Wella, Kevin Murphy + more.

Samantha is an approachable, knowledgeable + creative stylist. When it comes to hair, her philosophy is that its best to work with your natural color + texture to allow your unique style to come to life. Inspired by nyc nightlife + retro design, Samantha enjoys working with curly hair, redheads, lived- in balayage + fantasy colors. She excels at creating that perfect wash + go look. From modern, texturized haircuts to classic bobs, Samantha loves to make your hair work for you. She would describe her style as a mix between sweet + dark, naturally bold. When she’s not behind the chair, you can find her drawing, meditating or dancing.

@glossicuts