Jerome Lordet On Styling Short Cuts And The Infamous French Bob

Forbes

7 hours ago

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You might know Jerome Lordet for his namesake Upper East Side salon, the Jerome Lordet Salon, where he works alongside roughly 30 stylists. He also recently styled Chloe Mendel's hair for her wedding to Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, and for styling the hair of icons like Bianca Jagger, Orfeh and (once) Anna Wintour.
Lordet first started out in 1989, working in the left bank in Paris, the sixth arrondissement, Saint Germain des Pres. 'This area of Paris is super nice, fashionable and everyone is dressed up classy,' he said. 'The sixth arrondissement of Paris has always been my favorite. Back then, I was getting dressed up to go to work.' He was trained by Bruno Pittini of Jacques Dessange in Paris, one of the most acclaimed in the French hair world.
The owner of the salon moved his business to New York City. 'I asked him if I could come,' said Lordet. 'And I stayed, it was always my dream to come to New York and open my own salon.'
Jerome Lordet puts the finishing touches on his clients' style, Chloe Mendel Jerome Lordet Salon
He has since spent over 25 years in the beauty industry and is known for bringing a French flair to New York City. He opened his salon in February 2024 with hair stylists, colorists, specialists, manicurists, facialists, brow groomers and more. Previously, he was the director of the Pierre Michel Salon, which closed its doors after 50 years of business in 2024 (the co-founders ​Pierre Ouaknine and Michel Obadia retired). The Jerome Lordet Salon also has a partnership with the beloved Upper East Side French restaurant, Le Bilboquet, for a special menu designed for the salon's guests, who are getting services.
Lordet uses the French technique of controlled cutting and creates just the right look tailored to each client. Lordet has a 'less is more' approach, which results in natural and feminine, no-fuss hair.
While he styles all lengths and kinds of hair, he is a master of the French Bob, the Voluminous Bob and the Blunt Bob.
'When you walk in somewhere, hair is always like an accessory on your body,' he said. 'It's not like a handbag, where you decide 'I'm going to wear the blue one this morning,' your hair is the first thing you see. It's a big statement.'
'Long hair is typical, everybody has it, it's not one of a kind,' said Lordet. 'With shorter hair styles, there are so many different haircuts. Once you find one that works for you, it's almost like a second skin you wear.'
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: Sharon Stone attends Los Angeles premiere of Universal Pictures "Nobody 2" - arrivals at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 11, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/FilmMagic) FilmMagic
Look at how stars like Sharon Stone or Tilda Swinton style a short look. Nobody does it better. 'The French Bob is always such a cool thing to try out, it can give you a totally different look. Even if you have wavy hair, there are different length options. You can have layers, too. You can have a shaggy bob, and you can add bangs, they can be long or short.'
Many women are afraid of trying short hair. 'Many women tell me, my husband doesn't want me to have short hair, and I say, 'why not?'' asks Lordet. 'It's a way of thinking that if you have short hair, you're not feminine, which is so not true. Short hair can be super feminine and super sexy. You know, if a woman walks in the room with short hair, it's like, everybody looks.
The fall hair trends are variations of traditional cuts. 'Adding layers,' he explains. 'I think there are many kinds of bangs you could have, and I think the 'wet look' is in. It's so fun, just tuck it behind your ears.'
Choosing the right bangs is always a challenge. 'I always tell my clients with bangs, come back to me in two or three weeks and I'll trim your bangs,' said Lordet.
Bangs may work for one woman, but not another. 'If you have a cow lick, it's much harder to have bangs because they are not going to work, unless they're brushed to the side. Bangs don't work for everybody.'