We’re back again with the fifth issue of our Austin project blog series! A collaborative effort with our friends and favorite photographers over at the Kara Marie Collective.
Austin, TX is a city that is so rich in culture and life, and the people are what make this city so magnetic. There are so many fascinating people doing exciting things. The city constantly keeps us inspired to continue to do the work we do here at Sleekform: creating alternative, comfortable ways for people to sit while they do whatever it is they do while seated.
We felt the urge to get out into our community and meet some people who make Austin great. We chatted to each person about their businesses, passions, how they use the chair and how they define self-care.
This week we are featuring Tyler Cochran and Toni Jennings, owners of the Hair House ATX. Both Tyler and Toni have been practicing their craft in the Austin area for almost a decade. Tyler has been featured as the “Best Hairdresser in Austin” in the national beauty publication Allure magazine. He’s also earned praise in local publications like Austin Monthly. Toni has also earned impressive accolades. She’s been featured in the hairstyling trade publications Behind the Chair and Hairbrained.
Cutting hair is a very physically demanding profession. Between standing all day and keeping your arms raised and in often awkward positions, it doesn’t take long for a stylist to start to feel the strain of their work.
Tyler has been a stylist for 16 years now, and Toni 12- they’ve both worked in several different salons as well as some high-pressure New York fashion weeks and they know all too well the hazards of the job.
We asked them what types of daily pain they tend to experience and they told us that “Back and neck pain is a constant battle in our career and in some cases can be a career-ender.”
We were hesitant to ask hairstylists to give a kneeling chair a try since typically the job is done either stand or on a rolling stool, but Toni and Tyler humoured us and we all were surprised by their reaction!
They specifically asked to try our Amsterdam model- they loved the rocking that the Austin offered, but thought that the faux-leather cushions of the Amsterdam would be easier to keep clean in the workplace.
We were curious about how they normally cope with pain and how they thought using a kneeling chair might help with it. They told us, “Massage and yoga are typically how we try and treat our soreness, so adding your chair will definitely help. Our backs are forced to stay upright and not contorted as they usually are when standing all day working.”
While using the chair for the first time told us that her hips are always really sore, she has always had really tight hips, and as soon as she sat down and experienced the open-angle the chair automatically placed her in, she felt comfortable. Both of them were thrilled at how much relief they felt in their lower backs.
If you’re in Austin and you are in need of your next fabulous haircut or color, make sure you give our friends Toni and Tyler a visit at Hair House ATX.
We have plenty more Austin Project blogs coming up with so many rad people. Make sure you check out the other issues here! You can also check us out on Instagram for more photos from the Kara Marie Collective and more from our conversation with Angie.
If you’re located in Austin and would like to be featured in future Austin Project blogs, please reach out to us directly at hello@sleekform.com.
You can shop The Amsterdam here.
