The Famous Redken Exchange Now Uses Peter Millard Salon Lighting

The Redken Exchange in NYC is an 11,000-square-foot-space that is an educational training facility for stylists and colorists from all over the world.  Salon professionals from all corners of the globe make their way to the Redken Exchange to learn the newest techniques, exchanging tips and ideas with other stylists as well as to  get the latest information on Redken haircare, haircolor and styling products.
           
With a sleek decor and full-length windows overlooking Fifth Avenue, this is the  industry’s leading resource for learning. On any given day the top stylists, colorists and salon owners provide hands on, interactive attention at what has been voted the Favorite Advanced Academy by the Stylists Choice Awards. 
           
Recently, the Redken Exhange remodeled its lighting and installed Peter Millard Salon Lighting. Created by the famous salon and retail designer Peter Millard, these amazing LED lights enable colorists and stylists to evaluate hair color as though they were standing outside.  The addition of Peter Millard Salon Lighting was a huge hit. Vice President of Education at Redken, Sherri Doss, stated that  “… there are a few things that are necessary for EVERY colorist to experience success:  a client, a great color line and the right lighting to ensure the color looks as good on the street as it did in the salon.  With Peter Millard lighting, we are able to train the eye of the colorists when they walk into the Redken Exchange and arm them with success when they go back to the salon.    Every salon needs this lighting!!”

Yidah Pellerito,  Manager of the Redken Exchange,  explained that since the Exchange opened, “ … we always knew that we had issues with the lighting in terms of getting a good read on color, even though we have entire walls of floor to ceiling glass.  The light, like the weather and the time, was always changing.  Fluorescent was cold and wrong.  Incandescent was too warm, halogen was far too hot.  The problem remained;  when the students and the instructors can’t see the color, how can you teach?  It was a constant challenge. Now, it is hardly possible to say how amazing working and teaching under these lights is.  We love it!  We would never think of going back to anything else.  We spent a lot of money to do 50 stations, but it was worth every cent invested.  Now, we wouldn’t teach a color class at the Exchange without it.”          
                             
 Brent Borreson,  Redken Exchange Educator and Main Stage Performing Artist, got his first look at the Peter Millard Salon Lighting while prepping for the Grand Opening of the 2013 Redken Symposium.   Borreson  was very impressed with the new lighting.  “I was able to get an accurate read on all of the color we were working on, and was very aware of the total lack of eye strain, after putting in four days of 12 to 14 hours of tedious work!”   
           
 Traditionally, salon lighting is a big challenge. Providing adequate light to see what you are doing, judge color and not cast shadows that can make your client look and feel tired is a tall order.  “How this lighting does it, I will never know,” marveled  Lori Zabel  Redken Exchange Educator and Main Stage Performing Artist.  “This lighting is a real experience for a colorist to work under for the first time, because they will finally SEE what they are doing!  You don’t always know what is different, what has changed, right away.  But at some point you realize that you are relaxed, because your mind and eyes aren’t straining to judge what the color “really” looks like.  You’re just looking at it, and seeing it clearly.  What a relief!”                                                                                           

Zabel went on to say that the truest tones and levels come out under these lights, and that is amazing to see.  “ We have huge windows at the Redken Exchange and before Color Accurate Lighting was installed, the constantly changing outside light would affect how I would see the color.  From brilliant early light, to overcast days, to dusk and dark.  Now with Peter’s lighting, we don’t have that issue.”

The Redken Exchange not only installed the Peter Millard Salon lighting over the station chairs, they also installed them over the shampoo bowls.  As Zabel pointed out “ … this lighting over the shampoo bowls is just amazing!  Positioned right, the light doesn’t bother the clients’ eyes, and now I am can tell when the color is perfectly finished.  You have to see it to believe it.”

Zabel along with Borreson prepped together for the 2013 Redken symposium with Zabel pointing out that  “Brent and I prepped hair under these lights for our biggest show of the year! The Grand Opening at the Redken Symposium, which was a high pressure situation .  The best thing about working in the Exchange now, with the new lighting, was knowing that if the color was as perfect in Las Vegas as it was perfect under Peter’s lights , we knew  it would make the show!  It is hard to explain just how wonderful that feels"                          
 

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