With the cutting of a long braid "ribbon" using hairstylist shears, L’Oréal Professional Products has officially unveiled its new flagship L’Oréal Academy in the trendy Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City.
The brand says its ambitious, high-tech, 13K-square-foot creative epicenter signals a new era for professional beauty education. Its recent launch party for the academy included live music and a runway show as part of a celebration of craft, creativity, and future-forward design.
Rooted in more than a century of salon heritage, the Academy positions itself as an artistic hub and a “global benchmark for technical mastery.” Designed for licensed hair professionals, the space offers advanced education that spans creativity, business, and technology.
“Opening this state-of-the-art Academy dedicated to the professional is another strategic step in building long-term growth for this amazing profession,” says David Greenberg, Chairman, L'Oréal USA.
“Education has always been the heartbeat of our industry, but as our customers’ needs evolve, we must continue to raise the bar by answering in new and exciting ways.”
The opening marked a symbolic relocation of the brand’s Redken Exchange academy from Fifth Avenue to Hudson Yards, uniting L’Oréal’s professional brand portfolio under one roof near the company's headquarters.
The brand contends that alongside its El Segundo, CA academy, the new flagship establishes the largest professional salon education footprint in the U.S.
The Academy will host up to 30K classes annually, with costs ranging from $150 to $5K. The curriculum ranges from foundational skills to advanced training and certification led by 750 elite educators such as Sam Villa, Min Kim, and Michelle O’Connor, plus hybrid global masterclasses and influencer partner-led classes.
Designed by global firm Gensler, the LEED Gold-certified space features “true color” lighting, water-saving faucets, movable acoustic walls, high-def cameras for live streaming, and ADA-compliant stations. A custom installation by New York artist Eric Haze anchors the space visually.
“By fusing metropolitan style with intentional design, we’ve created a birthplace for tomorrow’s trends,” says Leslie Marino, President of L'Oréal Professional Products Division for the U.S.
The Professional Products Division has a 115-year history and encompasses the eponymous L'Oréal Professional brand along with Redken, Kérastase, Mizani, Matrix, Color Wow, Biolage, Pulp Riot, Pureology, and Shu Uemura Art of Hair.
The company says it reaches 31% of the U.S. hairstylist population.
“Meeting the needs of hairstylists, whether employees or independent, has always been the Division’s priority,” says the brand, which has been adapting its professional outreach to the rise of independent stylists in the U.S. and U.K.