Blondi's on Amsterdam, New York

Clad in a black shirt and necktie, master stylist Joseph Nasser works with a studious look on his face that resembles that of a master chess player who is thinking five moves ahead. His shirt stands out against the whitewashed background of his Upper West Side hair palace, Blondi's on Amsterdam. A Lebanon native, Joseph rose to styling distinction in New York by working as a John Sahag sculptor cutter. Now, as owner of his own salon, the grandmaster colorist surrounds himself with a skilled team of imaginative stylists, all armed to the bangs with an array of upscale Aveda products that stare out from sleek, backlit shelves.