As an 18-year veteran stylist, Jessica Watts could say she has done and seen it all. But she wouldn’t say that because she hadn’t—at least she hadn’t yet experienced that absolutely perfect place to work. What she envisioned as the ideal creative space didn’t exist in Dallas, so Watts set out to create it with the April 2021 opening of Facture Salon in the city’s esteemed Design District. “Facture’s a place for people to see and feel more than just hair. We’re surrounded by incredible art galleries, so I wanted that idea to extend into the space,” Watts says. “I work with people who have a lot more to talk about than simply what a client’s hair color is going to look like! Our guests look to us for advice on so much more: where to shop, where to buy art, where to travel, etc.”
As an 18-year veteran stylist, Jessica Watts could say she has done and seen it all. But she wouldn’t say that because she hadn’t—at least she hadn’t yet experienced that absolutely perfect place to work. What she envisioned as the ideal creative space didn’t exist in Dallas, so Watts set out to create it with the April 2021 opening of Facture Salon in the city’s esteemed Design District. “Facture’s a place for people to see and feel more than just hair. We’re surrounded by incredible art galleries, so I wanted that idea to extend into the space,” Watts says. “I work with people who have a lot more to talk about than simply what a client’s hair color is going to look like! Our guests look to us for advice on so much more: where to shop, where to buy art, where to travel, etc.”
One look around Facture Salon, and the idea of a curated art exhibit begins to take shape. Watts, a lover of the ’80s-era Memphis Design movement in interior design, skipped the typical “spa route” of serene details in favor of a space that exudes joy through quirky furniture pieces that double as art, like a bold Gufram Bocca Lips sofa. “I love the Memphis Design movement because it’s colorful, wacky and playful; it just makes me happy!” Watts exclaims. She can trace the beginning of her fandom to the 1986-1990 live-action children’s show Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, which featured zany set design and a talking armchair named “Chairry” among other personified furniture and appliances. “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse is a Memphis Movement lover’s dream! I watched that show religiously every Saturday morning and, when I decided to open Facture, I wanted people to have a similar feeling as I did when I watched the show,” she says. “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse made me excited! That’s how I want people to feel at Facture Salon.”
And while that aforementioned Bocca sofa doesn’t quite talk like Chairry, it does hold court as the salon’s centerpiece. “When the original designer collaborated with an outdoor furniture company to make the hard (more durable and stain resistant) version of it, it was a no-brainer for me to buy it. I wanted color and shape in the salon,” says Watts. Shape also comes in the form of a bulbous tangerine sofa and electric blue and grape-colored chairs by Roche Bobois as well as a black cactus sculpture, another Gufram piece. “I am in love with Gufram. The cactus is a sculptural piece that was a must-have when I started conceptualizing the salon,” she says.
While standout pieces speckle the space (think: a partially eaten corn-on-the-cob side table), Watts kept the workstations and shampoo area simple. Custom mirrors suspended from the ceiling hang next to movable stainless steel workstations. “I love stainless steel; it’s easy to keep clean and so sleek-looking,” she says. The shampoo area features four large photographs—and little else—to give patrons something beautiful to look at as they recline.
This simplicity spills over into how Watts runs her salon. “It’s simple for me. I wanted everyone in the space to be happy. I wanted a totally streamlined business. No phones. No reception. Online booking only. The absolute worst part of a salon, in my opinion, is dealing with a not-so-great front desk… listening to a phone ring every minute can be terrible,” she opines. “I wanted a business where clients could park easily, walk in the door and be able to see their stylist.” So she created her space—and the clients have come.
The details
Number of Chairs: 8
RETAIL HAIR LINES: Playa, David Mallett, Leonor Greyl, May11, Balmain, and more
COLOR LINE: L’Oréal Professionnel
POPULAR SERVICE: “Dry haircuts are becoming more and more popular. My clients are busy, and this service is time-efficient. Guests want to know they can walk in and out in 30 minutes with a badass haircut,” says Watts.
WHAT’S UNIQUE
The Name Says It All: Facture gets its name from a local street. “It just so happens that when I looked up what Facture meant, it was like lightning struck me,” says Watts. The definition: the manner in which something, especially a work of art, is created. “Duh! That was it for me,” she laughs.
Separate, But Together: There’s no “staff,” per se: “We’re family. We’re all independent contractors with many years of experience. The main perk is that we share this space. No one ‘owns’ it. It’s ours,” Watts says.
Loosen Up: Watts describes her working style as “loose, easy, organic, but fresh.” She prides herself on the experience. “Clients can come in for a tiny little trim, but our artists will have so much fun doing it!” she exclaims.