The artist behind the chair

Rafael’s career in luxury hair design began in 2011, when he was hand-selected from Mario Tricoci Hair University to join the finishing departments of Elizabeth Arden’s prestigious Red Door Spas across Deerfield, Northbrook Court, and Michigan Avenue. Specializing as a premier finishing stylist for their elite color clientele, he developed the signature speed, precision, and high-fashion eye that later made him an integral part of the original launch team for Drybar’s first iconic Chicago locations, anchoring his home base in Lincoln Park and launching their River North location.

Following the closure of Harpo Studios, a powerful shift occurred in the Chicago beauty landscape, and Rafael’s artistry was called back up to the North Shore when he was scouted for the elite styling team of Vivian Arpino, Oprah Winfrey’s long-standing head hair stylist, at BloOuts in Winnetka and Highland Park. This mastery came full circle when he returned to the Lincoln Park neighborhood where his city center career first ignited, spending half a decade as the Lead Stylist and Educator for Rachel Zoe’s iconic DreamDry Salon.

Now anchored weekly at a premier, full-service salon destination in Andersonville, his deep-seated passion for executing flawless, specialized custom blowouts remains the ultimate expression of his artistry.