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Cholo Chic: Inside ese essence

Salon owners inspired by hair-raising trend

Cholo Chic is "in" and crossing over cultures, from big-hair styles to fashion to entertainment.

Once used to describe the tougher men and women of Mexican American culture, modern Cholo Chic is an emerging style and inspiration. For example, Gwen Stefani uses Cholo fashion and attitude onstage.

Cholo has gone mainstream, according to Perry Monge, who owns the Perry Monge Salon at 3 S. 2nd St. in downtown Phoenix.

"This street-based style is percolating up to highly visible pop stars and to mainstream retailers like Gap and Henri Bendel," he says. "Juicy Couture, Rogan Designer Jeans and Madonna's Gap campaign are all infused with Cholo-style references."

Monge recruited this Latino Perspectives writer to model for a Cholo Chic hair show that will be judged in Los Angeles in April.

After being made up with smoky eyes, fire-engine red lips and a soulful "upsweep" 'do that would surely turn the heads of any vato, I was ready - this Chola chick had evolved. Now all I had to do was to pick a nickname like Sad Girl, Tweetie or Chona.

Both Monge and his wife Sandra, who serves as the salon's vice-president, say they are very proud of their Mexican American heritage.

"Given the expanding cultural clout of Latinos, it is not surprising that Cholo street style is crossing over," say the couple.

In preparation for Aveda's Master Jam Hollywood hair show, Monge  brought several rucas together for a photo shoot themed "Cholo Chic." But there was no carton of Aquanet hair spray found on this set. It was all about the free-style tease, natural tousles and geometrics.

The photographs and models will be seen at the Hollywood event, where international talent from the Aveda Global Education Network will come together for a day of inspired styling. Aveda's Master Jam Hollywood is the launch of the 2006 Spring/Summer collection.

Perry Monge, and his team have been asked to perform a technical presentation onstage as well as present a workshop on the art of cut, color and makeup. The Perry Monge salon is ranked among the top by the Intercoiffure America-Canada, an industry organization. It is the only Latino-owned Aveda Lifestyle Salon in the Valley.

"This is a collection that demands to be looked at and understood," Monge says.  "These hairstyles achieve incredible, sophisticated heights and disclose the influence of the Cholo inspiration."

To find out more, visit www.perrymongesalon.com or contact the salon at (602) 253-8885.