Alina Friesen ( formerly Sulaiman) is one of Vancouver's busiest and best stylists, and is Creative Director to Michael Levine
Salons.
Alina started her hairdressing career as an apprentice and personal assistant to Michael Levine while still in high
school, at the young age of 16. By the time she was 17 years old, it was clear she was someone very special and was going
to make a big impact in the hairdressing world, working 6 days a week and absorbing everything she could all day long.
After
finishing high school, Alina was given a chair at Caramel, where she quickly became one of the salon's busiest stylists. A year later,
Alina rejoined Michael at the Statik location and it was at this point Alina started working on her creative side, doing hair
for editorial shoots and fashion shows whenever she could. It was also this period that Alina's salon work on clients began to
evolve and mature, and she became the go-to person in Vancouver.
Michael saw that Alina had the drive, passion and focus
to become an influential figure in the company and a superstar stylist but he knew she needed more mentorship so he
started sending her for training in under some of the great stylists in North America, including Vivienne Mackinder, Darian Bishop,
Edwin Johnston, Harry Josh, DJ Muldoon, Charlie Price, Oribe, Robert Cromeans and many, many others. It was through these sessions
that Alina's creative work grew to a level of sophistication few artists ever hope to achieve.
In 2010, the editors of Salon
Magazine awarded Alina Sulaiman Canadian Hairdresser Of The Year- Newcomer for her photographic work, and she was a finalist for the
Mirror Award's Canadian Avant Garde Stylist Of The Year. And judging the work she has done on dozens of models so far, it
looks like 2011 could be another big year for Alina. She has been nominated for Canadian Hairdresser Of The Year, British Columbia
Hairdresser Of The Year and led the Michael Levine Salon Group's creative team to a Salon Team of the Year nomination. Amazing accomplishments
for a prodigious talent.
Alina shares her passion and knowledge for editorial work by teaching all the photoshoot sessions
at the Vancouver Hairdressing Academy and by organizing and mentoring all A Michael Levine Salon team's creative sessions.
Alina
Friesen is an expert in all facets of hairstyling and sees clients at Space Salon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
and Saturdays.
To book a hair service or consultation with Alina, please call 604.681.1444
