Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Von Kuykendall.
Hi Alexis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Oakland and drawn to beauty from the start-hair, makeup, fashion, interiors, painting. Art was always the subject where I thrived, so after high school I followed that creative pull to study interior design in Santa Barbara. A few years in, I realized it wasn’t my path, so I moved to Los Angeles to pursue makeup artistry.
After graduating from Make-Up Designory in Burbank, I began working on set, but I found myself uninspired. People often asked if I could do hair as well, and at the time I couldn’t but I was young, curious, and ready to learn. I enrolled at Paul Mitchell in Sherman Oaks, and that choice changed everything. I found my community, my creative identity, and my passion.
After graduating, I taught briefly at a Paul Mitchell school in Colorado Springs before returning to California to work in a boutique salon in Santa Barbara. Still, I knew I wanted a higher level of education. I moved back to LA to assist at the Ken Paves Salon, where I learned more in one year than I could have in ten on my own. Surrounded by top-tier artists, traveling with Ken and his celebrity clients, I discovered what it meant to deliver a truly elevated experience.
From there, I continued growing at Bomane and then Ramirez Tran, working alongside incredibly talented artists, constantly collaborating and absorbing inspiration.
When the pandemic closed large salons, I found myself working inside smaller boutique spaces—and everything clicked. The slower pace, the intimacy, the grounding energy felt right for me and for my clients. It planted the seed for the kind of salon I wanted to create.
I reached out to my best friend and future Buisness partner, Anna Manessiotis, whom I met at Ken Paves and together we built Suna Atelier-a cozy, intentional, boutique space designed to feel like a home away from home.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely wasn’t a smooth road. I started my career very young, and I had to learn so many things at once—how to take care of myself, how to take care of clients, and how to navigate an industry that relies so heavily on connection. As an introvert, being “on” all day long was a huge adjustment. I had to learn how to be present for people without absorbing everything they were going through.
One of the biggest challenges was learning my own worth-setting boundaries, charging appropriately, and not feeling guilty for valuing my time and my craft. And because our industry evolves constantly, there’s always that pressure to keep learning, keep leveling up, and stay creatively fresh. The journey was full of bumps, but every struggle taught me something essential about resilience, confidence, and becoming the artist and Buisness owner I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Suna Atelier?
Suna is a boutique salon built around a single purpose: to offer an elevated, deeply intentional experience where beauty and well-being coexist. Clients often tell us that our salon has “the best energy” that it feels warm, grounding, calm, and safe the moment they step inside. That feeling is the heartbeat of our brand. It’s what we’re most proud of.
Our team is curated with great care. Every stylist at Suna brings extensive experience, but also a shared philosophy: collaboration over competition, generosity over ego, artistry over trends. We help one another, share techniques and formulas, and support each other in creating hair that feels luxurious, effortless, and authentic to each client.
What sets Suna apart is the level of thought put into every detail. From the neutral, calming color palette to the way the light fills the room, everything is designed to feel serene and grounding. Clients can enjoy tea, espresso, sparkling water, or wine; work comfortably with phone chargers and laptop desks; relax to soft instrumental music; breathe fresh air with the windows open; or unwind on a cozy couch with a friend, partner, or dog. Even our shampoo bowls were intentionally selected to protect the neck and create the gentlest possible experience. It’s luxury, but it’s warm, lived-in, and deeply human.
Our services reflect that same ethos. We specialize in natural, dimensional color, seamless extensions, effortless cuts, and healthy, beautiful hair that grows out gracefully. Everything we do is rooted in craftsmanship, personalization, and a deep respect for each individual who sits in our chair.
The name Suna-meaning “sand” in Japanese-captures the soul of our brand. Sand is constantly shaped and reshaped by nature. It moves, shifts, transforms. It reminds us of impermanence, evolution, and the beauty of change. At Suna, we honor that story and the ever-changing journey each client is on.
Suna is a sanctuary, a creative space, and a reflection of all the thoughtful moments that make people feel truly cared for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Suna-atelier.com
- Instagram: suna_atelier
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Abby Cox
