Get Glam at The Disco Dolls

If you just need your hair cut, go to the hair salons scattered throughout South Tampa. If you need to revamp your style, visit The Disco Dolls.

The hair and fashion studio, located at 408 North Howard Ave., handles all aspects of style – from hair and make-up to fashion consultation, design and alterations.

The roots of The Disco Dolls can be traced to the collaboration between stylist and make-up artist Kristine Bush and stylist Maxwell Maisano. A hair color specialist, Bush met up with Maisano who was working for the beauty institute Aveda as an educator. In fact, Maisano developed the curriculum for the cosmetology program.

Wanting to deliver a different kind of salon experience, the pair left in 2009 and rented a space at Studio G, a small South Tampa salon in a renovated house off Azeele Street. It was then that Kristine’s younger sister Leigh Anne Balzekas, who had worked as a fashion designer both locally and in Chicago, joined the fold. The Disco Dolls brand emerged from this coalition – a personalized, three-prong approach to style that comprises hair, makeup and fashion design. The trio’s newest studio on North Howard celebrated its grand opening in mid-June.

“I’d like to look at ourselves as sort of image crafters” said stylist Maxwell Maisano.

The Disco Dolls Studio offers a variety of services rare at most salons. In addition to full salon service, the studio also offers make-up services for special events or photo shoots held at the studio or on location. Designer Leigh Anne Balzekas provides alterations, wardrobe consulting and personal shopping. (The most common style faux pas she sees is people trying to wear what’s trendy instead of what fits them right.)

Weaving ethics and frugality into their business is also imperative to the artists at Disco Dolls. Balzekas feels the fashion industry is one of frivolous consumption, and so she only uses recycled fabric in her designs. In the same vein, the Dolls’ Howard Avenue studio is located in a former warehouse renovated for commercial use.  

“We take an ethical stance in everything we do,” said Balzekas. “Working for something you believe in is definitely important.”

For the grand opening, the studio unveiled its new clothing line for the fall of 2011. The line, named “gypsy camp,” consists of lots of cream, green and brown pieces accented with funky paisley and floral prints. The materials consist mostly of reused taffeta, silk dupioni, and patterned fabric found in thrift stores. Pieces from the fall line will become available for purchase in September.

Also in September, the Disco Dolls will merge part of its studio with next door’s Arjuna boutique which sells fair-trade goods, handmade items, and organic skincare products. According to the Dolls trio, this merger facilitates a flow between two businesses that share philosophies about creating their own culture and community within their customer base.