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It can’t be easy for a salon that’s been trend setting since the late seventies to maintain its status as an arbiter of hipness, but the brains behind this outfit keep things fresh by aligning Bumble and bumble with up-and-coming designers, editorial creative directors, and Tinseltown’s hottest heads. Best known for popularizing the razor cut and helping to launch modeling careers with its trend-transcending looks, this salon’s snippers continue to push the styling envelope through ongoing education at the internal Bb University. While other salons may push the same “signature” look on every client, here the custom-created cut reigns supreme, and it’s a point of pride that the staff is as skillful with the consultation as they are with the scissors. Situated in a multi-story loft tower known as the “House of Bumble,” the downtown location offers the same deep menu of cut, color, styling, and conditioning treatments (the latter free with major services) as the more conservative, factory-like uptown flagship; the vibe downtown is also sexier and funkier. Those who’ve spent their style allowance at nearby Jeffrey or Alexander McQueen can still complete their look, gratis, by becoming a hair model for the salon’s academy. The vast, much-loved, and actually effective Bb product line is available at both locations. — Amanda Pressner