Christopher Catanese

Christopher Catanese, the Founder and Creative Director of Salon Frei, has spent more than twenty years in the beauty industry, with a focus on curly and textured hair. Before opening his own salon, he worked as a stylist, creative director and general manager at several boutique salons in New Jersey, and took on independent consulting work across the Tri-State Area. In 2005 he joined an internationally recognized creative team, rising to Education Director and later serving as Education Director for TIGI's International Creative Team. He has taught advanced haircutting in cities across the country, co-led cutting seminars and presented international collections on stage. His backstage credits include New York Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week. He has also created editorial collections and presented on the mainstage for BehindTheChair.com. His work has appeared in American Salon and The Colorist, and in 2023 he was named a Top 100 finalist at the One Shot Hair Awards in the Natural Texture, Shag Mullet and Fringe categories. He has a loyal client base.