Layla

Layla Dudley

Layla is not your average hairdresser, in fact it is her third “career” in her brief thirty-something years on the planet.  She attended Whitman college, graduating in 1999 with a BA in Biology and Minor in Chemistry.  She has the mind of a scientist, but career wise, her creative side won the battle for her heart.  Her first foray into the working world included stem cell research and clinical research into diet and age related eye disease at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR.  At the same time, Layla was building an underground following in Portland’s rave and club scene as DJ Velo, where she eventually met her husband and current business partner, Jeff (aka DJ Jeffe).  Together in 2003, they toured the Pacific coast on their bicycles, moved to Eugene, and founded TrueLove Sound (www.truelovesound.com), a thriving and innovative mobile entertainment company specializing in weddings.

In Eugene, Layla was exposed to the tribal bellydance scene and immersed in the costuming aesthetic. She began creating unique hair adornments for her local bellydance community in 2005.  Her skill quickly grew and expanded to offer realistic looking synthetic dreadlock falls and extensions that were sought after by dancers, performers, and festival goers worldwide including customers in Canada, Australia and the UK as well as all over the United States.  Wanting to expand her offerings, in 2007- 2008, Layla attended school for hair design and fell in love with the craft of hairdressing.

After 10 years of creating hair art, Layla is taking her craft to a new level.  She has attended the first in a series of advanced color seminars at the Wella Studio in Los Angeles, and has begun to compete nationally in styling competitions.  Networking with local photographers, makeup artists, and fashion designers, Layla is creating inspiring images that are gaining the attention of publications such as Surreal Beauty.

She is currently locking, cutting, coloring, and styling all kinds of clients at London Salon and Spa in the heart of Downtown Eugene, Oregon.  In her limited free time she indulges her love of gardening, cycling, dancing, and yoga.    She is the mother of one wonderful son, Zed, and considers it her mission to empower her community, one brave head of hair at a time!