About Kirsten Imani

The Stylist Behind KI Studios

Meet Kirsten Imani

Hi, I'm Kirsten! I'm a Chicago based hairstylist, entrepreneur, and the woman behind Kirsten Imani Hair and KI Studios.

My love for hair started when I was about 15, teaching myself how to braid, curl, and style hair by practicing on my sisters. At the time, it was just something I genuinely enjoyed doing. I had no idea that something I started as a hobby would eventually turn into the career and business I have today.

I originally enrolled in cosmetology school in 2014, but like most things in life, everything didn't go exactly as planned. I ended up putting school on hold and taking a completely different career path. Although I spent several years working in corporate America, my love for hair never really went away.

In 2020, I finally decided it was time to finish what I started. I graduated from Paul Mitchell that same year and, against just about everyone's advice, opened my very first salon suite with absolutely no clientele. Looking back, it probably wasn't the most practical decision, but I knew that if I was going to do this, I wanted to give myself a real chance.

Not long after, one of my TikTok videos went viral, and things started taking off faster than I ever expected. What began in a small salon suite eventually grew into KI Studios, my private luxury salon that I opened in Chicago in 2023.

Today, I specialize in luxury hair extensions, creating natural looking, seamless results that allow women to look and feel their best. I've also had the opportunity to share what I've learned with other stylists, which has become another part of my career that I genuinely love.

Outside of the salon, I'm usually spending time with family, traveling, or coming up with another idea that I'll probably convince myself I need to bring to life.

If there's one thing my journey has taught me, it's that you don't have to have everything figured out to get started. Sometimes things don't happen when or how you originally imagined, and that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't meant for you. I've had to take chances, figure things out as I went, and trust myself even when things didn't make complete sense to everyone else.

I'm proud of what I've built, but even more grateful for everything I've learned along the way. And while I have no idea exactly what the next chapter will look like, I know there's still so much more I want to accomplish.

Xoxo,