Sydney Salon Scandal: Bride Receives Cruel Hair Comments Meant for Staff
A prominent figure in Sydney's celebrity hair salon scene has finally addressed the controversy surrounding scathing comments about a bride's wedding day hairstyle that went viral after being accidentally sent to the bride herself. Marilyn Koch, co-founder and matriarch behind the renowned Double Bay hairstylist Joh Bailey, spoke out after the hurtful messages were read by newlywed Jessica Leis.
The Unfortunate Group Chat Incident
Ms Leis had employed the salon to style her bridesmaids for the luxury wedding at La Gemme Estate, a French château in the NSW Southern Highlands, during late last month. Ms Koch believed she was privately messaging staff in a group chat after Ms Leis hired the salon for her bridal party, but not for the bride's own hair. However, the bride remained in the group chat, leading to the accidental exposure of disparaging remarks.
When approached by the Daily Mail at her flagship salon on Thursday, Ms Koch attempted to distance herself from the scandal. 'Darling, we don't speak about our clients, that's our company policy,' she stated firmly. 'We love our clients and we don't speak about them. We're not getting involved, we run a good, healthy business. We're busy, we love our clients... that's it.'
The Viral TikTok Revelation
The saga came to public attention after a friend of Ms Leis shared a TikTok video captioned: 'POV: Your hairdresser forgot to remove you from the group chat on your wedding day…' The video included screenshots that appeared to show a photo of the bride followed by a string of catty remarks. One message read: 'Have you ever? Worst hair!' followed by 'They missed out! Idiots. The husband looks awful also xx.'
Another stylist chimed in with a disparaging comment about the bridesmaids' dresses, stating: 'Those dresses are so w***y yum.' Ms Leis replied with a pointed 'thanks' and a kissing-face emoji, prompting the chat's tone to shift dramatically as Koch attempted to mitigate the damage. 'All look happy that's the best thing,' she responded. 'What we think doesn't matter. Thanks for all your efforts.'
Industry Fallout and Emotional Reactions
Joh Bailey was responsible for styling the bridesmaids' hair, while bride Jessica Leis was styled by Dom Pelli. Groom Jay Fink, co-founder of popular cafe S'WICH in Bondi and Redfern, was unaware he had also been criticized in the message exchange until approached by the Daily Mail. 'Was I? Yeah, I don't want to get involved,' he said on Thursday. He was later seen engaging in an emotional phone call, understood to be with his newlywed wife, appearing visibly shocked with his hands covering his mouth.
Hairstylist Dom Pelli, who styled Ms Leis and her mother's hair for the wedding, addressed the scandal on social media. 'It was sad to see this hairdresser has rubbished my work and the worst hair she had ever seen, that cut me up a little bit,' he shared on his TikTok account. 'We had one job to do, hers was to do the bridesmaids, mine was to look after the bride and the mum.'
Pelli emphasized his expertise in bridal hairstyling, noting: 'I do this every weekend. I've worked hard to find my place in the bridal industry. Most of the brides I do aren't my clients - they're not reaching out to their hairdressers, they're reaching out to someone in bridal.'
Aftermath and Client Consequences
Since the message scandal erupted, Ms Leis, who works nearby at a local medical practice, is now believed to have switched to a rival Double Bay hairdresser for her regular styling. The newlyweds had married at a lavish ceremony featuring 11 bridesmaids dressed in yellow floor-length gowns with neck ties and oversized bows at the back. The bride wore a strapless lace gown with a lace veil and corset back by Velani Couture.
The couple spared no expense on their wedding day, hiring After The Rock wedding planners, currently the preferred planners for Sydney's elite. The incident highlights the potential consequences of private communications becoming public in the age of social media, particularly within the competitive beauty and bridal industries.
