For generations, Black women have shaped culture with our hair. It’s been a site of power, pride, protest, and presence. But behind the sculpted coils, silk presses, and 30-inch bundles lies a deeper reality—one where beauty comes with labor, cost, and too often, disrespect. Too many Black women know the experience of sitting in a salon chair for hours, only to leave feeling like they paid for more than they received. Not just in dollars, but in dignity.
That experience is familiar to Deja Pryor.
A Detroit native, Pryor grew up watching the women around her care for themselves with limited options and little affirmation. The salon was sacred, but it wasn’t always safe. Beauty stores were stocked with products that didn’t last and stylists who didn’t listen. Customer service often took a back seat to rushed appointments and overbooked chairs. Black women, despite being the largest spenders in the hair care economy, were too often treated like afterthoughts in a market we built.
That disconnect stayed with Pryor. Not as a complaint, but as a calling.
In 2024, she opened Monet Allure Hairline—a luxury beauty brand and salon created with one clear mission: to restore the respect, quality, and care Black women deserve when investing in themselves. She didn’t want to just sell hair. She wanted to build an experience that honored the brilliance of the women she served.
“Monet Allure was built to give women an experience that feels just as luxurious as the hair they’re investing in,” said Pryor. “I’ve always believed that beauty is about more than just the final look—it’s about how you feel while you’re getting there.”
At Monet Allure, the goal is not just to provide premium raw Vietnamese bundles. It’s to reimagine the entire beauty process—from walking in, to being consulted with care, to walking out feeling affirmed and seen. Pryor modeled her service approach after luxury boutiques and high-end car dealerships. The ones where a customer’s time and preferences are treated with intention. Where spending comes with substance.
“We spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, on our hair—just like we do on designer bags or luxury cars,” Pryor said. “But the level of service often doesn’t match the price. I wanted to change that. I built Monet Allure to be a space where women feel like they’re making an investment in themselves, and where the experience is just as beautiful as the hair.”
That level of care is what many Black women have been seeking but rarely find. Not just a style, but a space. A space where no one is rushing them out. A space where their questions aren’t dismissed. A space where luxury is not coded through whiteness, but shaped around their presence.
Pryor believes that excellence should never come at the cost of authenticity. That belief will be front and center on Sunday, August 3, when Monet Allure celebrates its one-year anniversary and product launch with a free community event in Royal Oak. The salon will open its doors to Detroiters, beauty lovers, and influencers for an experience that reflects what the brand stands for—empowerment, service, and connection.
The event will take place from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Monet Allure Salon, located at 25766 Woodward Avenue. Guests can RSVP for free at https://partiful.com/e/AVel8ypdJo1WIx9ZKAES.
The celebration will include a private luxury shopping experience featuring Monet Allure’s premium raw hair line, a live panel moderated by beauty expert Ask Jenn, music by Detroit’s own DJ Completd, curated cuisine from local vendors, and an exclusive VIP lounge. Attendees can also enjoy champagne and guided consultations to find the right textures and styles for their needs.
While the experience is elevated, the purpose stays grounded. A portion of proceeds from the event will benefit Alternatives for Girls, a Detroit-based nonprofit that supports young women facing homelessness, abuse, and other life-threatening challenges.
“Partnering with Alternatives for Girls for this event is personal,” Pryor said. “I’ve always had a heart for young women navigating tough situations, and I know firsthand how much it can mean to have someone believe in you when you’re at your lowest. Giving a portion of our proceeds to an organization that provides shelter, resources, and support is just one way we can use this brand to do something bigger than business.”
For Pryor, growth doesn’t mean leaving Detroit behind. It means giving back, on purpose. The salon sits in Royal Oak, but its heartbeat is Detroit. Its roots are in the same streets and salons that shaped her. And the women who walk through her doors now are not just customers—they’re reflections of a culture that has always made something out of nothing.
Pryor’s mission reflects something many Black women have long understood. Hair is not just about vanity. It’s about history. It’s about ownership. And when done right, it becomes a tool for healing, legacy, and freedom.
Monet Allure Hairline offers premium textures and lengths in raw Vietnamese hair, built to last longer and blend better with textured hair. But what Pryor is building goes beyond inventory. She’s building a beauty experience that centers Black women—not as an afterthought, but as the blueprint.
In a time when many beauty spaces still cater to a standard we were never meant to fit, Pryor is carving out something that feels true. Something that welcomes Black women with care and serves them with pride.
Because investing in yourself should never feel like settling.
