Black & White

Black & White is a hair and beauty salon at Stampfenbachstrasse 146 in Zurich, founded in 1969 and run by its owners Karl Jung and Ivano Romano. The homepage describes the salon as a pioneer of the unisex salon in Zurich and says it is now proud to be Europe's first climate-neutral beauty salon. Its bridal page sets out three packages with prices, Silber, Gold and Diamant, which makes it one of the few salons in this directory where a couple can compare wedding options and costs before getting in touch. The site is in German.

Three bridal packages

The bridal page opens with congratulations on your "Ja" and a promise of an option for every budget. Each package is described in its own section.

Bridal Silber, CHF 245. The page pitches this at brides with a smaller budget who still want a full service. In the salon in Zurich, experienced stylists create a bridal hairstyle, the bridal makeup is matched to your wishes and features, and the package includes lash extensions as a highlight. The page states plainly that this package is offered without a trial hairstyle ("ohne Probefrisur"), so the first time you see the finished look is on the day.

Bridal Gold, CHF 535. This package covers an individual bridal hairstyle, professional bridal makeup and lash extensions, and adds a detailed trial hairstyling with makeup. The page states that the price of CHF 535.00 includes the trial hairstyle with makeup in the salon in Zurich. It describes the hairstyle on the day as romantic, classic or modern, depending on the bride.

Bridal Diamant, from CHF 859. This is the package for a wedding away from the salon. The page says it is tailored to brides who celebrate at a remote location, at home or in a hotel, and it guarantees that the required number of stylists will be on location on the day. The package begins with a detailed consultation and a trial hairstyle in the salon in Zurich, and includes hair extensions for volume and hair accessories to complete the look. The page notes that the price starts at CHF 859 and that travel costs and additional stylings are not included.

The Diamant section does not repeat the makeup and lash extensions listed in the other two packages, so a bride choosing it should confirm what makeup it includes. The page also does not say whether the Silber and Gold packages can be done anywhere other than the salon; as described, Diamant is the only package with stylists coming to you.

The preparation checklist

The bridal page includes a checklist, also offered as a download, for the weeks and the morning before the wedding. For preparation it lists: book a trial appointment, refresh your hair color, a hair mask, tint brows and lashes, sort out hair accessories, and on the evening before, wash your hair with conditioner and then use a little styling mousse. For the wedding morning it lists: your usual facial care, the right choice of top, no bra to avoid marks, and bringing your hair accessories and veil.

It is a short list, but it answers practical questions a bride from abroad may not think to ask, especially about how to arrive with her hair on the morning.

The salon and its team

The homepage describes an owner-led team that sets great store by continuing education, and invites clients to visit the salon "im Herzen Zürichs", in the heart of Zurich. It has a separate Team page and a section called Beauty World, which it describes as a collection of beauty shops with their own products and services, where you can book appointments directly. The homepage also lists makeup for everyday, special occasions or a wedding among its services.

The homepage carries a long run of client reviews, mostly for everyday hair work, naming stylists including Mary, Marina, Nicole, Flavia, Janine, Renate, Filomena and Larissa. One client says she has been with Black & White for about 50 years and gets a short cut from Ivano every five weeks or so; another writes in English that he has been going for over 10 years. One reviewer says she comes from Interlaken to have her extensions put in and taken out, and mentions coffee and small snacks during the appointment. Several reviews praise the salon's extension work, which is relevant because the Diamant package includes extensions.

Hours and contact

The salon opens Monday from 08:00 to 20:00, Tuesday from 08:00 to 19:00, Wednesday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturday from 07:30 to 15:30. Contact is by phone at 044 363 66 00 or by email at contact@blackandwhite.ch, and the bridal page has a "Jetzt buchen" (book now) button and invites you to call. For the Diamant package it suggests arranging a consultation appointment in the salon.

What the site does not settle

The site does not say which languages the stylists work in. One review on the homepage is in English, but the salon itself makes no statement about English. It does not say how far ahead a wedding should be booked, whether there is a deposit, or what the cancellation terms are. For the Diamant package it does not give travel rates or the price of the additional stylings it excludes, so a wedding outside Zurich needs a quote. For bridesmaids and mothers it names no price: the Diamant guarantee covers enough stylists on location, but the page does not say what styling a guest costs. And it does not say how long the Silber or Gold appointment takes on the wedding morning.

Who it suits

Black & White suits a bride marrying in or near Zurich who wants to compare published prices and pick a level of service. Silber is a clear, fixed price for a bride confident enough to skip the trial; Gold adds the trial with makeup; Diamant is the choice for getting ready at a hotel, at home or at a remote venue, with the salon guaranteeing enough stylists on location.

The caveats are that the site is German-only, that Diamant is a starting price with travel and extra stylings on top, and that Silber has no trial at all. A couple planning from abroad should confirm the language, the Diamant quote for their venue and the timing of the trial before booking.