Ridgewood hairstylist-turned-reality-TV superstar Tabatha Coffey is the industry's undeniable golden girl, an artist whose no-nonsense intensity has won her legions of fans around the world. Incredibly, she has nearly 25,000 Facebook fans and 8,000 Twitter followers (and counting), who profess their love and admiration in posts that pop up throughout the day, all day, every day. Given her celebrity, that's not all that surprising. What's really amazing is that Coffey answers every post. "I really appreciate the support of my fans and it is my pleasure to answer their questions," she says.

Born in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, Coffey can't remember a time she wasn't interested in hair. "I was the kid who was always playing with and cutting her dolls' hair. When I was 10, I begged my parents for French Vogue magazine and I would fall asleep with it. I was always fascinated with hair and makeup," she says.

Following a four-year apprenticeship in Australia and three years of training in London, Coffey moved to the U.S., settling in Ridgewood, where she worked, and then opened her own salon, Industrie Hair Gurus in 2003. "I chose Ridgewood because I loved the town. It has lots of character and a sense of community," she notes.

A Star in the Making
In 2007, her fascination with hair led her to try out for the first season of Bravo's reality show Shear Genius. She was voted "Fan Favorite" by viewers who fell in love with the edgy hairstylist who was energetic, sincere and unapologetic. A year later, Coffey was approached by Bravo to star in her own series, Tabatha's Salon Takeover. The show just wrapped Season 2, in which Coffey travels to salons in Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami "helping the salon owners and staff get their passion back and helping them get their businesses on track," she says. Tapping her hairdressing and business expertise to dole out doses of tough love to salon owners in danger of closing, she devotes "whatever time is needed to make the show."

Though she's frequently in Ridgewood, the show and her other commitments keep her increasingly on the road. Since 1997, she's been a platform artist for Joico International, a post that involves touring various countries up to 12 times a year doing hair shows that allow her to showcase her talent and train aspiring hairdressers. She's also in demand behind the scenes at high-profile events like the Golden Globes and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, where she coifs the tresses of A-list luminaries. In between, she's also found time to appear on hit shows including Make Me a Supermodel, The Tyra Banks Show and The Biggest Loser.

Despite her hectic schedule, Coffey still welcomes the opportunity to greet a new client (though she books three to four months out), to be an inspiring role model to her salon's five senior stylists and support staff and to give back to the community. She and her team regularly hold cut-a-thons for local charities and organizations, including the Daniel J. Fiddle Foundation and, most recently, the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey's International Response Fund for Haitian Relief. Through it all, her desire remains the same. "For me, it is all about the clients and making them look and feel great," she says.  

Great Style

Coffey regularly teams up with Tomorrows Children's Fund at Hackensack University Medical Center, styling the wigs of young cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. She also spends time teaching the children how to care for and style their wigs and, later, shares styling tips for managing their own hair as it begins to grow back in following treatment. "Working with the Tomorrows Children's Fund is a pleasure as it's hard enough for kids to feel like they fit in. And being able to make them feel like they look themselves again, by styling their wigs, helps to boost their confidence when they return to school and life," Coffey says.