Renata Schiavo, her sister Michele, and their mother Niva weren’t beauty professionals before moving from Brazil to Portugal, but they knew exactly what they wanted when it came to hair – and that’s exactly what they decided to offer Art.Z clients. The salon first opened in 2020 at Saldanha and, two years later, added a second location in Campo Pequeno. “We were all avid beauty consumers and wanted a complete experience, where service is essential. The market was a bit stagnant, everything looked the same. Here, it couldn’t be just hair: there had to be coffee, pão de queijo, cake – like at grandma’s house. Maybe even champagne”, Renata explains.
Third time’s the charm, and now the Schiavo family has arrived in Estoril – bringing everything with them. “Wellness has had a huge impact recently. We realised we have to look at women holistically, as a whole – not just the hair,” continues the spokesperson, who drew inspiration from New York’s Soho House to create a kind of members’ club on the coast. “We’ve had our eye on Cascais for a long time – and here, it makes perfect sense to offer this integrated care, which can even include a moment of physical exercise for overall well-being”.
The space in Arcadas do Parque, which for decades housed the concept store Espace Cannelle (now relocated to central Cascais), is unrecognisable as the new Art.Z Wellness Club. The club offers a Mediterranean-inspired environment, distinct from the older, urban siblings: lighter tones, stone walls evoking nearby beaches, olive trees and other plants, hanging lamps, terracotta pieces, and bossa nova playing in the background.
The ground floor is dedicated to hair – the heart of the brand – with a diagnostic area, cut and colour stations, and a washing zone. Downstairs, there’s more hair space, but also a huge makeup table and a hair treatment room, whose lighting and interior design evoke a sunset. “It’s almost a hair spa, a relaxation area with a reclining chair”, explains Renata.
Soon, on the same floor, there will be a medical consultation room offering specialities such as Nutrition, alongside a facial gymnastics area – Renata’s current pride and joy. “On a trip to London, Michele and I came across this concept – and we didn’t rest until we brought it to Art.Z. If we exercise our bodies, why shouldn’t we exercise our faces?” asks Renata, who has partnered with the Spanish brand Work Your Face to operate in Estoril from December, with sessions ranging from €35 to €100. “We’ve disrupted again”, she adds proudly, with a smile.
Pilates boutique
Next door – and with direct access from inside the hair salon – lies the new The Reformer Lab, which already has pilates studios in Santos and Amoreiras, Lisbon. “Estoril was a natural choice in our expansion process. We found a very unique energy here – calm, sophisticated, and active – perfectly aligned with our philosophy”, says founder Isabella Solal-Céligny. The partnership with Art.Z felt more than natural. “We wanted to team up with an already recognised brand”, adds Renata, explaining that wellness club members will also have access to the pilates classes.
At the entrance, The Coffee will open very soon, offering a spot to relax before, during, or after hair treatments and pilates sessions. Upstairs is the bright studio with ten reformer machines. There’s also space for male and female changing rooms, and an infrared sauna, designed to detox the body and improve skin and muscle elasticity (€30 for a 30-minute session).
Classes in Builder, Power, Master, Booty, and Men’s Lab are mostly taught in English, with prices ranging from €90 (four sessions/month) to €310 (unlimited). There are also packs of three to fifty classes, priced between €95 and €1,100. Club members enjoy special rates that include everything these neighbouring spaces have to offer.
Rua Clotilde, 52, Arcadas do Parque (Estoril). 21 467 1292. Mon 09.00–18.00, Tue–Sat 09.00–20.00