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updated 9 Jul 2013, 10:16
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Tue, Jul 09, 2013
The New Paper
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David Gan turns heads with expanded salon
by Angeline Neo

LOVE him or hate him, master crimper David Gan is not a man you can be ambivalent about.

The man knows how to make waves.

Whether it is his strong defence of amount he charges for his services, his move to a $5 million apartment on Orchard Road, his outcry over poor service in Singapore or his attendance at red carpet events like the Oscars, David is constantly in the limelight.

Now, he is creating ripples again.

His hair salon, Passion, on the second storey of Palais Renaissance, has expanded. It now takes up the entire front length of that floor and sits on about 7,000 sq ft of space, clearly visible to passers-by and motor traffic on Orchard Road.

The salon is the biggest in Singapore right now. The minute you walk in, you will see a lobby with a wide video wall on which black-and-white movies are projected.

The new extension (which the Mumbai Sei boutique used to occupy) is where the main salon is. The 29-seater salon has eight washseats and eight private rooms.

Where the original Passion was is now the super-deluxe VIP annexe.

It has three private rooms, all with their own wash basin. The largest room even has an ensuite shower area and a massage chair.

This ultra-luxurious wing also houses a café andhas private display rooms for David’s jewellery label, Olivia, as well as a showroom for Muiik arm candy, the exotic-skins handbag line by former models Jessie Leong and Celia Teh.

The expansion cost David $2 million.

Double standard

To spend that kind of money on salon space might seem extravagant to some, but herein lies the double standard.

Would we criticise a spa owner or a plastic surgeon if he did the same? Unlikely.

When fashion houses open their flagship stores in new buildings like ION Orchard, the spending far exceeds what Gan has coughed uponhis salon expansion.

In fact, many people ooh-ed and ah-ed and could not wait to step into the big boutiques for retail therapy.

So why do we not support someone who has not only done well in the hairdressing industry, especially when he has raised standards here to world-class level?

Some might argue that it is because Gan courts controversy, especially on his blog, in which he makes honest comments on his daily encounters.

His comments sometimes are seen as being catty or vindictive. But that is the nature of blogs: They are vent platforms to express one’s thoughts and are not moderated by journalistic rules.

And just as there are good blogs, there are also the run-of-the-mill ones and the awful ones.

My encounters with David over the years have mostly been pleasant.

We have had our terse disagreements, purely on a professional level, as we have strong views about our chosen craft and the beauty and fashion industry.

As with all creative folk, David can be temperamental because he is so passionate about hairdressing.

Just as I have seen him flare up when things frustrate him, I have also seen him shed tears when his mother passed away, when those he holds dear hurt him and when things moved him.

He is a disciplinarian who runs a tight ship, but he is also generous with and kind to his staff. He gives them opportunities to grow and excel. The salon expansion is part of that room for their growth.

Despite only a primary school education, he is today a successful hairdresser, after toiling for more than 20 years.

He didn’t let his illiteracy handicap him. He learnt English, published a book a couple years back and started his own blog by hiring ghost writers (whose liberal expressions may sometimes have caused people to misconstrue his thoughts).

He has even been cited by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his talent and skill. Most importantly, he has put Singapore’s hairdressing on the world map, being called upon by Chinese actress Zhang Zhiyi for Oscar red carpet duties, not once but twice.

As an editor, my sensibilities are global, but I am passionate about championing talent in Singapore.

That a hairstylist has, despite the odds, pushed an industry which is not without its ugly stereotypes into one that is respected in itsownright, deserves anaccolade.

Let us not forget to give credit where it is due.

This article was first published in The New Paper.

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