Sep 29, 20237 min read

The Hair Shop

Origins & Background

The Hair Shop commenced their creative hairdressing salon back in 1986, and they have a wide range of clientele, from celebrities and royalty to white-collar workers and students. The founders Sam Koh and Gina Lau met in their early 20s at a hair salon named Mosche (pronounced moosh), which was a renowned salon back in those days, and after several years, they left and started The Hair Shop.

The Hair Shop, its staff and owners, strive for a constant reinvention of existing styles and techniques. They are always on the lookout for the latest products and treatment techniques, and often reflect on a way to weave in the old with the new. Even with the constantly changing fashion trends, expect to be given a hairstyle that will suit not just your style, but also your personality. Combined with their lengthy experience in the industry, customers can always rely on their expertise for a fresh look, and for thorough hair care.

Personalities

I spoke with both of them, and noted Gina's superb personality and her eagerness to please and exceed the creative expectations from their clientele, and also enjoyed speaking with Sam, who gave me a good sharing of his journey in the hair and design world, including interior design and art pieces which has shaped his creative mind.

Gina built her career in the Singaporean fashion industry and is a respected and admired individual. She has travelled the world as singer Sandy Lam's hairstylist for various shows and concerts in Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States, and her work has dominated Singapore's fashion magazine covers, being prominently featured in major magazines such as Her World and Female. She was also heavily involved in the Elite Asia Pacific Models Award in Shanghai in 2006.

Sam has been involved and worked with international product companies such as Wella, P&G and L'Oreal in their many product launches, shows and seminars over the years, and his artistic flair helped him to create and design styles for theatrical productions— namely Dick Lee's Nagraland, staged in both Singapore and Japan. He has judged numerous hair competitions, taken part in hair shows, and conducted various seminars in the Asia Pacific. Sam has also had the privilege of working with visiting top fashion designers, as well as styling supermodel Naomi Campbells' hair for the opening of Valentino's flagship store in Singapore.

Achievements

The list below encapsulates the following accolades that they have garnered over the past decades and it's truly amazing on the celebrities, royalties, shows and competitions that they have been involved over the years, which indeed testify and acknowledges their creative flair and competencies:-

1980s

Styled actress/singer Josie Ho (daughter of Stanley Ho) in Hong Kong.
Styled the Taiwanese singer Tracy Huang (黄莺莺)when she performed in Singapore, and followed to her shows in Hong Kong as well.
Gina was invited by the Queen of Brunei to style her hair, and would later work on the princesses as well. I become sort of a “resident stylist” for the royal family, which was a huge privilege.
Styled the hair of the models for the annual cover of Her World magazine. She had worked with the late Tan Yoong, who was a very respected local fashion designer best known for his bridal gowns. For me, this collaboration was big deal for anyone working in this industry.
Gina served as a guest judge for a hair competition in Singapore (I recall vaguely the name was “Golden Scissors”)

1989

Served as Dick Lee’s stylist for his Mad Chinaman tour and his wedding (to Jacintha Abishegandan) as well, among many, many other occasions.

2000s

The whole shop worked on the Elite Model search in Shanghai, which was a huge show by the model agency Elite that flown in models from all around the world.They serviced all the participating models for their runway walks, and other appearances.
Worked on the Audi Fashion Show in a similar capacity to the Elite Model show.
Styled Singer Eric Moo as a resident stylist for his performances and concerts.
Styled Hong Kong Heavenly Idol Aaron Kwok when he performed in a concert in Singapore.

2004

They did Sandy Lam’s hair on several occasions, notably her 2004 tour, her award presentation in Hong Kong, a magazine feature in Singapore and her MTV album cover in Taiwan.
Featured in many newspapers and magazines throughout the years

2007

Sam and Gina authored 'The Hair Book' published by Marshall Cavendish, a step-by-step guide to personal hair care, styling, treatments, and more.

Testimonials

We have gathered some testimonials from recent clients, to give an indication of the creative styling work from both Gina and Sam, and also their team of hairstylists

Pamela Kwan

"A good hairstylist is one who makes you look stunning, trendy and attractive. Tried many salons, from renowned to mediocre. Finally I relented to try Gina (The Hair Shop). She has been persuading me all these years to have a change. All thanks to her, I not only love her cut but Sam’s choice of hair color too. I get compliments from family and friends all the time. That’s what you want to achieve and hear. All thanks to the team and friendly staffs for making me look so fabulous"

Ivy Loong

"Gina has been making our entire family look good for many, many years! She is a warm and friendly hairstylist who has been a big part of our lives. She has cut my children’s hair since they were toddlers. Now having grown up into their teens and early 20s, they also only look to her to giving them the up-to-date hairstyles. Besides my generation, she is also styling the young and next generation with her bespoke style.

Everyone in her beautiful shop are professionals in their own field for many years. Service is great with wonderful hair wash and state of the art colouring / dyeing procedures.

Gina is always on the cutting edge of new hair products and procedures that help enhance the clients’ crowns of glory"

Adeline Mow

"A good friend long ago said I have to try this stylist named Gina Lau. That was way back when Hair Shop was still at the old Promenade shopping mall. She raved about Gina’s cut and so I had to try. And I am so glad I did. Gina’s cut from day 1 has always drawn positive comments from family and friends. Her care and colouring of my tresses through the years has been impeccable. So much so, not only has my mother been coming but my 2 daughters and now their children as well. Yes, a four generation story, a story we are all very proud of! A big shout out to Gina and Sam’s team too - the service here at the Hair Shop has been nothing short of amazing"

Judy Lau

"Gina has been cutting and styling my hair for over 35 years. During the course over these 35 years, I have tried a few other hair stylists but they could not match her skills in cutting and styling hair. I always return to her as I realize she knows how to cut and style hair that would suit her clients best. Also I always gets compliments from friends and acquaintances on my different hair styles. She also has great knowledge on hair treatments that would benefit the health of my hair. Besides Gina I’m also very satisfied with her colorist Sam and nail technician Melissa. Overall the services and equipments of ‘Hair Shop’ are excellent"

Cheryl Yap

"I had the pleasure of being a client at The Hair Shop for almost 20 years, and I can confidently say that Gina is an exceptional creative director/stylist. Her passion for hair and dedication to her craft truly shines in every visit. Gina’s expertise and attention to detail ensures that every client leaves the salon feeling fabulous. I trust her so much such that my entire family visits her salon to get their hair done, and there’s never been once where she has disappointed. The warm and welcoming atmosphere at The Hair Shop, under Gina’s leadership, makes it a top-notch salon experience. I highly recommend Gina and her team for anyone seeking exceptional hair care and styling"

Jocelyn Tay

"For nearly two decades, Gina has been the mastermind behind my hair's impeccable style. Known for my meticulous standards, I have a passion for looking my best, yet I lack the time to keep up with the ever-changing hair trends. Gina has consistently stood as the guardian of my hair, displaying an exceptional ability to manage both its style and colour.

What sets Gina apart is her deep understanding not only of my hair but also of my personality and style preferences. She has an uncanny knack for knowing precisely when to gently encourage me to step outside my comfort zone, resulting in fresh styles and new hair colors. My heartfelt appreciation extends to Gina, Sam, and the entire team at The Hair Shop. Each visit is characterized by their quiet confidence in providing exceptional service, making me feel at ease without ever becoming overbearing"

Vincent and Gwen

"When it comes to styling our hair and getting a hair cut, Hair Shop is the only place that we as a family have in mind. Vincent has been getting his hair cut for over 35 years while I have been a loyal and faithful customer for almost 30 years. As for Tristan and Iain- ever since they were born and now into adulthood. Gina and Sam have continued to be at the forefront of hairdressing all these years and look set to continue as leaders of their profession long into the future"

Personal Testimony

I had the good fortune of meeting both of them and working with them to create a brand new look, style and hair colour in my recent visit to their gorgeous salon! Gina advised me to maintain a certain look and cut for my hair, and Sam shared that I could actually adopt a new hair colour code 28, a blue-black metallic tinge to achieve a modern and trendy look - the result was absolutely stunning, wonderful and captivating and it earned many accolades and bravos" from my many fans in the media world!

Product Line (K18, KEVIN MURPHY)

The Hair Shop recommends a plethora of Kevin Murphy and K18 products for personal haircare, salon use and more. Kevin Murphy carries a wide range of high end products, and boasts an inventory that can tackle allhair problems. They call it a full range of hair care, and these are the products that they use in the salon as well. From shampoos and serums to conditioners and treatment products, they have everything in their curated Kevin Murphy collection for discerning clients. K18 in particular has very high quality hair masks which they strongly recommend for anyone looking for the next step in home hair care.