Interview
KATIE BARNES guillemotright.cap MANAGING EDITOR guillemotright.cap SPA BUSINESS
GEORGIE YAM
eorgie Yam doesn’t like to
G
give too much away. T_h e
With two.fittedzero.fitted franchises, Dragonf_l y is one of China’s
Chinese spa market is boom-
ing, but highly competitive.
most successful domestic operators. We talk
While this native Hong-Kong five.fittedthree.fitted-year-old
is chatty and has an open demeanour, his
to the founder about how he’s grown the
strategy for keeping one step ahead of the
inf_l ux of large, international conglomer-
business and the new direction he’s taking
ates and local rivals is to play his cards
close to his chest. So far, this has served
him well. Having established the Dragon- moved to Singapore in one.fittednine.fittedeight.fittedtwo.fitted and by two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted, worked for Goldwell – invested RMBone.fittedm
f_l y day spa chain only six years ago, the owned three hair salons and two spas: (USdollar.fittedone.fittedfour.fittedsix.fitted,three.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted, Euro.fittedone.fittedzero.fittedtwo.fitted,three.fittedfive.fittedzero.fitted, sterling.fittedeight.fittedeight.fitted,four.fittedfive.fittedzero.fitted) to bridge
business has grown to two.fittedzero.fitted franchises – one.fittedeight.fitted one at the Grand Hyatt and another at the this gap. T_h e f_i rst Dragonf_l y opened in Jan-
in China, one in the United Arab Emir- neighbouring JW Marriott. “T_h e founda- uary two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedthree.fitted on Donghu Road, Shanghai, in
ates and one in Norway (see ptwo.fittedtwo.fitted) – and tion from Sassoon was tremendous,” he the Xuhui District, a well known shopping
employs close to one.fitted,zero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted people. says. “It helped me a lot. Not just in hair- destination. While Zhou of_f ers occasional
dressing, but in business too.” He sold the advice, Yam heads up the business. He
A chance meeting
businesses for an undisclosed sum in two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedtwo.fitted. admits that having an artistic licence is a
favourite aspect of the job: “I really enjoy
Yam has always had a creative f_l air: before
T_h e middle road
decoration, planning and styling,” he says.
developing Dragonf_l y, he was a renowned Yam describes the Dragonf_l y concept
hairdresser to Asian celebrities. Prior to “I love visiting spas,” says Yam. “When he’s created as “a uniquely styled, intimate,
that, he was a budding f_i lm producer – as a I was a consultant for German haircare af_f ordable boutique and with a reasonable
young man, he travelled from Hong Kong brand Goldwell, I visited China every two price point”. He prefers to call Dragonf_l y
to the UK to enrol in a f_i lm school. How- months and used to try local massages. a retreat rather than a spa, as no water
ever, a chance meeting with a hairdressing Dragonf_l y stemmed from my observation treatments are of_f ered.
student on his f_l ight saw him take a place that there was something missing in the A typical Dragonf_l y retreat is about three.fitted,seven.fittedsix.fittedseven.fitted
at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in London market. T_h ere were several high-end spas, to four.fitted,three.fittedzero.fittedfive.fittedsq f_t (three.fittedfive.fittedzero.fitted to four.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsq m) and has
instead. “I had to call my mum because usually in luxury hotels and many low-end around two.fittedzero.fitted stations – a partitioned area with
I needed support,” he says. “During the of_f erings, targeting mostly local customers. a bed or chair – as well as one VIP couples
mid-one.fittednine.fittedseven.fittedzero.fitteds you didn’t f_i nd many Chinese Yet there was nothing in the middle for suite with a bathroom, simple changing
families sending their kids to hairdressing expats and business travellers.” rooms and a lounge/relaxation area, a nail
school. T_h e change from movie director to Yam, along with Eva Zhou – a savvy spa and a small retail area. Showers are not
a shampoo boy was a big one. I was down Shanghai businesswoman who also necessary, as scrubs aren’t of_f ered. T_h ere
to my last penny, but my mum told me to are two exceptions to this: the full-service
follow my heart and just do my best.” Georgie Yam (below lef_t ) has grown Dragonf_l y @ Qingdao, in China’s hot spring
As it happens, his best was very good. the Dragonf_l y spa chain to two.fittedzero.fitted locations area and the Dragonf_l y @ Sea, on a cruise
Af_t er training and working in London, he (below right), including one.fittedeight.fitted in China alone ship on the Yangtze River.
2220 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.comm // digital SpSPa BuA BUSINESS 4 2009SineSS 4 2009
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