All the Trimmings

Barbershops have long been centres of community, conversation and, of course, haircuts. But a sick fade isn't the only thing you can get at your local shop any more; Tatler looks at some unique offerings from barbers around Asia

- Amalissa Hall

Sauce Lifestyle is a flash of modern grey on the lower end of Elgin Street, tucked between a traditional Hong Kong stall selling second-hand wares and an alteration shop with cheongsams in the window. A white neon sign draws your eye to the shop; peek inside and you’ll see colourful graffiti sprayed on the walls and hear bumping hip-hop.

While the space seems almost intimidatingly cool, not everyone within is tattooed or dressed in oversized tees and limited-edition trainers—a wide range of male (and occasionally female) clients, from kids to older gents and suits to, yes, creatives, occupy the black leather chairs, in obedience to Sauce’s tagline: “Respect your dome”.

Sauce was opened by Sean O’Connor and Jack Sealy, with the former bringing barbering expertise and the latter providing business acumen. They set up shop at the end of 2020 and succeeded in creating a welcoming community during one of the most challenging periods for businesses in Hong Kong.

Originally from Dublin, O’Connor says he always wanted to open a barbershop. “When I moved to Hong Kong, I realised there wasn’t much of barber community here. Back home, the barbershop is where people come to chill. It’s not just about getting a haircut; it’s about checking in with your mates too. I noticed that there wasn’t anywhere like that here, so that was the inspiration behind opening this space.”