BEAUTY'S ESPRIT de CORPS RPS

At the heart of Singapore’s most beloved beauty and wellness destinations lies an unfeigned value of kinship and community. Vogwe Singapore delves into the DNA of three local beauty collectives.

As the English poet John Donne once wrote, “No man is an island, Entire of itself”, and this also rings true for a clutch of highly respected, burgeoning beauty and wellness destinations in Singapore.

While the pursuit of beauty is often regarded as an individualistic endeavour, it’s an authentic desire to connect with their communities that has enabled businesses such as boundary-pushing hair salon 35A, brand new wellness retreat Hideaway: Massage & Bathhouse and female-founded Romi Beauty to build their devoted followings.

Conversing with the founders of these young brands, which were all launched from 2022 onwards, it’s evident that this means more than having a customer base. Rather, they’ve created their loyal collectives by standing for their sub-cultures and who their communities are.

“[Our clients] desire more than a transaction,” says Junz Loke, co-founder and creative director of 35A. “They seek an experience that resonates with their lifestyle and values.”

Situated at opposite ends of the self-care arena they may be, but it’s this personal, heartfelt approach to their people that unites these distinct beauty collectives. Ones to watch, indeed.

35A more than a salon, a movement

Founded in 2022, 35A’s five-man team sets the tone for avantgarde hair styling looks from its Kampong Bahru headquarters. With a diverse and ever-growing group of approximately 6,000 loyal clients as regulars, Junz Loke, creative director and cofounder of 35A, attributes this to “positive word of mouth and our commitment to delivering exceptional service”. Its weekend markets showcasing all things cult, indie and eclectic cement this.

What is 35A best known for and how did it come about?