Hairstylist David Gan refused Zhang Ziyi's offer to set up shop in Beijing, because he doesn't want to leave Singapore
Hairstylist David Gan refused Zhang Ziyi's offer to set up shop in Beijing, because he doesn't want to leave Singapore
I'll never leave my galaxy of friends
By Chang May Choon
March 12, 2007
CELEBRITY hairstylist David Gan once grumbled to Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi about managing his own hair salon.
He even told her he felt like quitting.
According to him, Ziyi said: 'Then close shop and follow me around. Come to Beijing, I'll open a big salon for you.'
This could have added up to a million-dollar deal, since David commands up to $100,000 per job when he styles her silky hair for advertisements.
But he claimed he turned her down on the spot.
'I told her, 'Cannot!' I'll never leave Singapore... I have deep feelings for this island, it made me what I am today,' the Segamat-born Singaporean told The New Paper on Suday.
'And there are too many people I care about here. Sometimes, one phone call is all I need to help somebody.'
Indeed.
At 44 years old, David is arguably Singapore's most famous hairstylist.
If Caldecott Hill is a galaxy, he might as well be the sun, with A-list stars like Zoe Tay, Fann Wong, Christopher Lee, Kym Ng, Fiona Xie and Vincent Ng orbiting around him.
Not only does David cut and style their hair, but he also borrows designer togs for them and gives them career advice.
And since they are the only family he has - both his mother and older brother have died in Malaysia - there is no way he can forsake any of them.
He said: 'I treat all of them like my children, I'm their 'ah bu' (Hokkien for mother).'
No wonder he personally prepares bird's nest for them, and his house becomes celebrity central every Chinese New Year and Christmas.
To accommodate his growing guest list, David recently bought a $5 million apartment at The Boulevard Residence, which he said is more spacious than his current Paterson Edge home.
Even as you read this, he is in Bangkok combing Ziyi's hair for a French whitening product commercial.
Back home, he said he dines out with Patricia Mok, Ann Kok and Ben Yeo, goes pubbing with Fiona Xie and Ong Ai Leng, and has tea with singer Stefanie Sun.
He also counts Hong Kong stars Carina Lau and Coco Lee as his old friends, dotes on Taiwanese idols Roy Chiu and Energy, and greets Taiwanese babes Lin Chiling and Jolin Tsai with affectionate hugs.
He is the man many celebrities confide in and turn to for advice.
FIERCELY LOYAL
And they seem to be fiercely loyal to him.
Caldecott Queen Zoe, whose tresses he has been twisting since her pre-Star Search modelling days, respects him deeply. 'He's like my pillar of strength in this business. We've been through a lot together. He wanted to see me succeed more than anyone else.'
To quote actress-host Kym, David is 'not human, he's God'.
She said: 'I idolise him and he knows it. Whatever he says, I'd listen. He'd say, 'Do this magazine shoot, don't be daunted by fatigue, it's for your own good.'
'I admire his perseverance and his eagerness to help people.'
To wushu expert Vincent, David is not only 'my mother in showbiz' but also his fashion consultant and mentor.
David once got him a pair of $400 shoes and a $10,000 watch - and prayed for him in a temple.
'He's very direct, and he'll say things to provoke you, but that's the way he is. He lectures you because he's close to you,' Vincent said. 'When I was hesitant about buying a house, he told me, 'You should buy it and then you'd be working harder for the money (to pay for it)'.'
Surely celebrities don't like it when David criticises them.
'Of course they'd be upset, but some of them are understanding,' he said, adding that he would clarify with them if there was a misunderstanding.
He cited recent reports that said Stefanie offered him $1.9m for his Paterson Edge unit, but he turned it down because he felt it was 'too low'. He told The New Paper on Sunday that her offer was already the highest he received among friends, but he was holding out for something closer to the $2.15m sum he had paid.
He said he felt 'a bit upset' that the reports made Stefanie seem like a cheapskate, but he has since explained it to her.
With Christopher, however, David can say anything he wants. 'He's quite gracious. He won't get angry over small things.'
And how about juggling the egos of Caldecott's two biggest rivals - Zoe and Fann? Does he feel caught in the middle?
David insisted that the duo are 'quite okay' with each other in private and 'there's nothing to be awkward about'.
'I don't know if they talk to each other when I'm not around, but then again, it's good to have healthy competition.'
So, while David is grateful to Ziyi for taking him to Hollywood, he is reluctant to leave Zoe and Fann and follow Ziyi full-time.
'Some artistes I won't miss not doing their hair, like Karen Mok or Cecilia Cheung. But if I don't do Fann or Zoe, I'd be very upset,' he said.
Besides, what will the Caldecott galaxy do without its sun?
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,124663,00.html
thanks to kimurafan
http://z2.invisionfree.com/la_creme_d_asie
I'll never leave my galaxy of friends
By Chang May Choon
March 12, 2007
CELEBRITY hairstylist David Gan once grumbled to Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi about managing his own hair salon.
He even told her he felt like quitting.
According to him, Ziyi said: 'Then close shop and follow me around. Come to Beijing, I'll open a big salon for you.'
This could have added up to a million-dollar deal, since David commands up to $100,000 per job when he styles her silky hair for advertisements.
But he claimed he turned her down on the spot.
'I told her, 'Cannot!' I'll never leave Singapore... I have deep feelings for this island, it made me what I am today,' the Segamat-born Singaporean told The New Paper on Suday.
'And there are too many people I care about here. Sometimes, one phone call is all I need to help somebody.'
Indeed.
At 44 years old, David is arguably Singapore's most famous hairstylist.
If Caldecott Hill is a galaxy, he might as well be the sun, with A-list stars like Zoe Tay, Fann Wong, Christopher Lee, Kym Ng, Fiona Xie and Vincent Ng orbiting around him.
Not only does David cut and style their hair, but he also borrows designer togs for them and gives them career advice.
And since they are the only family he has - both his mother and older brother have died in Malaysia - there is no way he can forsake any of them.
He said: 'I treat all of them like my children, I'm their 'ah bu' (Hokkien for mother).'
No wonder he personally prepares bird's nest for them, and his house becomes celebrity central every Chinese New Year and Christmas.
To accommodate his growing guest list, David recently bought a $5 million apartment at The Boulevard Residence, which he said is more spacious than his current Paterson Edge home.
Even as you read this, he is in Bangkok combing Ziyi's hair for a French whitening product commercial.
Back home, he said he dines out with Patricia Mok, Ann Kok and Ben Yeo, goes pubbing with Fiona Xie and Ong Ai Leng, and has tea with singer Stefanie Sun.
He also counts Hong Kong stars Carina Lau and Coco Lee as his old friends, dotes on Taiwanese idols Roy Chiu and Energy, and greets Taiwanese babes Lin Chiling and Jolin Tsai with affectionate hugs.
He is the man many celebrities confide in and turn to for advice.
FIERCELY LOYAL
And they seem to be fiercely loyal to him.
Caldecott Queen Zoe, whose tresses he has been twisting since her pre-Star Search modelling days, respects him deeply. 'He's like my pillar of strength in this business. We've been through a lot together. He wanted to see me succeed more than anyone else.'
To quote actress-host Kym, David is 'not human, he's God'.
She said: 'I idolise him and he knows it. Whatever he says, I'd listen. He'd say, 'Do this magazine shoot, don't be daunted by fatigue, it's for your own good.'
'I admire his perseverance and his eagerness to help people.'
To wushu expert Vincent, David is not only 'my mother in showbiz' but also his fashion consultant and mentor.
David once got him a pair of $400 shoes and a $10,000 watch - and prayed for him in a temple.
'He's very direct, and he'll say things to provoke you, but that's the way he is. He lectures you because he's close to you,' Vincent said. 'When I was hesitant about buying a house, he told me, 'You should buy it and then you'd be working harder for the money (to pay for it)'.'
Surely celebrities don't like it when David criticises them.
'Of course they'd be upset, but some of them are understanding,' he said, adding that he would clarify with them if there was a misunderstanding.
He cited recent reports that said Stefanie offered him $1.9m for his Paterson Edge unit, but he turned it down because he felt it was 'too low'. He told The New Paper on Sunday that her offer was already the highest he received among friends, but he was holding out for something closer to the $2.15m sum he had paid.
He said he felt 'a bit upset' that the reports made Stefanie seem like a cheapskate, but he has since explained it to her.
With Christopher, however, David can say anything he wants. 'He's quite gracious. He won't get angry over small things.'
And how about juggling the egos of Caldecott's two biggest rivals - Zoe and Fann? Does he feel caught in the middle?
David insisted that the duo are 'quite okay' with each other in private and 'there's nothing to be awkward about'.
'I don't know if they talk to each other when I'm not around, but then again, it's good to have healthy competition.'
So, while David is grateful to Ziyi for taking him to Hollywood, he is reluctant to leave Zoe and Fann and follow Ziyi full-time.
'Some artistes I won't miss not doing their hair, like Karen Mok or Cecilia Cheung. But if I don't do Fann or Zoe, I'd be very upset,' he said.
Besides, what will the Caldecott galaxy do without its sun?
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,124663,00.html
thanks to kimurafan
http://z2.invisionfree.com/la_creme_d_asie
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