For the past 15 years, the Japanese salon group LIM has been one of the barometers of cool in the hair business here. Recently, it held a bash to mark this milestone year at UltraSuperNew on Tyrwhitt Road, which was attended by a crowd of loyal customers, creative individuals, and one of the most colourful bunches of style fiends that we’ve captured on our FEMALE People Cam. Scroll on for more.
Name: Lihui Neo
Age: 23
Occupation: Hairstylist
The fit:“I opted for a smart casual look with the denim vest and paisley print skirt. Everything was purchased second-hand, so I’m not entirely sure of their origin, except for my mules, which are from Dr. Martens. They have been my go-to footwear for years because they are so comfortable and pair well with most of my clothing items.”
Her current favourite hair trend: “Accessories or extensions for the hair – anything that’s added to elevate your look or completely change it. Also, this is not a hair trend per se, but I would love to see more people rocking buzzcut designs.”
What sparked her passion for hair: “I never thought I could make a career out of it but took a chance and applied for a position at Kizuki + Lim when I got laid off from my part-time waitressing job. Over time, when you surround yourself with like-minded people, it ignites that passion within you inevitably.”
Name: Alex
Age: 24
Occupation: Hairstylist
The fit: “My outfit is a blend of my two favourite genres, ‘cult party’ and ‘fairy kei’. The camisole was a custom piece made by Gunifuni, a Tokyo-based designer, and my trousers were handmade. Accessories were gifted by a designer I really admire called Creepy Kitty.”
Her favourite haircut: “I’ve been sticking to my wolf cut style for a while; I think it’s really easy to maintain and doesn’t need much effort.”
The next big hair trend: “Probably wispy layer cuts; they seem to still be trending.”
Name: Edward Tan
Age: 28
Occupation: Sales manager
The fit: “I recently picked up the vest from The Hammock Market thrift party. I bought it because it gave off a Rick Owens vibe. I thought the top would make a cool outfit for this party since everyone here is super fashionable, and I wanted to fit in. My pants and inner tank are both from Uniqlo. I really like the high-waist pants look, so I’m pleased that the vest fits nicely above my belt. The boots are from Dr. Martens.”
On his style journey thus far: “I feel like my style journey had multiple different steps. It started with being inspired by (YouTuber) Tim Dessaint, then I watched a lot of (baseball player) Christian Villanueva, and after that, I wanted to emulate Jackson Wang’s look. Subsequently, I started dyeing my hair because I joined the hair and beauty industry, and then I decided to paint my nails after getting inspired by various Japanese hair stylists I follow on Instagram. Finally, I realised that as long as I’m happy, comfortable, and confident in what I’m wearing, it really doesn’t matter what I wear. My style is relatively spontaneous and representative of the mood I am in that day, but I still adhere to some rules from Tim Dessaint despite slowly moving away from his style.”
His ideal hairstyle: “I aim for something like Taeyang’s hairstyle from Givenchy’s Fall Winter 2023 menswear campaign. Although, I’ve been advised several times by different stylists that this hairstyle is more suited for photo shoots and isn’t practical for daily wear.”
Name: Fuli Gao
Age: 28
Occupation: Creative freelancer
The fit: “The top is from Mainline:RUS/Fr.CA/DE. The shorts were thrifted from Value Village in New Jersey. The boots are from Prada, and the bag is from Puma, which I received as a freebie at the most recent Puma show in New York.”
Her style inspo: “My friends. I’m surrounded by a lot of talented and inspirational individuals who create their own unique works. From music and accessories to metalwork, tattoos, and even unconventional items like dildos, clay, and silk screens. They have been a great source of motivation for me to explore my own sense of individuality, beyond just clothing myself. Recently, I’ve also received comments that I dress like Madonna from the early 2000s, either heading to or coming from the gym. It’s something that happens naturally, perhaps ingrained in my subconscious. In a way, I do see a parallel.”
Her dream hair style: “I’m planning to start wearing wigs soon. This way, I won’t be restricted by the damage that constant styling can cause to my natural hair.”
Name: Gracia Tan
Age: 27
Occupation: Hairstylist
The fit: “The tee is the official LIM uniform for the event. I cut up the collars and made adjustments to make it more versatile and suitable for the rest of my outfit. The skirt is from Motel Rocks, jeans are thrifted Levi’s, shoes are Dr. Martens’ Jadons, and the scarf is from Taobao. Scarves have become a recent favourite of mine (no matter how warm it can get in Singapore).”
Her current favourite hair trend: “Definitely Y2K styles, including spikes and braids. Bows as accessories are kinda cute, and perhaps jellyfish cuts. I think curtain bangs are back too – I love Sabrina Carpenter!”
Her favourite haircut she’s ever had: “Right now, I’m really into bangs. Though not technically a haircut, I also really loved and miss having ginger-coloured hair back in 2022. I enjoy changing up my haircuts and styles because it makes me feel like a new person every time.”
Name: Jeremiah Tan
Age: 33
Occupation: Design strategist
His fit: “The outerwear is a Bode-inspired crochet shirt painstakingly put together by my talented younger brother, who crochets in his free time. The pants are a pair of MM6 Maison Margiela wide-leg jeans that I managed to snag at a discount in Kuala Lumpur, and they remain one of my favourite purchases to date. The tote bag is from Stilnook, a local brand that I discovered thanks to one of the pop-ups at 1tto+LIM. Boots are from Dr. Martens.”
A favourite haircut he has received: “A cold perm wolf cut, courtesy of the great hair wizard Tomoya Iizawa.”
What initially sparked his passion for hair: “My passion for hair grew exponentially when I was doing digital marketing for a vinyl business located within a barbershop. The people, culture, and environment gave me the courage to experiment with different hairstyles and even hair tattoos.”
Name: Keith Tan
Age: 27
Occupation: Copywriter
His fit: “The outer tee and jeans are thrifted. The inner tee is from Taobao. My mum bought the belt for me about 15 years ago. The key chain is from Daiso, and the troll on it used to be part of my wife’s earrings. My wife bought the necklace for me and I like its punk-grunge vibe.”
His dream hair style: “A platinum blonde textured buzzcut. I had that for a while in 2023, but it just wasn’t sustainable. I liked it so much because you could leave the house and your hair’s more or less ‘done.’ It’s platinum blonde, it’s a buzzcut, it’s done. Recently, I’ve also been excited about spikes. Something punk-ish, maybe grunge-esque. But they’re spikes. Styling time? Yikes.”
Name: Tomoya Iizawa
Age: 28
Occupation: Hairstylist
His fit: “The pants are from Marni, the hoodie is from Urutokyo, and the shoes are from Asics.”
His current favourite hair trend: “Textured short hair with a spiky haircut.”
Name: Rudy Herman
Age: 27
Occupation: Hair assistant
His fit: “My leather jacket is from Pearled Ivory, a quiet luxury brand from Florida. My jeans are from Acne Studios 1981M. My boots are Guidi PL2. I was feeling myself that day, so I wore my favourite pieces.”
Why he decided to pursue a career in hairstyling: “I’ve always had a passion for the creative field, and I discovered my love for hairdressing when I experienced the satisfaction of making people look good.”
Favourite hairstyle he has created: “The Y2K vibe I created for a photoshoot is my all-time favourite hair look.”
- TAGS:
- hair salon
- lim