As he celebrates his 18th year in the industry, hairstylist Lourd Ramos shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. From working with the world’s top hair care brands to releasing his own book, it is an understatement to say that he is a very busy man indeed.
Yet the moment he welcomes you into his 8th branch of Creations by Lourd Ramos, located in BGC Stopover Pavillion, his hospitality makes you feel like he has all the time in the world to attend to you.
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As he walks us through his new salon, one can instantly sense its homey atmosphere, which feels quite different from his previous branches. This is something Ramos says was intentional. “I wanted this salon to feel like a house, not a parlor,” he starts. “While it is also modern, the decor isn’t perfect. It’s all raw. For example, pinabago ko yung wood interiors when it came back looking too polished. I want people to feel right at home.”
Ramos also shares that he likes to recycle, using lights and chairs that were previously used in old branches. In addition to the stylishly mismatched pieces of furniture, the salon is also filled with artworks from illustrator Ehrran Montoya, which only adds to the salon’s refreshing pops of color.
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The new Creations by Lourd Ramos branch also features three private rooms that center on the themes of his favorite hair care brands: the TRESemme room, the Wella room and the Elgon room.
“The TRESemme room is where I usally prepare for events; it gives you the feeling of being runway ready. The Wella room is well-lighted and this is where people can sit down and share their hair concerns. Elgon, on the other hand, is a brand that caters to specifics like a sensitive scalp or colored hair,” Ramos says.
In the middle of our shoot, three of Ramos’ models—MJ Binas, Yurika Albaladejo, Mitch Ochosa–join us, flaunting their styled hair. “I’ve been shooting a lot of people for the second version of my book. I started with supermodels and beauty queens, but now, I want to be more diverse. We have our LGBT models,” he says and pauses, pointing to the models standing beside him. “We also have random people who you would see everyday. We gave them a total makeover. I also have sports fanatics, people on the curvier size, older people–it’s all very exciting!”
Ramos, who has always been all about bringing out the best in his customers, wants those who enter his new salon to feel the most like themselves. So whether you decide to come to this new Creations by Lourd Ramos branch for your regular trim or to try a look that is entirely different, you will certainly feel inspired to look the most like you. Before we part ways, Ramos says one other thing: “The parlor is for general consumption, not just for models. It shouldn’t be intimidating at all.”
Photography by Floyd Jhocson of Studio 100