Style Q&A: Thom elevates the men's salon experience in Vancouver
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2019 19:00:25 +0000
Thom Robins has a very precise vision for men’s haircare in Vancouver.
And he is looking to actualize it, one client at a time, at his salon, thom. As the creative director and owner of the space, which is located in Chinatown, Robins has built a destination and service offering that emphasizes customer service, skill and personalized treatments.
We chatted with Robins to learn more.
Q. How did you get into hairdressing/barbering?
A. I got into men’s hairdressing/barbering back in 2007. Back then, men’s hair was the “black sheep” of hairdressing in general — sort of rough around the edges and viewed as less skilled compared to its counterpart. I lived and grew up in a small town in England called Luton, an unremarkable place now, but back in the day it was the centre of car manufacturing and the global hat industry. I apprenticed for two years under a barber who had cut my family’s hair for a long time and had a small shop.
Thom Robins, the owner of thom.
After I finished my apprenticeship, I think I felt like I was better than I actually was, looking back on it. I managed to talk my way into a job in a very upmarket men’s salon and spa in Mayfair, London called The Refinery — for those who don’t know, that’s the kind of place frequented by men with butlers and leaders of industry. It was an eye-opening experience and I got to work with some of the best men’s stylists there was at the time. My career took me to a few more luxury Mayfair salons and into some contemporary men’s salons that were pioneers at the time, and then on to Truefitt and Hill, the oldest men’s salon business in the world, where I became their international educator and travelled extensively.
Q. And when did you land in Vancouver?
A. I came to Vancouver in 2014.
Q. For those who aren’t familiar, what is thom.?
A. It’s really an extension of me and my vision for the men’s hair industry here in North America. I think by calling it thom. I’m adding an extra layer of accountability, firstly to myself and also to the brand values. Nothing says “don’t screw it up” like having your name on the window.
Q. What made you want to set up shop in Vancouver?
A. As mentioned, I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best and indeed the oldest men’s hairdressing brand there is, and I really wanted to bring a slice of that to Vancouver through thom. — premium yet approachable, exceptionally service-driven toward our guests, and staffed with people who we support through internal and external education both for them and, in turn, our guests.
We have two main pillars at thom., the first one is “neutral masculinity” — this one is very important to me because I really wanted to do a 360 on the whole hyper-masculine barbershop concept that’s been around for a while now. I want thom. to be an inclusive space for all male identities, and we do this through hair, product, messaging and aesthetic. The other is “functional minimalism”, which is really reflected in the space and how we think as a brand, we strip back the noise commonly associated with male environments, focusing on the essential to produce a beautiful product that is easy to navigate and use. Thomlife essentially is a term that encapsulates all of this, something of a lifestyle built on a premium product, inclusiveness and community for the people that want to be a part of that.
Q. What makes it unique from other salons?
A. On one hand, some would say we are a barbershop, which could be seen as the most direct correlation to what we do. But I like to think of us as a men’s salon because the services and expertise we are able to provide are better reflected through that term.
We take elements of traditional barbering and throw in a lot of hairdressing technique, I think that makes our stylists more well-rounded and informed, which we can then put into practice for our guests during their visit. We have adopted longer appointment times because we want to give a fuller, more informed service. Our product offering is focused very much on results as opposed to gimmicks (Bumble and Bumble, Schaf, Truefitt and Hill) and our service menu is geared toward results, which is why we have steam facials with the option of a shave, keratin hair treatments and specialized treatments designed to correct deficiencies in the hair and scalp environment.
The space is very unique too, its large at 1,200-square-feet with 20-foot ceilings and windows on all sides, so we get a lot of natural light and its split in two by a large concrete feature wall separating the lounge from the salon, meaning more privacy. I designed the space to give a sense of freedom and a reduction in noise and clutter, with individual seating for each guest, a signature fragrance that’s dispersed into the room to create a sense of calm and a playlist that peaks and valleys throughout the day (many have said they actually feel like they’re in a spa). There is a lot of plant life too. I think I read somewhere that plants soothe the mind, but either way they give the room an organic, evolving feel. Lastly, I’m very strict on how the guest experience is delivered, we really try and get close to what makes people happy. It could be having a particular drink available when they arrive and making a note of that for next time, or having the salon iPads loaded with their favourite content — really all this is for them, I think that makes us stand out, not just the technical expertise but the personalised service. We don’t have clients, we have guests, that simple differentiator above anything makes a world of difference.
Q. And who is the target customer?
A. Our audience is so varied. Many of the stylists at thom. have come from more traditionally masculine establishments around Vancouver and some from unisex salons, so our guest list is very diverse, but everyone seems to feel at home. I would say, from a brand perspective, we are aiming for those out there that want to try something new, perhaps a little more premium, bespoke and focused on their individual needs.
Q. And, lastly, what’s next?
A. I see the brand taking on one more location in Vancouver and I have ambitions to take it down the west coast of the United States. Having come from the men’s salon-spa concepts in London, I’d like to see us grow into that market and be a place for all grooming and well-being needs — be it facials, massage, spa, nails or hair. We’ve talked about products, too, that can add to this and the experience on offer. Stay tuned.