Get a fresh new look right in the comfort of your home.
That would be the easiest way to describe Dante D’ Obry’s creative service, but it’s not just that. This Eurasian hairstylist (Filipino father, Eastern European mother) and salon owner describes what he does as a highly specialized convenience brought about by the increasing demand for mobile services in the age of exclusive online shopping and home-spa partying.
Add specialized services to an era where convenience is now king and high-end house calls are not just for reclusive divas anymore, and you get the premise for this creative business endeavor.
Early interest
Born to the trade, Dante D’Obry credits his family of salon owners in Palm Springs, California, for his early interest in hairdressing. Often seeing famous Hollywood personalities and celebrities, the young D’Obry was easily seduced by the glamorous transformations and the endless possibilities of creating beauty and stunning appearances that went on all around him.
But even if he was naturally drawn to this world, he had to learn the ropes by apprenticing in the family’s salons. No special concessions were given him, and he had to prove himself and make his mark in the industry.
He worked to build his name. He went to Paris where he trained with Jacques Dessange Salon (official hairstylist of Cannes Film Festival), and to Manhattan, in the popular hair salon chain and hair care product developers Bumble and Bumble.
Today, D’Obry runs his own salon in San Francisco and commutes to Manila every six weeks to do a select clientele composed of A-listers and celebrities.
His Manila venture, D’Obry points out, is slowly taking shape, with friends calling him up for home appointments when he is in town every six weeks.
“You shouldn’t have to step out just to get your pre-event hair color, blow-out or haircut. You should be able to get beauty expertise to your doorstep and inside your home.
Necessity
“I want to bring my services, expertise, even some advice and hair tutorials to clients who aren’t too keen on sitting next to strangers or pushing through a mall to get into a noisy salon. It would be like when a bride is getting ready for her big day, she does it with her stylists and other experts leisurely and within the security of her own comfort zone. You don’t have to be a bride to have this pampering today.”
If you have your personal trainer, your yoga coach and your masseuse, a hair stylist would not be far behind. But it’s not just for the luxury-loving consumer, it’s also for the man or woman who can’t just duck into a salon for a haircut, or someone who has no salon time to fit in.
D’Obry loves being in Manila where, though the pace is slower, he says the vibes are dynamic, even trendy. But he keeps his San Francisco salon for those who want their hairstyles maintained by him.
He adds: “In this business, you cannot discount the celebrity factor. Being in California, I’m so close to Hollywood, where everyone wants the latest haircut, the latest color, the latest products. Everybody is time-pressed and privacy sensitive. Everybody wants to emulate the stars. As a hairdresser you cannot not absorb the trends and keep updated, it’s energy that’s all around you.
“I try to balance both—my strong foundation of cutting and coloring techniques with the latest looks and styling. The difference is, here in Manila I bring this right into your home.”
For inquiries, call 0999-9092616. Visit www.hairbydante.com
