http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2011/01/08/hairstylist-admits-he-lied-in-advertisements/
Hairstylist admits he lied in advertisements
By Alicia Wong – January 8th, 2011
The hairstylist in the midst of a controversy over whether he has styled A-list actress Nicole Kidman‘s hair has revealed the truth.
Mr Jonal Chong told The Straits Times (ST) on Friday that he has never touched her golden tresses.
American actress Katherine Heigl and British actor Hugh Grant are also not his clients.
The 48-year-old managing director of Jonal Chong Hair Coutore apologised to the public and pledged to stop using Ms Kidman’s name in advertisements and fliers for his salon.
Suspicion was first raised when a photo of Mr Chong and Ms Kidman standing next to each other appeared to have been doctored from another almost identical photo of Ms Kidman with her director Alejandro Amenabar, taken in Los Angeles in August 2001.
Mr Chong met ST on Friday.
While angry over the newspaper reports, he confessed his lies. “I’ve never done Nicole Kidman’s hair before. I’ll not use her name for advertising anymore. I sincerely apologise to the public,” he said.
The hairstylist, however, was firm about having been a hairstylist in London from 1997 to 2005 and having taken more than 10 hair-styling courses at the Vidal Sassoon School there.
When pressed on why he lied and doctored the photo, he clammed up and stormed out of the cafe. He later returned and pleaded, “I hope the public will give me another chance.”
Mr Chong said, he did not ride on Ms Kidman’s fame to charge high prices at his Orchard Central salon. Haircuts at his salon start from $13, and hair colouring and treatment start from $38.
Singapore Polytechnic marketing lecturer Andrew Lee told ST, Mr Chong took a short cut to stand out from the pack in the beauty services industry. But in the long term, quality and service matter more, he added.
Madam Chia Swan, 53, who bought a $500 package at Mr Chong’s salon said, he was “wrong” to mislead people.
But new client Nori Safawi, 46, said, “The haircut and service are good, and the price is reasonable. I’ll come back, despite the problems the salon has.”
Users of online forums like flowerpod.com.sg claim the salon uses hard-sell techniques and offer poor service.
The Consumers Association of Singapore, which was investigating the matter, told Mr Chong, it would drop the case if he stops his misleading advertisements.