France has long been known worldwide for its hairdressing industry. It is no wonder that the French call their cuisine, fashion, and hairdressing their "image ambassadors" and "business cards," with which they show themselves off to the rest of the world.
In Beijing, there is a hairdressing salon named Eric Beauty Salon, which is run by a Frenchman. The beauty salon, located at a five-star hotel, has 3 French hairdressers-Eric Costantino, Stephane, and Marc-and has 20 assistants. They have won clients' trust and are famous around Beijing because of their excellent service.
Eric Costantino, 41, is the boss of the salon, and has been in China for six years. During the busiest hours, he personally attends to the clients. Eric can now speak fluent Mandarin. "I have worked in China for 'two' centuries-the 20th and 21st centuries," he smiles. "My hairdressing techniques and services are very famous in Beijing. As a Chinese saying goes, 'Three women compose a play,' and so do we three hairdressers." According to Eric, the prices at the beauty salon are not as high as people imagine. Today, Beijingers have become more and more wealthy. In fact, more than half of their clients are Chinese.
Stephane, 28, has been in Beijing for two years. He says the city is changing day by day, and thus he experiences an absolutely new feeling every day.
Marc, also 28, came to Beijing a bit later than Stephane. He is now studying Chinese hard in order to gain a deeper understanding of China. He thinks Beijing is so beautiful that he needs to record its beauty with his camera. He has bought some books on photography that have been published in China, and learns photography while he learns Chinese.
These three hairdressers from France vary in many aspects, such as character and experience. They have one thing in common, though: They all knew little about China before arriving in the country. Now, however, they each have their own understanding of the country. "We communicate with many Chinese clients and handle their heads every day, so we learn about China from the 'head' to some extent," they said with a smile.
After work, they like to visit places of historic interest, such as the Imperial Palace, unique-styled bars, quiet backstreets, and bustling commercial zones, where they can experience the lives of the local people, make friends with them, and laugh and drink beers together. They care about the same things that local people do, and even celebrate traditional Chinese festivals here. Although each of them stressed their uniqueness when being interviewed, they share a common thought: China, especially its capital, with its rapid development, deeply impresses every visitor, and is destined to have a bright future.
(China Pictorial May 8, 2003)
