Managing director of Dean Gera Salons and the man behind the name of the beauty brand, Dean Gera speaks about his love for hairdressing, the roots of this passion, and the way Dean Gera Salons made the best out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hi Dean Gera! Would you please tell us a bit about your work as the managing director of Dean Gera Salons, Malta’s leading haircare brand?
My working hours are split between clients and our team. I spend roughly half of my week on the salon floor seeing clients and the other half overlooking the operations of the company. I have regular meetings and calls with both my siblings who are co-owners of Dean Gera Salons, as the three of us have different roles within the company. I also keep close contact with all the salon managers to keep them updated, support them in their roles, and keep them motivated.
In what is your love for hairdressing rooted and how did the Dean Gera brand initially take off?
I grew up surrounded by hairdressers, all from my mother’s side of the family. My mother, my aunt and my uncle are all established hairdressers. Even their sister who didn’t go into the field herself happened to marry a hairdresser! I suppose what drew me in the most was the happiness I saw on clients’ faces as they left my mother’s salon when I worked there as a teen. It’s a great feeling to be able to lift somebody’s mood or confidence. I started the company following my return from London where I worked with Trevor Sorbie at his Covent Garden salon. To be honest I was stuck for a name and just decided to use my given name, and the rest is history.
What is the main philosophy of Dean Gera Salons?
To create beautiful hair; to give customers a fantastic experience from start to finish in our salons; and to never stop learning.
How has your business been affected by COVID-19?
From a financial point of view, it’s been tough. Like everybody else, we were forced to close, and with a big team and a lot of overheads this proved challenging. The plus side is that it gave us the opportunity to work on pending projects we had previously been too busy to get going. It also allowed us to take a good look at our company as a whole and identify those areas we felt could be improved.
What do you love the most about your team and how have they been handling life during the pandemic?
I love that they are motivated, optimistic, and ambitious. They have also come to love our brand and treat it as their own. Like the rest of the world, our team had a range of reactions to the pandemic. However, every single one of them was keen to get back to work as soon as it was announced that salons could reopen, and that was wonderful.
Can you share something about your recently launched online store with beauty products with us?
The online store came to be simply because we needed to generate revenue to subsidize our team’s salaries following the forced closure of our salons. However, we have found that even following the COVID period, people are opting for online shopping when given the choice, and the online shop continues to do well even now that we have reopened. We felt there was an opportunity to offer skincare ranges, too, and we have been proven right.
Are there any exciting new products for people to treat themselves with post-quarantine, or will it be the favourite classics?
We have just launched the Brazilian Blowout. It’s a smoothing treatment aimed at eliminating frizz and smoothing the hair cuticle, with results lasting up to 12 weeks. It’s perfect for our Mediterranean climate and works on all hair types, and there is no waiting time following the treatment; you can wash your hair or tie it back as soon as you leave the salon. It’s going to be huge this summer.
Are the salons reopening now that restrictions are loosening?
Yes, we reopened salons on Friday 22 May.
Do you have any favourite hair trends for summer 2020?
It’s all about creating different textures through cuts or colours. The ‘modern shag’, as it’s being called, looks at soft, easy, manageable hair. Hair accessories are also proving to be big this summer.
What are your hopes for the rest of the year?
That there are no more forced closures! We just hope that the case numbers remain low enough to control so that we can continue to operate.
If you are looking to be pampered and to have a stylish haircut post-quarantine, Dean Gera and his team are there for you. Their recently launched online shop is filled with fabulous products to make sure you are summer-ready! Check out the goodies on www.deangera.com and enjoy free delivery on all products.
