N-Gents: ‘At par with the West, if not better’

One-on-one with Zair Maqsood, the founder of the new and trendy barbershop in town.

KARACHI:

Until a few years back, the only barbershops that were seen were those small, dilapidated shops around the corners of bustling markets. But now as the concept of the metrosexual male gains momentum, major cities of Pakistan are opening their arms to high-end men’s salons in an attempt to treat the more aware alpha male.

Such an attempt has been made by Zair Maqsood, son of renowned hairstylist Nabila, to open a rather vintage-looking, luxurious men’s salon at the posh locale of Clifton, Block 4.

Maqsood, who believes that there is a need to take men’s grooming to another level, even if not a dire one, says that N-Gents is more of a modern day barbershop than a men’s salon. “Amongst the old-fashioned ‘barbershop’ related services, such as shaves, cuts and massages, we have also added a list of other relevant treatments for the modern man. All of these are offered in a very masculine environment, leaving the male client comfortable — the way it ought to be,” he said.

Despite the fact that Karachi is one of the most modern and liberal cities of Pakistan, cutting-edge male parlours have not made an impact in the city. This is the reason why Maqsood was proactive in bringing his entrepreneurial self to the forefront. “As a particular male client, I had never visited a place here that offered an extensive personal grooming service list delivered at a high standard at a males-only salon while keeping pristine hygiene standards; therefore, I came up with my own.” He added, “From what I have seen offered in Karachi, not much fits into the bill of the competition.”

Zair Maqsood says N-Gents is a modern-day barbershop with a high standard, targeting more aware male clients. PHOTO: HUMAYUN M @ 18% GREY

Considering the classy, opulent interior of the salon, with leather chairs and rusty wooden furnishing, it sure seems that place is likely to cater to the high-profile client. “Our target audience is the up-market and aware male group aged between 30 and 65. They may come from the business sector, media, government, or sports but they are all well-travelled, image-conscious and appreciate finer things in life,” he said.

However, all is not lost for all those who want a quick service without spending much, as Maqsood and his team are accommodating an array of budgets. “We have adopted a multi-tiered pricing system to suit all pockets. Depending on the services, the prices could vary from Rs300 to Rs15,000. These services range from moustache reshaping to body scrubbing and exclusive packages for grooms.”

With weddings becoming such grand events, men’s salons probably have more visits from grooms than regular clients. Maqsood specifies that “men should keep in mind that the cameras and lights can get fairly bright and that imperfections in the skin can easily become prominent. This can be camouflaged through prior skin treatments and our ‘camera-smart’ make-up.”



Maqsood, who firmly believes in having a zero-tolerance policy towards controversies that normally surround men’s massage parlours, takes pride in his achievement with the launch of N-Gents.

He says, “At N-Gents, Nabila and I have worked hard to retain the charm and luxury of a place where a man should feel at home and be able to take pride in his grooming and appearance. We are operating this place with a high level of vigilance, standard and professionalism.”

With expansion plans that are a secret for now, Maqsood concludes by adding that the place is “at par with the West, if not better.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2013.

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