Jean Yip
Jean Yip (born 1958) is the founder of the eponymous beauty and wellness company - the Jean Yip Group - that has grown to become an iconic name brand in Singapore. With beginnings as a hairstylist understudy to Sylvia Kho[1] in the 1970s, Jean opened her first salon at Katong Plaza in 1982.[2][3] Jean is also the mother of former actress and entrepreneur, Cheryl Wee.[4]
Jean Yip | |
---|---|
Born | 1958 |
Alma mater | Allan International Hairdressing School, Vidal Sassoon (London) |
Spouse(s) | Mervin Wee (m. 1986) |
Children | Cheryl Wee, Rachel Wee, Russell Wee |
Background
Early life & family
Jean grew up in the Bugis area where she had lived in a three-storey shophouse along Malabar street.[5][6] Her grandmother, Hoong Xi, ran the famous Yip Kee chicken porridge cum zi char stall[7] while her father owned a hardware business.[8] Jean’s childhood trips to the salon with her grandmother contributed to her early interest in hair and beauty.[9]
Marriage to Mervin Wee (1986)
Jean met her husband, Mervin Wee, in 1975 while on a blind date.[10] Jean’s father took an instant liking to Mervin, to the point of telling her that he was the man she should marry.[11][12] At the time, both of them were sixteen-year-olds who had a shared passion for hairstyling.[13] Mervin eventually joined his future wife's salon in 1984.[14][15]
Mervin proposed to Jean in 1985 after ten years of dating.[16][17] They got married in January 1986 at the Mandarin Hotel.[18] Heeding the advice of her grandmother, Jean and Mervin spent about HKD$35,000 (S$5,860) on a carefully chosen antique kua (a Chinese wedding garment) from Shanghai.[19][20] Considered as a family heirloom, Jean’s daughters have also donned their mother’s kua on their respective wedding days.
Children
Jean and Mervin have three children[21] - Cheryl Wee, their eldest daughter,[22] Rachel Wee[23] and Russell Wee.[24][25] In 2018, Jean passed on one of the Yip family heirlooms to her second daughter, Rachel. The heirloom is a jade necklace that Mervin had gifted to Jean before he left for London to learn professional hairdressing.[26][27]
Education
After secondary school, Jean secretly enrolled in a nine-month hairdressing programme at a local hairdressing school despite her father’s objections.[28][29] She sought financial support from her mother to afford the $3,000 programme.[30] Jean’s father eventually acknowledged her passion and urged her to “learn from the best”.[31] Heeding her father’s advice, Jean moved to London and enrolled in the prestigious Allan International Hairdressing School and the Vidal Sassoon academy.[32] She worked at various salons in London for two years before heading back to Singapore.[33]
Career
Before founding Jean Yip
Jean kickstarted her career in Singapore by first becoming an understudy to Sylvia Khoo, an established bridal hairstylist in the 1970s.[34] As a testament to Jean’s skills, an appointment with her would have cost $500 - which was reportedly $200 above the market rate at the time.[35] After her stint as an understudy, Jean worked at a family-owned salon in Marine Parade.[36]
Jean Yip Group
In 1982, Jean opened Jean Yip Hair Studio at Katong Plaza.[37][38] She was barely 24 years old at the time. Since then, the Jean Yip brand has expanded across Singapore, with over 70 outlets across Malaysia, Indonesia and China as well.[39][40] As of 2020, Jean Yip has a team of over 800 creative hairstylists and professional beauty therapists.[41][42][43]
Awards & accolades
Year | Award Title | Awarding Organisation | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Singapore Tatler Award for Business | Singapore Tatler | [44] |
2015 | Top 10 Most Inspiring Businesswomen In Singapore | Top 10 of Asia | [45] |
2003 | Entrepreneur of the Year Award | ASME Singapore | [46][47] |
References / Citations
- ↑ "A bridal headdress by Sylvia Kho". Roots.sg. Accessed on 31 March 2020.
- ↑ Jean Yip Singapore. “About”. Facebook. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Hon, Jing Yi. “Mata Mata star Cheryl Wee to work for mom Jean Yip after series ends”. TodayOnline. June 27, 2015. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ Chow, Cecilia. “Jean Yip’s hair-raising foray into property development”. EdgeProp. January 10, 2020. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Cheong, Suk-wai. The Sound of Memories. Singapore: National Archives of Singapore, 2019. Retrieved from Google Books.
- ↑ Leong-Salobir, Cecilia. Urban Food Culture: Sydney, Shanghai and Singapore in the Twentieth Century. New York: Springer Nature America, 2019. Retrieved from Google Books.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Chow, Cecilia. “Jean Yip’s hair-raising foray into property development”. EdgeProp. January 10, 2020. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ “Mervin Wee and Jean Yip”. Blissful Brides. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Molok, Natalya. “Here’s why this family heirloom Jean Yip owns is so meaningful to her”. AsiaOne. May 13, 2018. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip’s husband sold his car and ate pork floss for a month to buy this for her”. Young Parents. May 8, 2019. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Faizal bin Yahya. Singapore Perspectives 2011: Our Inclusive Society: Going Forward. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2011. Retrieved from Google Books.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. Singapore Memory Project. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ Molok, Natalya. “Find Out Why This Family Heirloom Jean Yip Owns Is So Meaningful To Her”. Women’s Weekly. May 7, 2018. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Mervin Wee and Jean Yip”. Blissful Brides. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip’s husband sold his car and ate pork floss for a month to buy this for her”. Young Parents. May 8, 2018. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Natalya, Molok. “Find Out Why This Family Heirloom Jean Yip Owns Is So Meaningful To Her”. Women’s Weekly. May 7, 2018. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Celine. “”This Baby Saved My Life”, Says Seven-Months-Pregnant Cheryl Wee”. 8 Days. January 30, 2018. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Wee-Salter, Marianne. “Young Love: Introducing Cheryl Wee and Roy Fong, Society’s New It Couple”. Tatler Singapore. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ “Rachel Wee and Ken’s Mermaid-Themed “Crazy Rich Asians” Wedding in Singapore”. the WEDDING scoop. September 24, 2019. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Quek, Eunice. “Jean forced daughter to return to her studies”. The Straits Times. March 10, 2010. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ Durai, Jennani. “Dancing salsa in Barcelona”. The Straits Times. September 11, 2013. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip’s husband sold his car and ate pork floss for a month to buy this for her”. Young Parents. May 8, 2018. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Molok, Natalya. “Find Out Why This Family Heirloom Jean Yip Owns Is So Meaningful To Her”. Women’s Weekly. May 7, 2018. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Low, JingYi. “10 Power Women In Singapore And The Experiences That Shaped Them”. Vulcan Post. 2015. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Low, JingYi. “10 Power Women In Singapore And The Experiences That Shaped Them”. Vulcan Post. 2015. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Tan, Lauren. “The Fairest of Them All”. Prestige. November 4, 2016. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Soh, Kristen Juliet. “Internationally-Acclaimed STRIP Is A Local Beauty Brand? We Share More About Them & 4 Other Singapore Brands We Love”. Daily Vanity. August 5, 2015. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Company Overview”. Jean Yip Group. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Loh, Genevieve. “‘We don’t live for ourselves’: Motherhood helped Cheryl Wee fight eating disorders”. CNA Luxury. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip”. Tatler Singapore. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Jean Yip Singapore. “About”. Facebook. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ “Company Overview”. Jean Yip Group. Accessed on 16 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. SUPERBRANDS VOLUME X. Accessed on 13 March 2020.
- ↑ Cheok, Susanah. “Singapore Tatler award for Business 2016---Mervin Wee And Jean Yip”. Singapore Tatler. November 8, 2016. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Top 10 Most Inspiring Businesswomen In Singapore”. Top 10 Asia. October 25, 2015. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Jean Yip Group”. Singapore Memory Project. April 27, 2015. Accessed on 17 March 2020.
- ↑ “Milestones”. Jean Yip Group. Accessed on 17 March 2020.