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A Cut Above
From a 428-square-foot salon to Malaysia's premier hairstyling empire, A Cut Above survived an express-cut chain failure and emerged stronger—proving that knowing when to cut losses matters as much as knowing when to cut hair.
In 1979, a 23-year-old hairstylist with Vidal Sassoon training and RM20,000 opened a 428-square-foot salon in Kuala Lumpur’s Wisma HLA. Forty-five years later, A Cut Above operates eight premium salons, an internationally certified academy, and has trained thousands of Malaysian hairdressers—but not before learning that knowing when to cut losses matters as much as knowing how to cut hair.
Transformation Arc
The 428-square-foot beginning
The A Cut Above story begins with an unlikely partnership. A regular client at Winnie Loo’s early Kuala Lumpur salon proposed investing RM20,000 each to open a proper establishment. When that partner later exited, her boyfriend Richard Teo stepped in—eventually becoming both husband and co-founder of what would become Malaysia’s premier hairstyling brand.
From the start, the couple divided responsibilities strategically. Richard handled business management, marketing, and what Winnie calls the “strict parent” role of discipline and structure. Winnie focused on creative direction, client relationships, and the craft itself. This complementary partnership would prove essential when expansion tested the brand’s limits.
By the late 1990s, A Cut Above had grown beyond its modest origins. The 1997 World Master of the Craft award—the first for any Malaysian—validated Winnie’s technical excellence internationally. Schwarzkopf signed her as Creative Ambassador from 2001 to 2007. The brand seemed positioned for unlimited growth.
When eight locations taught one founder to cut losses
The X-Cut express concept seemed logical. Budget-conscious consumers wanted quick, professional cuts without premium salon prices. A Cut Above launched the chain offering 15-minute cuts at RM16-18, eventually expanding to eight or nine locations across the Klang Valley.
The numbers never worked. Express pricing couldn’t generate sustainable revenue per location. Rather than continuing to pour resources into a struggling concept, the Teo family made a decisive choice.
“They weren’t churning enough revenue to be sustainable,” Winnie later reflected. “The thing is, you must always be willing to cut your losses.” The entire X-Cut chain was closed. No gradual wind-down, no attempts to find a buyer—a clean strategic retreat that freed resources for the core business.
The failure taught a lesson that now shapes A Cut Above’s expansion philosophy: sustainable growth requires profitable units, not maximum locations. Today’s eight salons generate healthy margins. The peak count of 19 locations and 300-plus staff represented overextension, not success.
The academy model that changed an industry
If X-Cut represented failed diversification, the A Cut Above Academy demonstrates successful vertical integration. Founded in 2004 in Bandar Sunway, the academy addressed an industry-wide challenge: transforming hairdressing from what Winnie calls “an auntie business” into a respected profession.
“People aren’t willing to invest in hairdressing lessons to gain the skills,” she observes. “It’s because parents think their children have better things to do for work rather than hairdressing. What they forget is, no matter how bad the crisis is, your hair still grows.”
The curriculum includes one-year programs combining eight months of classroom instruction with three-month internships rotating through company salons. Students earn Malaysia Skills Certificates and City & Guilds Vocational Diplomas. For three consecutive years, City & Guilds London named it the best hairdressing academy in Malaysia.
The model proves self-reinforcing: the academy trains talent who then staff A Cut Above salons, ensuring consistent quality while building industry credibility. This vertical integration—education feeding employment feeding brand reputation—creates competitive moats that express haircut chains cannot replicate.
Premium positioning in a price-sensitive market
Today’s A Cut Above operates through two complementary brands. The flagship A Cut Above salons occupy premium mall locations including Mid Valley Megamall, Bangsar Village II, and the newest addition at Pavilion Damansara Heights. The Restyle+ with Aveda concept, launched in partnership with the eco-conscious beauty brand, serves customers seeking sustainable luxury.
International brand partnerships remain central to positioning. After Schwarzkopf, A Cut Above aligned with Milbon and Aveda—brands that signal professional expertise and premium quality. These partnerships provide training, products, and credibility that independent salons cannot match.
The strategic mall locations reflect lessons from the X-Cut failure. Rather than chasing volume through numerous low-cost locations, A Cut Above concentrates on high-traffic premium venues where customers expect—and will pay for—excellence. Each location must justify its existence through sustainable profitability.
The 45-year legacy continues
The 2024 opening at Pavilion Damansara Heights marked more than an anniversary celebration. It signaled the beginning of succession transition, with son Marcus Teo receiving increased operational authority as Business Development Director.
The baton-passing follows four decades of partnership between Winnie and Richard Teo. Their complementary roles—creative visionary and business disciplinarian—created space for both artistic excellence and financial sustainability. Now Marcus, who helped develop the Restyle+ with Aveda concept alongside his father, takes increasing responsibility for expansion strategy.
A Cut Above’s 45-year trajectory offers a masterclass in sustainable brand building. Grow strategically, not relentlessly. Build educational infrastructure that strengthens the talent pipeline. Partner with international brands that elevate positioning. And when a concept fails, cut losses quickly—because resources invested in dying ventures cannot build the future.