How a Young Fashion Student Redefined Hair Extensions for Filipinas

You launched Tokyo Posh 16 years ago. What gave you the confidence to start a business so young?
"I started conceptualizing Tokyo Posh when I was a 22-year-old fashion student in Tokyo in 2006–2007. We built our first store in Pasig right after I graduated from fashion school in 2009.

I had the confidence to start the business precisely because I was very young. When you’re fresh off school and you haven’t experienced failures and frustrations yet, you feel like you can conquer and do anything. I feel like this was the best advantage for me—I had no fears or worries to stop me from achieving my dreams, even if it seemed impossible at that time, with everyone dissuading me and telling me that the concept would not work."

Why hair extensions? What gap were you seeing in the beauty space back then that pushed you to start the brand?
"In Tokyo, I was exposed to what fashion truly means. Fashion isn’t just what you wear on your body, or the accessories that complement your outfit, but fashion includes your total image and look—and that includes your hair. My classmates in Bunka were so fashion-forward that they changed their hair on a daily basis, much like your shoes and bags. Me, coming from the Philippines, [particularly] from Ateneo, where everyone looked homogenous in jeans and Havaianas then, was shocked and amazed by this. 

"I told myself, this is a great idea to introduce to a culture where hairstyle is changed once a year, or if it works, never at all. As a fashion girl myself, I know that one can never have too many ways to express themselves, and hair is one of those many ways."

What was the inspiration behind the name Tokyo Posh?
"Tokyo, because I discovered it in Tokyo; and Posh [is a wordplay for] Put On Styled Hair, and of course posh being [a word that means] luxurious and classy."

Your clientele includes celebrities like Anne Curtis and Nadine Lustre. How did those relationships with celebs come about, and how have they helped shape the Tokyo Posh brand?
"In 2009, I did not only start a business or a brand—I started a category. In the beginning, I was the only one who offered hair extensions (as a fashion accessory) in the Philippines. It was very challenging, from educating the market to how we presented ourselves in the retail stores. In 2009 when women saw wig heads or hairpieces, they automatically thought they were for sick people, for show, or for beauty pageants—not for everyday use.

"Back in 2009, our clients included all the it girls. I remember one Preview cover with the it girls [in 2012], and all of them wore our hair extensions! I never thought I’d be able to meet all these beautiful women I only see in magazines and billboards in my lifetime, but I guess with happy clients and a product that’s high-quality word gets around fast. 

"I’m very proud to say that all our big name clients when we were starting out were not sponsored and were all paying for our services. That for me shows the quality of what we are offering."

What do you think makes hair such a powerful tool for self-expression?
"I always say that Tokyo Posh isn’t just a business. It was never about the money—it’s about making women happy, transforming lives, giving them confidence, and making them reach their full potential. I know that, with a simple hair change, all of these can happen. Because honestly, Tokyo Posh also changed my life. 

"Growing up, I wasn’t the attractive one in the group, not the one with many suitors, too, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself being featured on TV or in fashion magazines as a fashion girl. But I was able to do all of those because I became so confident instantly, thanks to my hair—it was like a superpower. When I had my long, voluminous hair on, I felt like I could conquer anything.

"And we see this at Tokyo Posh every single day—the confidence and smiles that we get after each attachment are priceless. We’ve seen regular women become beauty queens and international celebrities, single women who have found the love of their lives, women who [were motivated to be into fitness], women who wanted to change the way the world saw them, women who wanted to take their professional career to the next level, and women who are embracing aging whilst not letting go of their youthful beauty. As an entrepreneur, this is the priceless reward behind Tokyo Posh."

What sets your extensions apart from others in the market—from sourcing to styling?
"From the very start, the vision for Tokyo Posh is to be the one-stop shop for all your hair needs. From adhesive tape extensions to clip-ons to bangs to thinning hair toppers—name it, we have it! 

"We were the first to offer adhesive tape extensions through the brand Hairtalk, which pioneered and invented adhesive hair extensions in 2007. A couple of times, I even brought the German inventor here in Manila to educate clients and hairstylists on the advantages of using adhesive extensions, because back in the day, extensions were attached with knots, heat, and rubber—which are very, very damaging to your natural hair.

"As for our clip-ons, I’m very proud to say that we use only the top-quality Japanese synthetic fiber that took us years to perfect, and for all our human hair products, we only use 100% remi hair that is ethically sourced. We get to ensure this because we work with global partners and suppliers who hold quality to the highest standards. If you get your hair done in Tokyo Posh, you’re sure that our global brand partners can do it for you too, anywhere in the world, with the same standards, techniques, and procedures.

"Because fashion is my first love, I take this opportunity also to design our hair pieces and clip-on extensions personally. Therefore, you won’t see our pieces anywhere else. We seasonally release new styles and colors that follow trends too, and lately, I’m very proud to say that together with my mom, we are now designing and starting to offer hair toppers for women who want to conceal alopecia and defy hair thinning and aging."

The brand often speaks about “beauty on your own terms.” How do you want women to feel when they leave Tokyo Posh?
"I want them to feel happy and confident. I want them to feel like no one can dictate what they can or can’t do. I grew up not traditionally “beautiful,” but with Tokyo Posh, I’ve done so many things I myself didn’t imagine I’d be able to do. And if someone like me, who didn’t know any celebrity or have any connections in the beauty industry, was able to do it—you can do it too!"

16 years is a major milestone. How has your vision for Tokyo Posh evolved over time?
"It’s been 16 years and the mission still remains constant, and that is to educate women on how a simple hair change can amplify what they already have and give them the confidence to be whoever they want to be. Educating the market about hair extensions has been a challenge since day one, but I will never stop doing so until the use of hair extensions becomes as common as changing your bag daily.

"The vision is for Tokyo Posh to always be on top of the hair game and, just like fashion, to always offer the market something new and fresh every season."

What are your hopes for the next chapter of Tokyo Posh?
"My wish is for Tokyo Posh to remain the strongest and most premium player in the industry. In 16 years—from a player of one—hair extension brands are now popping up left and right, with price points varying from both ends of the spectrum. And as much as this becomes a challenge for us, I see this more as a compliment because this only means that the industry is growing! Imagine—when I started out, everyone said we wouldn’t last, that we were just a fad that would eventually die in a couple of years. Now, it’s not only me endlessly and passionately talking about extensions but so many other brands and business owners too. 

"The only challenge now is to keep evolving, offering new styles and techniques, and remaining on top of our game—all while keeping the happiness of women as our top priority."