CG BARBERSHOP, DUBAI

Carlos Gamal’s family history is steeped in the art form of barbering. As a third generation barber, he started working in his father’s barbershop after school alongside his brother, and was recognised at a young age for his natural talent. After moving to Dubai and working at other barbershops, he soon built a loyal client base. In 2018, Carlos and his wife Francesca Krachai decided to take the step to establish CG Barbershop, opening in 2019 with the simple premise of offering the best technical cuts in the city of Dubai. “We wanted to build a team of barbers who recognised the craft of barbering, who also have the capacity to learn and hone their skillset,” says Francesca. “The whole team are highly trained technical barbers who have worked as barbers their entire career, many of them since they were very young.”

The team’s attention to detail has made it the place to be. “We are in a hotel, which means our clients can benefit from free valet parking and we are in a perfect catchment area for many main residential areas of Dubai including The Palm Jumeria and The Marina,” says Francesa. Given the central location, Carlos and Francesca were initially worried about the shift to working from home after lockdown, but their client base have remained loyal. “The business has gone from strength to strength; our clients appreciate and recognise quality and are happy to pay for the CG experience,” explains Francesca. “From the guest welcome to the coffee and refreshments we serve and the bespoke tailored uniforms of the team, these details have stood us apart as a quality barbershop.”

The barbershop operates primarily on an appointment basis. “We are incredibly busy. We are usually fully booked so we cannot guarantee walk-in appointments,” says Francesca. And it’s no surprise. With over 1,300 5-star Google reviews, it makes CG one of the top-rated barbershops in Dubai, attracting businessmen, influencers, sportsmen and government officials. The interior itself lends a luxurious atmosphere for high profile clients to relax and unwind. “We worked closely with the designers to introduce different textures to create an elegant yet simple finish,” says Francesca. With matte grey walls, black accents and silver hardware finishes, the interior is sophisticated yet light. The back wall features a large chrome logo with ‘Handcrafted since 1988’ underneath. “Many people ask us what it means,” says Francesca. “1988 was the year that Carlos’ father opened his first barbershop. CG opened its doors in 2019, which was also the year Carlos had his first son. It’s an ode to the history of barbering in the Gamal family and how his father’s legacy is honoured in CG today.”