# $24,000 Haircuts Sultan of Brunei's Pricey Private Trim Amid Swine Flu Fears By Cecilia Biemann | Published 2009-08-27 | Luxury Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/24000-haircut-sultan-of-brunei References: [luxuo](http://www.luxuo.com/most-expensive/sultan-of-brunei-haircut.html) & [timesonline](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6806505.ece) In what must be the priciest ever trim, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world’s richest men and the Sultan of Brunei, is reported to have spent in excess of $24,000 on his most recent haircut. Prompted by his fear of catching swine flu, the Sultan of Brunei outlaid £11,000 (US$18,000) to fly his favorite barber, Ken Modestou, from London in an isolated [private luxury cabin](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/herms-ateliers-horizons) on board a Singapore Airlines flight. Modestou runs a [barber shop](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mr-brothers-cut-club) at the Dorchester Hotel in central London and normally charges his clients just £30 for a haircut, but the billionaire sultan pays him thousands of dollars for every haircut, as well as paying for his flights and putting him up at a [luxury hotel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/four-seasons-private-jet-experience) for a few nights. What a sweet deal for the barber! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 86% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/luxury) > [Ultra Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/ultraluxury) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Luxury Haircut Services:** There is a growing demand for luxury and exclusive haircut services catering to the ultra-rich that could disrupt traditional barbershops. - **Health-related Luxury Services:** With increasing health concerns, there is an opportunity for luxury services and products catering to the rich that prioritizes safety and personalized attention. - **Private Travel Services:** Personalized and private travel services could disrupt traditional commercial airlines as the wealthy increasingly seek isolation and exclusivity. ### Where This Applies - **Luxury Services:** Luxury service providers could benefit from catering to the specific needs of the ultra-wealthy who have concerns about safety and exclusivity. - **Personal Transportation:** There could be a growing demand for personalized and exclusive transportation services, such as private jets and luxury car services, as the wealthy seek isolation and exclusivity. - **Health and Wellness Services:** The health and wellness industry can benefit from providing exclusive and personalized services that prioritize safety, health, and exclusivity for the rich. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Pro-Grade Hair Clippers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wahl-professional-kuno-clipper.md) - [Extravagant New Year's Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/empire-steak-house-nyc.md) - [$1000 Bourbon Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worlds-most-expensive-bloody-mary.md) - [Adventure-Focused Hair Clippers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hair-clipper.md) - [Unique Real Facial Hair Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dollar-shave-club1.md) - [At-Home Hairdressing Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ubhair.md) - [Complementary Haircut Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hall-of-fade.md) - [Self-Haircutting Clippers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wahl-self-cut-pro.md) - [Dry Shampoo-Replacing Hairbrushes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/altesse-studio-hairbrush.md)