Miriam de Riu & david gouygou

As the wife of Antonello De Riu, the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Miriam De Riu is used to making friends wherever she goes. However, watching her and David Gouygou interact, one would think they’ve been friends for years. In fact, David, the co-founder and director of Bruneblonde, was one of Miriam’s first friends after she arrived in Hong Kong less than two years ago. “I arrived here [in Hong Kong] one night and the next day I wanted to get my hair done,” she says in her strong Italian accent. “And it was love at first sight.” David explains that their bond goes beyond the salon. “She’s a very good friend. We have dinners together, we go dancing—it’s always fun when we’re together!” Although Miriam’s hair hasn’t changed much since her first visit, David explains, “The length is the same; we just lightened the colour a bit.” It seems that few days can go by without Miriam paying a visit, either. She says, “I don’t own shampoo at home because I come here all the time!”