7 minute read
Interview with Brian Swarray aka Barber B
INTERVIEW WITH BARBER B
I could have never imagined that this work would give me so much satisfaction
Brian was the first person in his family to become a barber. But he did begin a new family tradition because his son is following in his footsteps as a barber and his daughter as a hair stylist. He also has high hopes that his 11-year-old grandson will carry on the tradition. He’s now been working in the barbering business for 28 years and, in addition to running his barber shop, he travels the world for shows and education.
Finding a pair of clippers
‘My example was an old Jamaican barber who could shave figures in people’s hair. That was 30 years ago and he was a huge inspiration to me. I’m from a poor area of Leeds and was always going through rubbish bins in search of something I could sell. I found a pair of clippers one day and started experimenting with them. I’ll never forget the first haircut I gave my brother as a model – it took me nearly two-and-ahalf hours to finish! I grew up in a ghetto where different cultures lived side by side. I’m mixed race, but I didn’t want to be black or white. Even back then I didn’t like labels and simply wanted to be a barber for everyone. But this doesn’t detract from the fact that the afro hair culture has been a massive inspiration to me. It is, after all, the source of so many trends, including fading techniques and hair tattoos. They’ve only become popular over the last ten years, but I’ve been doing them for nearly 30 years!’
Mosaic
‘I’m completely self-taught and never went to barbering college. When I started out, we obviously didn’t have YouTube or internet where you could find videos. What I learned in the beginning was to listen very closely to my clients. While they
were all men with afro hair at first, I eventually also took on clients with European or Asian hair. I started by learning how to cut afro hair because I’m convinced that if you’ve mastered the technique for afro hair, you can then go on to cut any type of hair. It’s not the same story the other way around and that’s why it’s smart to focus first on barbering afro hair so you can subsequently cut all different kinds of hair. Many men of colour unfortunately think that white barbers don’t know how to cut their hair properly. That’s rubbish and is actually one of the misconceptions I try to eliminate in my barbershop. We have barbers from a number of different ethnic backgrounds working at our barber shop and they’re proof that you shouldn’t think in labels. My barber shop is a mosaic of different cultures and that’s why we can inspire each other.’
Satisfaction
‘Back to where it all began. After practicing endlessly for six months, I opened my own shop in Leeds with one chair. It seemed to come easily to me and at a certain point more and more people started ringing me for a haircut. This work has given me self-confidence and made feel that I’m doing something that matters. As a barber I have the unique opportunity to transform and inspire others. It’s a great feeling to see my clients leave the shop with greater selfconfidence. I could have never imagined that this work would give me so much satisfaction. And when I found out I could get paid for my hobby, I was over the moon! I tried to become better every day and started taking part in competitions. Thanks to this profession, I’ve been able to travel extensively and it has really enriched my life.’
Sharing knowledge
‘I eventually also founded an academy where I can teach my techniques to other barbers.My mission: to share my knowledge and help the younger generation get ahead. I’m now also developing a special educational method for children to teach them about barbering in the form of a play. Learning should be fun and if someone’s passion is ignited, they’ll do everything possible to become better. Events such as BarberSociety Live clearly provide an outstanding platform for sharing your knowledge. That’s why I’m so grateful I’ve been given the opportunity to give a show at the event in order to do my part for the continued development of the profession.’
Movember
‘I also think it’s important to give back to the community. This is why I supported the Movember Foundation in their initiative to raise greater awareness of prostate cancer among men. The project was linked to the rugby league because rugby fans often didn’t give any thought to the topic of prostate cancer. Rugby fans were invited to pop into a special “burly Man Van” for a free haircut on the condition that they’d also listen to some important information about prostate cancer. The idea behind this was that barbers have a great deal of influence thanks to their face-to-face contact with clients. As barbers, we’re used to listening to their problems and that puts us in a good positon to provide information. The project was a massive success and received extensive media attention.’
Men should be more aware of their health
‘I also want to use my academy to raise men’s awareness of various health risks and the preventative actions they can take. Men often don’t think enough about their health and this means arming them with awareness and information can potentially help prevent premature death. It´s all about encouraging them to see a doctor and pay more attention to their health and fitness.’
Own choice
‘My children have more or less grown up in the barber shop because I was always working. My son shares my passion and I taught him the trade when he was 12. He trained as an accountant, but decided to take up a career in barbering instead. I’m convinced that you can only be a good barber when you’ve decided yourself that barbering is what you want to do with your life. Now we do hair shows together and his is the manager of my shop. My daughter is a mother and a part-time hairdresser. Her son is now eleven and he loves to spend time at the barber shop. Even though he’s still young, I can tell that he’s interested in barbering. But I’ll never push him; he has to make up his own mind.’
The future
‘I think that this is only the beginning. There are still so many things I would like to do. Also in the field of education and techniques. And I want to open a barber shop that is open 24 hours a day. This is a great profession that opens up a world of opportunities!’
Useful information
Specialities include hair tattoos and multicultural haircuts.
Each barber has his own workstation; there are 12 workstations in total.
The prices of the services range from € 10 to € 50 depending on the barber.
Open 6 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., closed on Sundays.
Scheduled appointments and walk-ins.
Favourite brand: Wahl Clippers, Barbicide
Piranha Hairstudio
60 Northstreet, Leeds
www.barberb.co.uk
