BarberNV Issue 11

Inspiring UK & Ireland Barbering success

Issue 11.

£5 €6.50 $6.50

@BarberNV_Mag

/BarberNVMagazine

BarberNVMagazine

News | Products | EVENTS | Features | EDUCATION BarberNV Magazine | 1

HAIR SHAPER THE ORIGINAL. 25 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG

YANNY TOKYO, GERMAN-BORN, LONDON-BASED MODEL TURNED ORGANIC FARMER AND ARTIST.

Find your stockist At:Fudgeprofessional.com Hair by London School of Barbering Art Team | londonschoolbarbering.com 2 | BarberNV Magazine

Fudgehair

Welcome Simon Ritchie

Editor

It’s Californication time in BarberNV as we head over the pond to catch up with some of the Golden State’s hottest barbering prospects - Pope the Barber, 360Jeezy, and Like a Gentleman.

Meanwhile back home we spoke exclusively with the men newly crowned as the best barbers in Scotland and Britain. It’s another packed edition and hopefully you’ll enjoy reading it and perhaps pick up some knowledge along the way!

The barbering community has been in event mode as they trekked up and down the country for Barber UK, another Great British Barber Bash, the Scottish Hair and Beauty Show, and Barber Connect. We’ve got plenty of news to bring from all the big events, but we’re beginning to look a bit further afield…

BarberSociety Live is set to be the most exciting show of the summer and we’ll be heading out to Amsterdam to cover it in the flesh. Laid back, chilled out, with beers flowing and the barber banter in full swing, it’s a different take on the usual events but with no less barbering expertise on show. Chris Foster, Simon Shaw, Sid Sottung, and our very own Alan Findlay will all be wowing the crowds and you can expect plenty

of content from it in the next issue – as long as we don’t over indulge in what Amsterdam has to offer! For now you can check our interview with BarberSociety Live’s founder Marc Van de Hare for more information on why you should be booking your flight.

Sticking with our global theme, our favourite Viking, Hjörtur Scheving, has opened up his very own Fit for Vikings barbershop in Oslo, Norway with some very British influence.

It’s looking fantastic and we will be keeping our eye on the very intriguing concept.

One man who helped Hjörtur with advice to get the shop up and running was Tom Chapman and we’re delighted to cover his latest educational course and show off the quality of his students in our Showcase section. It’s great to see so much talent continuing to come through in the industry.

I haven’t even scratched the surface of what’s ahead of you, so dive right in.

Simon Ritchie Founder Joanne Reid | Editor Simon Ritchie | Head Graphic Designer Ross Stewart | Sales & Marketing Support Connie Neil | Editorial Assistant Sophie Kernachan Design & Marketing PrintNV | Columnists Alan Findlay, Rob & Dan Rix, Larry the Barber Man, Sid Sottung | Thanks Alison Jameson Consultants, Brian Hays Photography, Essence PR, Seven Publicity, Vivid PR, LWPR, B TheAgency, Fellowship of British Hairdressing, National Hairdressers Federation, Barber Council, British Barbers’ Association, British Master Barbers, The MHFed, City & Guilds Barbering Industry Board, Pickle PR, Larry the Barber Man, JAM Marketing, Tom Chapman, The Lions Barber Collective, Alan Findlay, Barber Equipment Centre, The Bluebeards Revenge, Reuzel, Schorem, Lumberjack Inc, The Great British Barbering Academy, Michael Beasley, Vincent Quinn, Cutthroat J’s, 360Jeezy, Pope the Barber, Like a Gentleman, Fit for Vikings, Jay Adams, Charles Clarke, The Stately Gent, Custom Belmont, Takara Belmont, James Williams, Wessex Beardsmen, Barber UK, BarberSociety Live, Marc Van de Hare, Robert Rix Cover Image Hair: Jay Kizito Byrne, photographer: Tim Collins.

Pictures Shutterstock | Published by MediaNV Ltd, 132 West Regent Street, Glasgow G2 2RQ | Email contact@salonnv.co.uk | Tel +44 (0) 141 212 5525 Copyright All work in this publication is copyright BarberNV Magazine and Gallas Print & Digital Media Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. © Information and product prices are correct at time of printing. Some products may not be available in all stores.

BarberNV Magazine | 3

4 | BarberNV Magazine

News INDUSTRY NEWS

06

Events SCOTLAND’S BEST BARBER

8

Features 10 VINCENT QUINN 16 JAMES WILLIAMS 32 CALIFORNIA 42 FIT FOR VIKINGS 44 JAY ADAMS

BARBER UK

14

WESSEX BEARDSMEN

58

Products

62 MARC VAN DE HARE – BSL 84 INSTAGRAM SHOWCASE

Education 28 NEW SHOPS

editor’s choice

18

GROOMING

20

FURNITURE & EQUIPMENT 22

30 BUILD YOUR BRAND 48 THE STATELY GENT 52 TOM CHAPMAN EDUCATION COURSE

combs & brushes 24

APPAREL

27

86 FELLOWSHIP 88 ROB RIX

Contents Issue 11

BarberNV Magazine | 5

akito aid thc Having already raised £100 for the Hairdressers’ Charity earlier in the year by selling a Vidal Sassoon autobiography signed by Trevor Sorbie, Akito are adding to their philanthropy by taking bids via Twitter for a pair of beautiful rose gold Takara scissors.

The Akito Takara is handcrafted in the finest Japanese Hitachi steel and his perfect for all hair cutting techniques. The auction is in aid of ‘helping hairdressers day’ #HHD17 and to get your hands on the scissors just make your bid via Twitter on 30th June from 8pm until 10pm.

Queen’s award for Kent Kent Brushes, Britain’s oldest established brush company has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2017, the UK’s highest accolade for ‘outstanding achievement’ and international business success.

Following the Prime Minister’s recommendation for the iconic British brand to be presented with this award, Her Majesty the Queen approved the honour in recognition of how the progressive company has produced a host of innovative designs, successfully targeted multiple international markets, plus added value in terms of function, aesthetics and durability.

Kent Brushes, which was founded in 1777 and is the only brush manufacturer to have held the prestigious Royal Warrant consistently for nine reigns, produces over 250 different brushes with ranges for hair, body, clothes, make-up, teeth, shaving and male grooming.

barbers help autism On Sunday April 9th, Autism Barbers Assemble once again came together to help children with autism get a much needed haircut. The goal was to cut the hair of 60 children at a salon just outside Cardiff with 10 barbers donating their time for free.

Founder, and winner of Britain’s Best Barber, James Williams put the event together with the help of many people including Pall Mall Barbers and Dan Wild of Quartered Steels.

The next event is coming to the north of England on Sunday, July 9th, with a location still to be confirmed.

6 | BarberNV Magazine

new code of practice The British Barbers Association has launched a comprehensive code of practice which is aimed at everyone in the male grooming business. It’s the most definitive guide for the sector ever published and covers the key knowledge every business, professional, and learner needs to know.

Put together with input from some of the barbering industry’s leading figures, the code covers areas such as hygiene and safe working practice, client consultation, wet shaving, facial massage, and chemical barbering services with authoritative advice throughout on personal protective equipment, waste disposal, skin conditions

and infections, sterilisation of equipment, and contra-indications.

Although compliance with the code will be voluntary, the BBA will be promoting it widely throughout the barbering industry and to key stakeholders such as local authorities, environmental health officers, government agencies, and consumer magazines to demonstrate the high standards that already exist.

The code is available for free download from the BBA website britishbarbers.com with the option to purchase a printed version.

golfers club together Over £8,000 was raised for The Hairdressers Charity at a golf day sponsored by BarberNV, OSMO, Creightons, Sally’s, Peter Belcher, Philip Rogers, Ishoka, Charlie Miller, ghd, AJC93, Rainbow Room International, McIntyre’s, Hairdressers Journal, The Gallery, Goldwell, Hair & Beauty World, Crazy Color, and Paterson SA. More than 50 golfers from a mixture of hair salons, manufacturers, and distributors donned their golf clubs to support the industry’s official charity. As

well as enjoying a fantastic day’s golfing at Gleneagles, the guests were treated to a three-course meal and charity auction and raffle including prizes such as an Apple Watch, two tickets to the British Hairdressing Business Awards, and a golf day at the Belfry, plus many more.

The winners on the day were Gary Barker of UNITE who was the individual winner while UNITE also took home the team award. Scott McGeoch had the longest drive while Scott McIntosh was nearest the pin.

CUSTOMERs WANT ONLINE

the gbba welcomes rob rix The Great British Barbering Academy has added Master Craftsman and regular BarberNV columnist Robert Rix to its industry-recognised training team.

As owner, alongside his son Daniel, of The Master Barber’s Shop in Southport, Robert brings a wealth of experience to the education outfit after spending 56years in the industry. Having personally worked alongside legendary names such as Vidal

Sassoon and John Santilli, Robert was involved in the cultural revolution that took place in hairdressing under their guidance.

With knowledge that is second to none, Robert will be leading Great British Barbering Academy courses in Salon Services stores in the Manchester and Liverpool area, and is availablethroughout Lancashire for ‘Educator for the Day’ trips.

New research suggests that a majority of barbershop customer would prefer to book online or via an app rather than through traditional walk-in services.

Currently only 8% of clients use online booking services, but the research by Mojo and The Bluebeards Revenge has revealed that 54% are keen to do it. In London the results are even more resounding with 66% of men preferring to book grooming services online.

Could it be time for your shop to change its methods?

Oil worker makes the cut

chris foster goes worldwide Chris Foster has taken his brand of education global as he hosted four major seminars in Miami, Dubai, Mumbai, and the UK in the Month of May. As director of the British Barbers’ Association, Intercoiffure invited Chris to their annual event in Miami where he was asked to discuss and inform hairdressers from the top salons in North America about the growing boom.

Next on Chris’s itinerary was the Beauty Business Summit held at the Beauty World exhibition in Dubai which invited hair and beauty specialists from around the globe to join their expert

panel discussing various industry topics.

After being asked to judge UAE’s Best Barber Awards, Chris was invited as a male grooming expert to talk about the fastest growing sector in hairdressing today.

Chris also headed to Mumbai for ‘An evening with extraordinary gentlemen’ as part of a presentation to 900 hairdressers for the BBA. He presented his Kings Row show, based upon his recent collection inspired by classic tailoring and Savile Row in London.

With the Scottish oil industry suffering tough times, many workers laid off from their jobs are taking up barbering to improve the employability. For Marc Cran it has led to a full time job at Huntsman Barber in Aberdeen.

Marc took a three-day a week course at the Scottish Barbering School while working four-days a week at a local supermarket, without a day off for four months and while looking after his two-year-old daughter. His hard work and dedication impressed Huntsman owner Kyle Ross who snapped him up. Good luck to Marc in his new role.

Finally, it was off to Barber UK in Birmingham where he hosted seminars across the two days on the VTCT Barbering Stage. Busy, busy!

BarberNV Magazine | 7

Scotland’s Best Barber 2017

I

n front of a packed stage at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre, six of our trade’s most talented stylists competed to be crowned Scotland’s Best Barber.

Having reached the final following a public vote among 25 barbers, Alisha Storrie of Legacy Gents Stylists, Glasgow; Crihan Corneliu of Jackie’s Barbershop, Coatbridge; Dianne Philbin of Statement Barbers, Edinburgh; Ethan Stubbs of Blackout Barbershop in Largs; Scott Reynolds of Old Town Barber Shop, Dunfermline, and Vincent Quinn of Hard Grind, Dundee, had the tough task of performing their chosen cuts live on stage while talking the audience through what they were doing and answering questions from compere Mike Taylor of the Great British Barbering Academy.

All took the pressure in their stride, executing six fantastic cuts that had the judges left with an extremely difficult task.

Last year’s winner of Scotland’s Best Barber Stacey McCabe; Luigi Caterino, winner of Britain’s Best Shave 2015, Hair Council member Gareth Clark, and BarberNV editor Simon Ritchie were the four judges left with the almost impossible choice of picking an overall winner.

Points were given for a range of categories including technical ability, stage presence, and finished look. Unfortunately, despite

8 | BarberNV Magazine

the incredible quality on show from all finalists a single victor had to be chosen.

Taking home the prestigious crown with an audacious bowl cut look on his young model was Hard Grind’s Vincent Quinn.

Among the prizes he received from competition sponsors included £500 of professional hair and grooming products from The Bluebeards Revenge, a pair of Matsuzaki scissors, and a barber chair from Salon Services to the value of £850.

Mike Taylor said: “Vincent’s cool and collected stage presence really impressed the judges, as did his creative cut. He should be very proud to call himself Scotland’s Best Barber 2017. It;s certainly no mean feat, and he has done incredibly well to get to this point.”

You can read our exclusive interview with Scotland’s Best Barber 2017, Vincent Quinn, overleaf.

Away from the tension and pressure of the Scotland’s Best Barber competition, there was a host of talent on show on the barbering stage sponsored by the Great British Barbering Academy, Salon Services’ Basin Street, and The Bluebeards Revenge. The popularity of the trade was clear to see with rarely a spare seat to be found across the two days and usually a large crowd forced to stand.

Scotland’s Best Barber 2016, Stacey McCabe, spent her last few hours with the crown showcasing her talent alongside fellow judge Gareth Clark, while Phil Simons had a significantly better turnout for his appearance at this year’s show, alongside his brother Raymond, than when he closed out last year’s event – although last year was streamed live on the BarberNV Facebook page and viewed thousands of times, showing talent always finds a way!

The teams from Chop and the Italian Job Barbershop both took up residence on the Monday alongside the likes of Ross Carter, an inspirational sight for many of the young crowd on what is typically a day for students to attend – you don’t get a much better barbering education than that.

Jamie Stuart and Ben Lawless closed out the day and an event that will live long in the memory.

BarberNV Magazine | 9

Meet Scotland’s Best Barber:

Vincent Quinn

It’s been a hard grind to the top for the man who is officially Scotland’s Best Barber. Vincent Quinn beat stiff competition at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Show to earn the crown, dazzling the judges with his distinctive style and magnetic stage presence.

Beginnings Standing on stage and receiving the applause of the watching crowd as Scotland’s top barber might seem a long way from Vincent’s roots, training at the Vidal Sassoon’s academy in London and working in their Manchester salon.

But every stage of his career has helped him prepare for this moment.

Precision cutting and geometric shapes learned at Sassoon. Using his love for fashion to create unique looks for established brands like Dr Martens. Taking his first move into solely barbering at Barber Below to improve his male grooming skills and learn the business side of running a shop. Then heading north to Hard Grind where his talent has led to him being made Head Barber of the Dundee store.

Hard Grind The opportunity to move to Dundee came at the right time for Vincent who admits he was “stuck in a rut” at his current shop and needed a new challenge. And finding his new shop was the first challenge.

“Barbering isn’t a career where you can learn everything and be the best. To get better you have to play a better opponent. I was on paternity leave and saw Hard Grind was hiring, had to look up Dundee on a map,” Vincent laughs. “I knew it was in Scotland, I wasn’t that bad!”

Packing up his life and his only weeks-old 10 | BarberNV Magazine

baby, Vincent made the journey north. He says: “At first at Hard Grind it was a culture shock. I was used to 45 minute appointments, having an assistant to shampoo the hair. Plus in barbershops it’s the fact you have 25 people sat watching you cut, thinks like that.” Once he was settled in, things moved quickly and with some help from his talented colleagues, in particular owner Colin Petrie who he calls an “inspiration”, to improve his clipper game, Vincent has become a vital cog in the Hard Grind machine.

Bid to be the best Having not been one for entering competitions in the past, Vincent decided to switch it up for Scotland’s Best Barber.

“When I was at Sassoon you weren’t allowed to enter competitions,” he tells us.

“I never really thought about it, I was always concentrating on the shop and my cuts day to day. But I saw this one come up and I always read BarberNV and I’d seen a lot about the Great British Barbering Academy coming up, and of course The Bluebeards Revenge are fantastic, and I thought this is a great idea.

“I know I’m not Scottish but I’ve been accepted into the Scottish Barbering Community. They are a tight knit community – Scottish barbers really rally together. There’s a real camaraderie. So I thought ‘why not enter the competition?’

“When I saw the final 25 I thought ‘this is a spicy shortlist!’ There were people like Graeme Milne on there, Dean Cunningham – even though he’s a bit outspoken! – and Alicia. All great barbers.”

Of course Vincent didn’t just make the final 25, he made it through to the final six performing on stage in Edinburgh. And while he says he might have been unnerved having to cut in front of 25 people at Hard Grind when he first started, there was no sign of any such nerves on stage at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Show.

He says: “I was confident. Not confident about winning it, but I was confident because I’d done a lot of stage work and I know how to take it when the nerves hit. People who say they don’t feel it are lying.”

Nervous or not, Vincent impressed everyone with his unique interpretation of a bowl cut. Not only earning him the crown of Scotland’s Best Barber but earning him a pint at his local The Salty Dog off his boss. He’s more Scottish than he knows.

Inspiration It was undoubtedly a risk to perform such a polarising cut on the biggest stage of his career so far. For many people the bowl cut is a haunting reminder of visiting their local butcher/barber when they were at school, but for Vincent it was a chance to pull together all his skills and bring a disregarded look back into fashion.

“It was inspired by a couple of things. The greatest city on earth – Manchester. The music, the culture; I spent a lot of time working in the northern quarter, the music area of Manchester.

Then my Sassoon training was all precision, geometric shapes.”

REPEAT AD?

Put it together and you get something stylish and wearable, that’s deliberately designed to fit in with the subculture his client identifies with.

Because for Vincent that’s the most important thing, and not something that necessarily comes across when you see a picture of a haircut in isolation.

Vincent explains: “A lot of my work is client consultation. I will sit down and talk to my client and if they’re in a suit because they were at work I’ll ask what they do when they’re not in a suit. If there’s an indie kid coming in and they’re

BarberNV Magazine | 11

into these bowl cuts then I’ll try and make it work for them. It’s about pushing boundaries. You have to look at the cut and that it’s not just about what sits on the head, the haircut makes your style – it’s like putting the final stamp on the letter to what a person’s style is.”

The Changing Face of Barbering Barbers like Vincent are at the forefront of what has been an incredible transformation for the barbering industry, and he believes the entire culture of what it is to be a man is changing.

He says: “When you look at men’s grooming, both barbering and style aspects, they’re adapting more to the modern man – and the modern man isn’t metrosexual, it’s Barry the builder.

“I’m definitely getting more opportunity to experiment with my cutting because men are wanting to experiment more with their hair. It’s a good time to be alive in the men’s industry and I’m riding on the wave of that.

“Barbering has this freshness to it, this coolness, because it has become more than just a functional service, it’s become an art form.

Look at the GBBA stage at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Show, busy all weekend. It’s now competing with the big hair stages, the Wellas, Rush, Sassoon.

“Barbering is coming in like the rebellious little brother, raw and ready and taking over from the crème de la crème. One question you can’t go on stage without being asked is ‘are you barber trained or hairdresser changed?’ For me you have to stop asking that question because they are running in tandem. Like me, I’m a hairdresser but have a barbering qualification. It’s time to break that line down. Older guys and women barbers who are more open-minded are bringing their experience and pooling it with young barbers who are more transatlantic and into their fades, and together they have moulded this industry.”

Fashion future?

Bringing the two sides of the hair industry together might be a big ask but Vincent sees it happening, and with his interest in fashion it’s no surprise where he expects it to take place.

“It’s always a hair salon that does men’s fashion week, not a barbers”, he says. “But soon you’ll see it. These two businesses that have always been against each other – hairdressers always thought barbers as raw and uneducated while barbers thought of hairdressers as fancy and pretentious.

“But it’s changing. That’s one of my goals, to do men’s fashion week with Hard Grind.”

With the upcoming charity motorcycle event Barbersride on the horizon that will see the Hard Grind guys and a team of fellow top

12 | BarberNV Magazine

barbers ride from Dundee to London over four days educating as they go plus a link-up with SB Barbering Academy in Sunderland too, it’s a busy time for Vincent but one he’s enjoying.

He says: “I’ll definitely be doing a lot more on the educating side.

That’s a side that means a lot to me. Because it’s not about us. We were on the start of the crest, we were the people who set the bar – Hard Grind set the bar, Savills set the bar, Ruger set the bar, but now it’s about the kids who are looking up to us, we need to inspire those kids.

Over the last years we’ve created something for people to look up to and made barbering exciting. It’s our duty to inspire them so they know barbering as this rather than what it was before. So I want to spend the next few years doing that.”

THE RIGHT TOOLS

FOR THE JOB As one of the largest barbering ranges on the market, THE BLUEBEARDS REVENGE is the elite grooming brand you and your clients deserve. Its products work in perfect harmony to enhance the barbershop-quality finish that you deliver daily.

Please contact us on: trade@bluebeards-revenge.co.uk OR +44 (0) 1752 898191

BarberNV Magazine | 13

BARBERUK2017

The controlled chaos is over for another year as Barber UK took its corner of the Beauty UK show at the NEC and turned it into a bustling piece of barbering heaven.

Whether you were looking for some new scissors, information on barbershop insurance, or wanting to subscribe to BarberNV, the hall was packed full of companies big and small all there to enhance the industry. Thousands of barbers made their way around the stands over the two days, taking in the numerous exhibitions and taking advantage of the special show deals.

The BBA Boxing Ring was one of the highlights of Barber UK and saw some of the top barbers in the game battling it out to be named Britain’s Best Wet Shaving Barber and Britain’s Best Barber.

Elvis Gjokaj of Alley Barbers, Station Way, had to fight his way through five months of gruelling competition culminating in the live final at Barber UK to be crowned Britain’s Best Wet Shaving Barber 2017. Impressing the judges Luigi Caterino (a former winner), Alan Jones, and Gareth Clark with his impeccable skills in the final against Sophie Collins.

After claiming the title, Elvis said: “It’s third time lucky as I’ve entered on two previous

14 | BarberNV Magazine

occasions but narrowly missed out on both. I made the final in 2016 so I’m over the moon to have finally landed the coveted trophy and I’m already looking forward to defending my title next year.”

As well as the prestigious title, Elvis also walks away with £500 worth of The Bluebeards Revenge grooming products and a role as an ambassador for the brand.

In the Britain’s Best Barber showdown it was a tense final between Welsh barber James Williams and England’s James Beaumont, with the Welshman taking the crown. You can read our exclusive interview with James after he won the title overleaf.

Away from the competitions, there were excellent seminars from the likes of Kenny Duncan and Danny Amorim representing Andis all the way from the United States, while closer to home Alison Scattergood of East Durham College gave an inspiring lesson on the BarberNV stage.

We are already looking forward to next year.

The Lions roared at Barber UK It was a successful Barber UK for Tom Chapman and the Lions Barber Collective as they used their stand to get the Lions message across to thousands of barbers.

They had plenty of interest in their plan to install support workers in barbershops for a couple of hours once a month for men who need someone trained to talk to, as there’s only so much that barbers can do.

It’s a simple but effective way of reaching out to men and any barbers interested in getting involved in the scheme should get in touch with The Lions Barber Collective on Facebook.

It was also a fantastic weekend in terms of raising money with the British Barbers Association weighing in with

almost £300 from barbers at the event while Captain Fawcett had haircuts at his stand with all the money going to the Lions raising almost £200. Akito Scissors also stepped in to donate scissors worth £600 which will be raffled off or used in competitions in the future to raise more money.

If you missed them this time you can catch them at Barber Connect where Sindi Devitte and Lesley Macbain will be running their stand and some upand-coming barbers will be strutting their stuff.

BarberNV Magazine | 15

Britain’s Best Barber: James Williams

One of the most well-known barbers in the industry thanks to his work as founder of Autism Barbers Assemble, James Williams has finally received the recognition that he’s also one of the industry’s best.

On Monday 22nd of May in the British Barbers’ Association boxing ring at BarberUK, James faced off with James Bradbury of JSB Barbering to see who would claim the crown of Britain’s Best Barber. 30 tense minutes and one drop fade later and James, or Jim the Trim, was victorious, taking home a £2,000 cash prize but more importantly the priceless title.

“Obviously it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” James tells us a few days after his victory when we ask what it’s like to be recognised as Britain’s Best Barber and he’s naturally modest. “I don’t think I’ve got the right, whether I’ve got that title or not, to say that I am Britain’s best barber. I don’t put myself up there as that as obviously there’s so many barbers out there that I look up to. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else, I was just good enough on that day to win it.”

It’s typical of the type of person James is. Catapulted to worldwide recognition when a photo of him lying flat on the floor to cut a young boy with autism’s hair was viewed millions of times within a few days on Facebook, James used the opportunity to create an organisation that now helps children with autism up and down the country. A recent

16 | BarberNV Magazine

event saw 60 children get their hair cut by a host of barbers who donated their time to assist James in helping these kids. Yet he’s still received criticism from certain quarters despite his philanthropy.

James says: “You hear rumours in this industry, people say I’ve used that to get to the top and I’m not going to say it hasn’t helped me. But I’m trying to show people that it’s not all about titles. I’m just trying to be a good role model.

“I want to be a good ambassador for youngsters to look up to and say ‘yeah he’s won Britain’s Best Barber but he still does great things for autism’ and show people that although I do things for autism I’m still a talented barber.

“I worked my arse off to get where I am today. I work seven days a week, 12 hours a day. I live and breathe hair. I wouldn’t be giving up my Sundays and doing these special events if I didn’t care.”

That hard work paid off big time with the win in Birmingham which he added to Welsh awards for Best Barbershop and Best Stylist in

2015 and 2016 plus a finalist position in Wahl’s British Barber of the Year at Salon International back in October. Something that helped him grow into a barber capable of taking the BBA crown.

“That was my first real major competition and to get on stage was a great experience.

When I went to it I admit I wasn’t ready for it, it was too big for me at the time. But it was a great learning curve – people want those types of opportunities to get on stage and I knew that to get that far alone I wouldn’t be walking away as a loser. I was happy when Andrea (Raymond) won it and it was great working alongside such talented barbers and competing. The greatest thing in this industry is how we are evolving, we’re all learning off each other. Men’s hair is all about inspiring others and taking inspiration from one another.”

Having gained some confidence from being on stage at Salon International and showcasing his work whenever possible, James was a late entrant into BBA’s Britain’s Best Barber.

“I literally entered on the last day, same as with the Wahl one” he says. “I thought there’s nothing to lose so I’ll have another go. I found out a few days later I was through to the final at BarberUK and was obviously chuffed again just to get that far.

work with so I felt quite confident going into the final.

“Whoever was going to win that round we were both going out of it as winners. You’re not a loser for coming second because there was a great cash prize and just getting there alone is hard enough.”

It’s a fantastic attitude to have and it’s part of the personality that has helped turn James into a great all-round barber and person.

Winning Britain’s Best Barber is likely to open even more doors for James but he’s keeping his feet on the ground, just as we’d expect.

He says: “I’m still learning and trying to improve my skills. Any opportunities to get on stage I’m interested in doing and if I can inspire people to have a go and aim high that’s great.”

With a host of amazing appearances already lined up including at the Champions League Final in Cardiff and at Barber Connect, ambassador deals with the likes of Quartered Steels, and the continued success of Autism Barbers Assemble and his Jim the Trim shop in Briton Ferry, the future looks bright for James.

“In the first round we all had to showcase a flat-top. A flat-top isn’t one of my strongest cuts as down in Wales we don’t have many but I’ve always been comfortable doing them so I felt If I could do a safe job on that I’d get enough points in the second round creative cut to get me through to the final round. That’s more my strong point and I was very lucky as my model for that round dropped out and my friend lent me one. My final model I cut his hair regularly and know he’s a strong candidate to

BarberNV Magazine | 17

Editor’s Comment We loved Neal & Wolf’s Alpha Club idea. By far the biggest complaint we hear from regular customers is that they aren’t able to style their hair to the standard the barber managed in shop. Now, we think it should be up to the barber to pass that knowledge on but in shops where you’re only getting 20 minutes per cut it can be hard. This can act as the bridge to keep your customers happy – winwin!

Fudge Headpaint Ash Infusions Kit Colour has shown no signs of going away from the male sector with more barbers than ever seeing customers after bold styles. To help you meet their needs, Fudge has added Ash Infusions to its esteemed Headpaint professional colour line which allows for the creation of bespoke blonde effects. It includes Graphite, a deep gray, Silver Lilac, a soft smoky lilac/grey, and Rose Quartz, a muted pink amethyst. £15.87 + VAT – fudgeprofessional.com

Elemis Luxury Travel Bag Summer is upon us and while you’ll no doubt be sweating behind your chair all summer, as your clients are in getting their pre-holiday cuts why not tempt them with this bag of goodies? Ideal for retailing, it contains everything they’ll need to stay sharp this summer in a slick and stylish bag: shave gel, face wash, moisture boost, body wash, and refreshing gel. £42.50 – elemis.co.uk

Reuzel Shave Cream The latest addition to Reuzel’s grooming range. This rich and super-slick formula gives you a nick-free, smooth as you like shave. Combined with a powerful skin conditioner and plenty of lubricant to help the blade glide effortlessly over your skin, you’ll walk away feeling super-smooth. £19.99- reuzelpomade.com

Neal & Wolf Men’s Collection Products don’t get much more stylish than Neal & Wolf .They’ll look the part in every salon and the quality of the new range means you’ll be dipping into your own stock! With five products each delivering the goods on a specific aspect of male grooming, including STYLE shaping cream, CREATE matte paste, DEFINE moulding clay, DESIGN pomade, and COMPLETE 3-in-1 Shower Gel. Join the Neal & Wolf Alpha Club, an online society tailored to give men tips, advice, and guidance on the products and help make their clients true modern gentleman. £12.95 – nealandwolf.com

Editor’s ChoiceENVY 18 | BarberNV Magazine

Barber Pro Face Putty Face masks are taking the industry by storm as a great way to achieve extra revenue in shop. Gone are the days when men were scared to be seen as feminine for engaging in treatments, now they can’t get enough! Face Putty is an innovative black peel-off mask with activated charcoal that loosens blackheads and cleanses deep into the pores to remove impurities. £2.45 + VAT – barberpro.com

Uppercut Wash Range Clean up with the new wash range from Uppercut Deluxe. The Aussies are delighting us once again with another fantastic line-up of products to upgrade male grooming. They’re bringing an Everyday Shampoo, Everyday Conditioner, and a game-changing Degreaser to remove even the toughest of product build-ups. We’re loving it.

Coming Soon – uppercutdeluxe.com

Squire Hair The Foam

Schwarzkopf got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray

Designed and dedicated to volumising and breathing life into fine hair. Able to boost hair without weighing it down, it’s able to make the hair appear full and voluminous, while at the same time feeling weightless. The non-greasy liquid formulato-foam expands as soon as a small amount is pumped into your hands, and can be layered to build an even fuller look that leaves your hair looking full of life as a result.

There’s no point in creating a masterpiece for your client if it’s going to fall apart in a stiff breeze!

A great hairspray is a key tool in the salon, and this effort from Schwarzkopf will keep it rock steady.

£11.49 – squirehair.co.uk

£4.10 – feelunique.com

Captain Fawcett Million Dollar Beard Oil It’s a capital collaboration from the Captain and Jimmy Niggles Esq! This unique combination of enriching oils will make your beard feel like a million dollars. Crafted with fresh oceanic scents and earthy resinous notes, topped with an enchanting floral citrus, the winning touch are the flakes of 23 carat gold. £36 – captainfawcett.com

Editor’s ChoiceENVY BarberNV Magazine | 19

Blaq Mask Having made waves in Australia, Blaq has finally brought its blackhead removal mask to the UK. It targets toxins and draws out impurities, resulting in clear and flawless skin. It’s the must have treatment at the moment so get your shop involved. £14 – blaq.co

Sexy Hair Control Maniac If you want to create the perfect finish with a sleek look, try the Control Maniac styling wax. SexyHair products are not just for women and this is just one example that fits perfectly into barbershop use. £15.95 – sexyhair.com

V76 by Vaughn Pomade The newest addition to their ‘Well Groomed’ range is this strong hold pomade. Adding texture and a ton of shine to the hair, it provides dimension, shine, and all-day control without stiffness, dryness or flaking. The water based formula goes in clear and washes out easy, without collapsing in heat or humidity. £21.95 – v76.com

Trevor Sorbie Mg Range It’s back and better than ever before. Trevor Sorbie’s Mg range takes inspiration from the great man’s barbershop heritage to create an essential group of products.

The range has a simple focus: to help promote thicker hair whilst caring for the scalp. Something we all can get behind.

Trevorsorbie.com

groomingENVY 20 | BarberNV Magazine

Pall Mall Barbers Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner Keep your hair on! For customers with sensitive scalps, Pall Mall’s shampoo and conditioner are infused with tea tree and eucalyptus oils to help heal irritation. Working in tandem, they leave hair with a soft and silky finish. £12 – pallmallbarbers.com

Pall Mall Barbers Shave Oil The famed London barbers are renowned for their 5-Step Pro Shaving System so when they release a shaving oil you know it will tick every box. It’s ideal for shaping and styling beards and goatees as its clear, translucent formula allows you to see where you are shaving, making it easier to get a sharp, defined edge whilst shaving close to the beard line. £20 – pallmallbarbers.com

Hawkins & Brimble Face Wash The Hawkins & Brimble range is an all-round winner and the face wash in particular is great. Removes excess oil, dirt, and debris to leave your skin feeling completely clean and refreshed. £8.95 – hawkinsandbrimble.co.uk

Cutthroatpete Klay The Liverpool brand always have their nose on the pulse of the modern man and their product range is no exception.

Their Klay is a matte product that give zero shine to the hair, allowing the natural look to shine through. If you’re looking for that bed head look with a textured finish you won’t go wrong. £13.50 – www.cutthroatpete.co

groomingENVY BarberNV Magazine | 21

Porch Light Barber Pole Light up your shop exterior and showcase yourself to customers with this classy porch light. The red, white, and blue pole will make you instantly recognisable as a barbershop and illuminate the way for your clients. Available at a heavily reduced price right now so don’t miss out. £52 – salonequipmentcentre.co.uk

DY18 Barber Chair Bringing utmost comfort to clients and excellent robustness, designed with a sturdy, durable frame that can withhold plenty of weight, especially so when coupled with the ergonomically designed back crafted specifically for proper support. This chair will also provide an excellent degree of comfort for the client, as it comes with a reclining back, adjustable headrest, and polyurethane armrest to ensure comfort. With a hydraulic lift, it will be far easier to attend to clients stylistic needs. £449 + VAT – barberwarehouse.co.uk

Edward Scissors Vyola and Pro-Feel Get your hands on this shear set from Edward Scissors containing 6” Vyola thinning scissors and 7” Pro-Feel hair cutting scissors hand forged from the highest quality Japanese stainless steel for an excellent price. £131 – edwardscissors.com

Takara Belmont Legacy 95 Continuing in the hallowed footsteps of the Legacy 90, the Legeacy 95 features an upgraded footplate including a stylish new ‘grille’ and refined footrest to make the chair customisable with or without a heel rest. Its luxurious padding ensures optimum comfort for clients and great ergonomics mean it’s a pleasure for working barbers and stylists. £2,995 + VAT - takarahairdressing.co.uk

REM Viscount With its classic proportions, clean lines, and sophisticated design, Viscount’s presence is emphasised by the generous upholstery and its elegant chrome steel outer frame. A modern take on the classic barber chair. Available in a range of fabric finishes with a three-year warranty. £840 + VAT

Furniture & equipmentENVY 22 | BarberNV Magazine

working with

ENVY COVENT GARDEN “We teamed up with RemMen who provided all the advice and product knowledge we needed. The atmosphere we have created for Envy is perfectly complemented by the Emperor Select Barbers Chairs offering a luxury feel, style and comfort.” – Sheriff Mehmet Director

sales@rem.co.uk

www.rem.co.uk

01282 619977

BarberNV Magazine | 23

Jack Dean Military and Club Brushes Made from luxury Italian beech wood and laser engraved with the Jack Dean and Denman branding, these two brushes are tufted with 100% boar bristle which gently penetrates the hair, lifting and spreading natural oils along the hair cuticle for enhanced condition and shine. £7-£8 – denmanbrush.com

Denman DC08 Barbers Comb Crafted delicately from a carbon fibre additive, the Denman Professional Barbering Comb presents marvellous durability and resilience, the carbon fibre additive making the comb genuinely anti-static, allowing a great degree of flexibility and use for any type of hair without issue. Featuring two different spacing sizes of fine, delicate teeth, the comb is multifunctional, able to serve both your cutting and finalised styling needs. £6.59 – sallyexpress.com

The Foss Fader Limited Edition Designer Brush Crafted in order to achieve the perfect fade, this designer brush is specifically designed to remove excess unwanted hairs from the scalp, all the while creating the perfect fade for anybody. With a teardrop handle, the brush is easy to grip and control, allowing for a more fluid experience when using it. The bristles are extra soft in order to gently remove hair without any discomfort, allowing your stylist to check for any imperfections accurately, making it an absolute must for any barbering kit. £12 – thefossacademy.com

Kent Salon - Ceramic Brush Designed for quick and even heating throughout the entire brush, it effectively distributes heat to your hair evenly, making sure that no part of it is left untreated. If you want a quicker, tidier, more accurate style, this brush is the perfect tool. Also, all of their professional brushes come with a free premium carry case, to protect your brushes whenever they’re not in use. £15.78 – bornhaircare.com

Man Gun Bear - Wood Comb Cut from premium walnut wood and engraved with the Man Gun Bear logo, the comb comes with a soft, hand stitched leather pouch, which emits a rustic flair that can work perfectly with any look. The pouch can be personalised with traditionally debossed initials for an extra £3. It also comes packaged in a branded gift box. £32 – mangunbear.com

combs & brushesENVY 24 | BarberNV Magazine

GLASG GLASG GLASG

1

y

7

+ More To Be Announced

SPECIAL GUESTS

THE 1975 CLUB G lTWO a sDOOR g o wCINEMA Gr een TWIN 0 7 ATLANTIC — 09 BLOSSOMS Ju l y 2 THE 0 VIEW 1 7

2

0

1

+ MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

7

Sunday Sunday 9th 9th July July 2017 2017 TICKETS AVAILABLE In Partnership with:

NOW

Glasgow

Green

0 07 7 —— 0 09 9 J Ju ul ly y 2 2 0 0 1 1 7 7

TRNSMTFEST.COM TICKETMASTER.CO.UK BarberNV Magazine | 25

26 | BarberNV Magazine

British Master Barbers British Master Barbers bring some new apparel in the form of their branded hoodies, which are easily adaptable to the point where you can wear them either in the shop or out. The thick material of these hoodies will provide guaranteed comfort. Bearing the classic white BMB logo on the back and front, they are available in a variety of sizes.

Also from BMB are their traditional barber aprons.

Crafted from resilient, tough, yet sleek black material they’ve taken a rather minimalist route with these aprons. Branded with the white BMB logo on the chest, they are simple but effective. £24.99 – britishmasterbarbers.com

Schorem Trucker Cap The bad boys of barbering are back in business with this black and white trucker cap. Featuring the skyline of their hometown of Rotterdam and a gloriously pomped fella, it’s the ideal head topper while you’re waiting for the Schorem guys to sort out your haircut.

Lumberjack Inc Soft Shell Camo Jacket Waterproof and wind-resistant, this is the manliest unisex jacket we’ve ever seen. If you’re outdoorsy and active then you need this. From Lumberjack Inc, purveyors of masculine goodies galore, they’re even giving one away to a lucky BarberNV reader.

All you need to do is dress up in your best Lumberjack outfit and hashtag us at #LumberjackNV to be in the draw!

€15 – schorembarbier.nl

£57.99 – lumberjackinc.com

Captain Fawcett t-shirt The bold, intricately detailed design on the front serves as a standout feature of the garment that catches one’s eye almost immediately. By wearing this, you can easily show your support for Captain Fawcett’s instantly recognisable handmade pomades whilst Keeping a Stiff Upper Lip Regardless. £15 – captainfawcett.com

Hard Grind Stack Logo Tee An instant classic and staple piece in barber’s wardrobes throughout the country, this bold design has helped Hard Grind apparel stand out from the rest.

Recognising its long-lasting appeal, the guys have added it to their Classics Collection, meaning it only costs a measly £15. Now that’s value we can get behind. £15 - Hardgrind.co.uk

apparelENVY BarberNV Magazine | 27

Cutthroat J’s

new shops

Traditional Barber shop Located in the Hillhouse area of Hamilton, Cutthroat J’s is a traditional barbershop offering everything you’d expect from a classically trained barbers including hot towel shaves, beard trims and great cuts.

Owner Jamie Hamilton is a talented up-and-coming barber beginning to make a name for himself on the Scottish scene due to his passion and creativity. While Cutthroat J’s may have traditional in its name, Jamie is more than adept at providing modern cuts and keeping up to date with the latest trends and styles.

One look at the feedback on the Cutthroat J’s Facebook page is enough to see the esteem with which the shop is held by its customers and regular competitions help to keep the clientele involved in the Cutthroat J’s clique.

10 Clarkwell Road

Hamilton, ML3 9TQ

MAN UP & STAY AHEAD LEARNING ‘THE JACKS WAY’ Jacks of London, the Original Modern Barber, is running a limited number of unique training programmes throughout September and October. Man Up and Stay Ahead are two bespoke men’s barbering courses aimed at very different audiences but both with the same goal – to inspire and transform. Come and learn the Jacks way.

Places are limited so don’t miss out. Book or find out more here: 01428 717 479

info@jacksoflondon.co.uk

jacksoflondonuk

BOOK EARLY TO SAVE £70 OFF OUR COURSES! CODE: BARBERNV Valid until 15 July 2017 www. jacksoflondonacademy.co.uk th

28 | BarberNV Magazine

BarberNV Magazine | 29

Build Your Brand With Michael Beasley

In BarberNV issue six we spoke with Michael Beasley about the opening of his new barber and coffee shop Rockstars in Birmingham.

“This is just the beginning” he told us. That’s something we hear a lot but with the opening of his second Rockstars in the city, it’s clear that Michael has the drive to back up his desire, so we caught up with him again to discuss how he’s building his brand.

remember, taking my name away so when people do come in they expect the same from everyone, they expect it from the company.

Michael took his first steps into barbershop ownership with Michael’s Barbershop six years ago. A single chair shop, with Michael working alone for the first two years, he’s come a long way. When he opened the first Rockstars he kept Michael’s Barber Shop as it was, but now was the time to bring them both together under the same banner.

Budget planning is a big part of creating any shop and going overboard is something you have to try and resist, but for creating the second Rockstars it was important that Michael got the same aesthetic and feel to the shop as the first one.

“It was originally planned to turn Michael’s into the first Rockstars,” Michael explains.

“But that got put on the backburner to open the other Rockstars. It came out of nowhere to be honest, I just saw the store and liked the look of it.”

That put Michael in the position of having two shops under two different brand names.

Changing Michael’s into Rockstars was top of the priority list but it hasn’t been an easy road.

Michael says: “The idea was always to turn it into a Rockstars as when it was known as Michael’s everyone expected me all time. I wanted to turn it into a brand that people will

30 | BarberNV Magazine

“But when I started on the first Rockstars we had a budget and it just spiralled out of control. I wanted everything to be the best and once I started I couldn’t pull away so we had to take a year before building the second one – and I did the same with that one!”

“We used the same team that worked on the original shop, used the same artist, all the graphics are the same. That’s the only way I felt we could grow. When it was two names you’re chasing two names. Now we’ve brought it all under one company it’s brought everyone that works for me together as a family.”

Rockstars is more than just a barbers.

Offering the full male grooming experience to all its customers, it stands out with its walls of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia creating a relaxed and manly atmosphere. But to make it offer something different to his original Michael’s Barber Shop, Michael also brought on board Lavazza Coffee, one of the industry’s top names.

He says: “Introducing coffee was a big step as although it was a passion of mine I knew nothing about it professionally.” It was a gamble that paid off, bringing in customers who wouldn’t usually have looked twice at a barbershop on their way to work, and further establishing the Rockstars brand as a unique entity.

Rebranding Michael’s as Rockstars has also had the added benefit of linking the two shops in the minds of people who wouldn’t have realised there was any connection.

“My other shop is seven miles away from the new one and now people will recognise it. It’s on such a busy road into Birmingham city centre and people that have seen the new didn’t even know that it wasn’t actually a new shop, that it’s been there for five years.” The power of the rebrand.

Now that the Rockstars brand is beginning to establish itself in the minds of Brummies across the city, can we expect to see another one opening soon?

“I dunno about that,” laughs Michael.

“I think I want grow these two for a while. For the last five years it’s just been work, work, work.

Once I’ve built something and it’s working perfectly, I put a spanner in the works and do something else! I opened my original shop, then a couple of years later I started employing people, then I opened a tattoo

shop, then I opened the second Birmingham one, and now I’ve just redone my store. I need to stop growing and just let it be.

“I say that… I saw another shop when I was out shopping and took a photo of the sign. It’s like I keep trying to fuck up!”

With the good fortune he’s had so far (along with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears) we wouldn’t be surprised if he could make a success of a third Rockstars straightaway.

But while Michael is justly proud of his achievement, he’s aware of how much he’s had to put in for it to come off.

“It’s what everyone aspires to do,” he says.

“If I could, there’s things I’d do differently, there’s things that have been an expensive learning curve – even down to losing friends along the way. You have to become hardened to do some stuff, which is a tough thing when you just want to do good.

“If you’re going to take the leap you just have to go all the way. A lot of people try to do things by half and it never pays off. Put your heart into it and that’s when you see. It might take years – I used to sit in the shop for four hours and not have a customer. I had to build up, and build up. Money came out of my own pocket at the end of the month.

Obviously it came good but I’ve done it again and started again.”

Rockstars is a brand to watch out for and with a website and online shop coming soon, everyone in the country will be able to get that Rockstars treatment.

BarberNV Magazine | 31

32 | BarberNV Magazine

California Love!

In this issue we’ve headed west in search of solid gold barbering talent from The Golden State. Going up and down the coast, from Sacramento in the north to the City of Angels, Los Angeles, and Santa Ana further south, we’ve spoken with a range of top talent who are making California the hottest spot for barbering in the USA. 360Jeezy has over 600,000 YouTube subscribers, Pope the Barber has used Instagram to turn herself into one of the region’s most sought-after barbers, and Like a Gentleman Barbershop has become the one-stop shop for LA’s celebs.

BarberNV Magazine | 33

An Interview With Larry The Barber Man

360Jeezy From near homelessness to rising star: My talk with the Barbering YouTube sensation

A

t the CT Barber Expo in Connecticut I bumped into 360Jeezy, the barbering sensation from California with the biggest YouTube following in the industry.

His big smile, high energy and cheerful camera-ready personality come off as completely real. It’s no mystery why the 30-year-old (he doesn’t look old enough to have a pint!) has more than 600,000 people following his wave tutorials and haircuts.

As Jeezy settled into a Takara Belmont chair at the Hartford Convention Center in April, I realized having no questions prepared was no problem, because Jeezy, aka Jarrod Stovall, loves sharing the journey from unhappy rug salesman and homeless student to YouTube star and product endorser. It’s all about faith and determination.

YouTube journey: from a few thousand to more than 600K I ask Jeezy about the phenomenal growth of his YouTube channel, which he launched in 2012.

“I wanted to teach people how I got my wave,” he says. Inspired by other YouTubers, Jeezy started filming with an iPhone 4 and brush before he was even a licensed barber. He added haircut videos “because I love doing haircuts, too.”

“I wanted my career to be barbering so I started uploading videos throughout my journey at school and I got a big, big, huge response,” he says. “I kept uploading and I kept getting good response. As people showed me love, I couldn’t help but keep the energy going and give them love back.”

Homelessness and struggle What his YouTube followers did not know - nor did people at school - was that Jeezy was broke and struggling during his studies. “I dropped everything (to go to school) and I lost everything,” he says. Those

34 | BarberNV Magazine

months included a stretch with no fixed address. “I was basically homeless,” he says. “People at the school didn’t know I was living over here and over there and trying to keep the school thing going.”

Amazing. I wanted to know more. Jeezy told me he got motivated for school by working unhappily as… a rug salesman.

Rug salesman?

“Yeah, the Oriental rugs, the carpet that you have in your home, the really expensive rugs, we were basically selling those out of Costco,” he says with a smile. “I was traveling around northern California, selling rugs.

“I was miserable,” he continues. “I was telling my uncle and he said, ‘You need to go to school.’ I took his advice.”

But it wasn’t that simple. In fact, it took a nearmiraculous event concerning a past student loan (he had debt from a brief stint at a San Francisco art school) just to get him through the barber school door. The school said he couldn’t enroll until he had a history of paying on the debt…at least a 6-month history.

That’s a pretty big roadblock, but Jeezy was ready to face it down.

“I called the loan people and they are like, “Give me your info and we can do something for you,’” he recalls.

But they could find no record of his debt. “They were like ‘What are you talking about?’ and I was like ‘Come on, man!‘” Then the voice on the other end made the big reveal: “…I can’t find anything (about your debt), because you paid it off!’” Jeezy recalls with a laugh. “I was like ‘Huh?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I can fax you over the information and everything. It’s all good.’”

Not one to question good fortune, no matter how mysterious, Jeezy got started in barber school immediately.

BARBERS WITHOUT BORDERS YouTube: from 3,000 to 50,000 to blowing up “When I first went to school I had about 3,000 subscribers,” Jeezy recalls. “As I was going to school, which took 7 months, I was recording every step of the journey and I was able to get up to at least 40,000 to 50,000 when I graduated.”

“After that, we opened up the shop, and I did this one video on how to cut your woof off - at the end of your 360 wave journey when you grow out your hair and you cut it all down and it’s real refreshing - and that video got crazy views, like over 3 million now, so that kind of launched me into like, ‘Oh, he cuts hair? He makes barber videos?’ The buzz just kept going from there.”

Velocity Kutz and the love of family “The shop” Jeezy refers to is Velocity Kutz, an 8-chair establishment in Vacaville, Calif., he operates with his uncle, Kevin Stovall. “My uncle owns it and I am the manager. I want to be clear,” he says laughing. “We are basically partners. It is a family-owned business and we both look out for each other.”

So, “I put out videos back-to-back-to-back.

It’s all about consistency.”

The future for Jeezy360: a million subscribers and testimony Anyone in business knows success builds on success, and Jeezy gets that, too.

Opportunities have opened for the man from Vacaville. He was at CT Barber Expo on behalf of Self Cut Systems, who flew him to the event (“They didn’t have to do that,” he says modestly).

Now, the formerly homeless barber student finds himself posing for selfies with people he’s never met, thousands of miles from his home base.

“But I don’t focus on that. I focus more on helping others. When they come up to me and say, ‘Man 360 Jeezy, you helped me, man!’ That brings me more joy than anything else.

“I don’t care about the numbers, per se, but my ultimate goal is to share my testimony at a million (followers),” he says. “It will reach more people. It will seal the deal. It is not to gain money or to have sponsors or to come out with a grease. It is really to share and give back.“

How did Jeezy and his uncle become close enough to open a business together?

360 Jeezy’s final thoughts for up and coming barbers

“I have to say it was a God thing the whole time,” he says with a smile. “Because we were talking about what we were going to do after (leaving the rug sales job) and it just hit him BAM! - that raiment from God hit him and he said, ‘You need to go to barber school!’ and I was, “What?” He was like, “Yeah!” He was so emotional. He called his wife and he was, ‘I know what we need to do: open a barber shop.’”

I wanted to know Jeezy’s advice for people starting out and he was very direct: “Do it because you have a passion for it. Don’t do it because of opportunity. There are a lot of barbers who get caught up in, ‘Oh, I want to be flashy like that or I want to drive those nice cars,’ but that was never my focus.

With a professional platform for his talent, Jeezy now devotes his time to waves, cuts and video. “100 percent of my time goes to work, I am always at work,” he says. “If I am not cutting, I am editing and filming ‘cause not only do I have to give my audience haircuts, I have to give my other audience, my wavers, my hair tutorials. So it is nonstop.”

Jeezy is definitely not complaining, though.

It is obvious to me he loves very minute of what he is doing, and he’s smart at managing himself, like when he’s editing video at home after a long day: “I rush and go home while I am inspired, ‘cause if I don’t, the video will just sit and I will be like, ‘I’ll get it next time,’ and I will be inspired by something else and that video will get pushed back and then I’m like ‘Dang!’”

“Do it because you have a passion, and don’t stop. If something happens in your life that prevents you, it doesn’t have to prevent you from barbering or whatever it is you want to do. Just keep at it. Don’t let the distractions come and tear you down. Keep pushing. Keep everything positive in front of you.

“Who would have ever thought I would be 360Jeezy? When I look back, I’m thinking, ‘Man, what if I had stopped?’ ‘Cause I could have stopped. So, don’t stop. Y’all keep grinding, keep going. Go hard and give it your all.”

My thanks to 360Jeezy for his time and fantastic insights. You will definitely want to see his version of the ”360Jeezy Jingle” which finished off our interview! Catch that at my YouTube Channel WWW.BARBERS.TV. Also follow me on Instagram @larrythebarberman and email me directly at info@larrythebarberman.com

BarberNV Magazine | 35

California’s VTCN BARBERSHOP

36 | BarberNV Magazine

Pope

SANTA ANA

More young people than ever are turning to the Pope at the Vatican for lifestyle advice and help making them look cool. Of course this isn’t the church in Italy, it’s the Vatican Barbershop in Santa Ana where Pope the Barber calls home, preaching the religion of tight fades and inspiring young women that you really can have it all.

The Young Pope While Vatican Barbershop has proven a big success for Pope who is also an educator and brand ambassador, she hasn’t had the easiest of rides.

Overcoming childhood adversity to realise her ambition of becoming a barber.

Pope says: “I was cutting everyone at school and all of my friends. I was scared to tell my parents I wanted to be a barber because my grades were really good and I had a scholarship for basketball. I was later in a car accident which made me unable to walk to a year, never mind play ball anymore, so I told my parents I wanted to go to barber school… something I day dreamed about. I started hair school in crutches and I never stopped after that. It’s been 12 years, the only job I’ve ever had and the best decision I’ve ever made.”

– the aptly named Vatican Barbershop – meaning as well as a full time barber she’s now a businesswoman building her empire. And it’s not easy, but as always her passion gets her through.

“It’s a lot of work! It’s great but a lot of work. I’ve been behind a chair my whole career, I feel like it was naturally my next step. I love that I got to hand pick my team. They become your family after a bit.

I love the freedom I have to travel and expand the brand. It’s all work, but I’m not afraid of work. It’s quite fun actually.”

The Pope’s Cardinals

In the end it was her enjoyment and passion for hair that helped make her choice and it’s something that comes across in everything Pope does. From seeing her in the barbershop or checking out her Instagram posts, you can tell she loves every moment of her career, and she says that’s vital.

“I got lucky starting so young. I’ve worked in plenty of barber shops and travelled the world doing hair enough to know what I do and don’t like. There’s a lot of thick and thin, loss and success and without perseverance and drive, I wouldn’t have been able to make it this far.”

After working with others and taking her skills on the road, Pope is now settled in her very own shop

“I only have three chairs right now but it’s perfect and I will be growing the shop organically. I like the tight knit group now though.”

While owning Vatican has been a learning curve for Pope, she thinks the fact she had to work her way up to where she is had the biggest impact on her.

“I always say the best restaurants are owned by someone who started as a dish washer,” she explains.

“Same for barbershops. Start from the bottom. Learn everything you can. Learn everyone’s position.

Choose barbers based on character, not skill.

Everyone willing can learn how to cut. You can’t learn how to not be a dick. Keep track of money.

Promote your business as much as you promote dat ass on Instagram. Most importantly don’t be afraid to take risks. Fail 100 times. Do it, it builds character.”

Passionate Pope

“It’s so important. I’m a fat kid at heart. I don’t do what I don’t like. Fortunately I love hair,” she laughs.

“Loving something naturally gives you that extra push. That obsession and curiosity to expand your knowledge and possibilities for that certain subject, hair in my case. There are good days and bad days in this industry. That every day love is kind of what pushes you through.

“Lowski and Butter. The shortest and tallest barbers in the world,” Pope jokes. “Lowski might be tiny but she packs heat. Sickest little female barber in the game. Humble and an amazing person and cutter. Butter: 7ft tall, but a gentle giant and amazing willingness to learn and expand the brand.

Instagram Pope-ularity

Finding the right people to have working around you is key to building the perfect barbershop, somewhere you will enjoy working every day and that will help you grow. Pope believes she’s found the ideal staff for Vatican.

She says: “I have a great little team. We’re a family pretty much. It’s quite a blessing being able to choose who you want to be around. I’ve chosen wisely and I take care of them. I make sure they are happy first because if they are I know my customers are well taken care of.

“Joannie is our manager. She manages our schedules from behind the chair to booking education and flights. She’s the best. Our lives run ever so smoothly because of her.

If there’s anyone you want to trust when it comes to Instagram, it’s Pope. With over 70,000 followers she’s a social media phenomenon, keeping her fans coming back for more with posts that showcase her personal life and her barbering with high quality photos and a sense of personality.

She says: “I’m just myself. I don’t try to be anything I’m not, I just try to fit as much of my life onto social media as I can. I think people appreciate that nowadays. Just be yourself. Cut the bullshit and hope people like the cause!”

So it’s something barbers should take more advantage of?

“Yes! It’s free marketing! It’s the place to build your brand. Instagram is basically your online portfolio. My advice is to put what you want in your chair on your instagram. You want more men’s hair, put more men’s hair on your page. You want to travel more? Be more places. It’s simple. But don’t try, just do it. Take good pictures, put out good content. Put out a lot of content. Be consistent. That’s about that.”

It’s certainly worked for Pope and the Vatican Barbershop with both growing in popularity by the day. The future looks bright and Pope agrees when we ask her what we can expect to see coming up.

“Great things,” she says with a smile. “I just wanna bring a good vibe to the industry. I’ve been steady working on a few projects that will bring everything together. Lots of collabs, a lot of events. This little baby is coming to life for sure.”

BarberNV Magazine | 37

Like a Gentleman:

La La Land’s Luxury Lifestyle Emporium @like_a_gentleman__barbershop In a city with as many celebrities and upper-class elite as Los Angeles, you need a high-quality barbershop to cater for them.

Step forward Like a Gentleman.

Located on world famous Sunset Boulevard, it’s proving a popular addition to the city’s barbering community only a stone’s throw from the Hollywood Hills. Stunning design and exceptional service combine to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

From the custom-rebuilt vintage barber chairs featuring buttontufted navy blue leather upholstery and chrome hardware for customers to be groomed and pampered in style to the unique handcarved and distressed wooden barber pole beautifully showcased at the front of the shop, everything about the shop overflows with luxury.

Other original features include the ‘Friends of Ours’ wall (from a Mafia term meaning ‘he’s good’), a curated collection of brands produced by their friends and other local entrepreneurs and the spa like bathroom known as ‘Le Pissoir’. This isn’t your typical barbershop.

Celebrity barber Mikey Caputo is one of the visionaries behind Like a Gentleman and since it opened last year they have seen a host of famous actors, singers, and sportsmen pop in. The likes of Ryan Phillipe, Jesse Metcalfe, Paul Oakenfold, Evan Ross, and even the Arsenal team when on tour last year have all availed themselves of the Like a Gentleman services.

Brits Abroad: Mark Middleton @m777ddy There’s Scottish influence at the heart of Like a Gentleman Barbershop thanks to their in-house concierge and Lead Gentleman, Mark “Middy” Middleton.

It’s not exactly a role that’s common in your typical British barbershop, but that’s what sets Like a Gentleman apart from the competition. For Middy it wasn’t a traditional career move. Working first as an electrician in his hometown of Aberdeen and on the oil rigs, he was a world away from Like a Gentleman when he first made the move stateside.

He says he “fancied a change of scenery and ended up in LA with friends. One thing led to the next and after working tirelessly with some of the industry’s top players, I began managing one of the hottest nightclubs in Hollywood, Les Deux.”

Gaining management experience there and at other prominent establishments in the city, Middy was a vital part of the Horse & Carriage Hospitality brand and was delighted to take on a key role when they opened Like a Gentleman. His keen work ethic makes him the ideal man for Lead Gentleman.

Middy explains: “I’m the first person here in the morning and the last to leave at night. My role entails anything ranging from scheduling appointments to running the books to establishing relationships within the neighbourhood (e.g. with hotels and other local businesses). I also help book dinners and nights out… help situate and provide memorable experiences for the shop’s VIPs. Essentially myself and LAG are a onestop shop for well-curated Hollywood experiences.”

The Hollywood experience was new to Middy when he first made the move, but it’s one he has adapted well to, making a home there and proving a success. He admits it was quite a change but always a positive one.

“In any life scenario, things are always changing,” he tells us. “So you need to be constantly adapting to that idea. I’ve been in LA for almost a decade and have established some great relationships, made a name for myself, and have seen all facets of my life propel as a result. The shop has helped that because it’s a constant reminder that you get what you put in – hard work takes you far and this shop serves as accurate testament to that.”

As you can see from the images, Middy doesn’t hide away from his Scottish heritage, wearing his kilt with pride. So we want to know if he’s brought any more Scottish influence to the shop?

“Absolutely! I have my Aberdeen fridge magnet, calendar of Aberdeen which my grandmother gives me for Christmas every year, and can often be spotted in the shop with my Aberdeen FC top.” Perhaps we’ll see some top Hollywood celebs turning into Dons fans now!

Like a Gentleman is a truly stunning shop but Middy says that what separates them from their competitors is “the calibre of talent that we house in the shop.

“Everyone here is very different, but similar in the sense that they all have the drive and passion needed to help sustain the level of success we’ve had in such a short amount of time here at LAG.” So what does the future hold for Like a Gentleman?

Middy says: “The possibilities are endless, really. We’re already looking at expanding, which is phenomenal considering we’ve only been open for less than a year. Stay tuned…”

Barbers Without Borders

Celebrity Barber Mikey Caputo

@mikeymoscato In charge of keeping Like a Gentleman at the cutting edge of the barbering game is Mikey Caputo, the man with half of Hollywood in his contacts.

Having helped build the shop from the start alongside Middy, Mikey has been instrumental in building Like a Gentleman into what it is today – LA’s prime male grooming experience. As he says it, “we always want all of our customers to leave feeling like true gentlemen!”

Creating that kind of working environment isn’t easy but Mikey has been patient in putting it together. In fact they’ve still to fill their last of the eight available chairs as they haven’t yet found the right person, such is the calibre they are looking for. But he couldn’t be happier with the current team.

“The seven individuals we have here now are all rockstars,” he tells us. “They are all so incredibly unique and talented in their own way.

Two of which are my younger brothers. In just the six months of being open I can easily say that we have all become one big, extended family.

Any one person can leave the shop with a flawless haircut, regardless of whose chair you’ve sat in.”

That family bond gives Like a Gentleman its character and spirit, and no doubt helps to explain its popularity. For Mikey it’s just a pleasure to experience it every day.

He says: “My favourite part about working here is that it does not feel like it’s work to me. I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to make a living off hanging out with my family all day and making people feel better about their appearance. Not work at all, just living life and doing the things I love while I’m at it!

“Our shop atmosphere is definitely exciting, to say the very least.

From our clientele to the barbers that work here, everyone has their own unique style and brings their own personality to the table, which brings a lot of great energy to the space.”

Part of what has made Mikey such a successful barber, and helped with the growth of Like a Gentleman has been his use of social media where he’s been among the first barbers to truly exploit its power. He believes it’s played a role in bringing him, and the shop, to the attention of his collection of celebrity clients.

Mikey says: “A lot of it has to do with social media. They can see the vibe of the shop, quality of cut and service from our pictures and videos.

We also have a very strong internal relationship with these people, even outside of the shop.

“Social media has helped me grow my business in so many ways. It gives me an opportunity to connect with people who aren’t local and get exposure all over the world, really. People will often book in advance when they are planning on visiting LA. “Not only that, it’s the perfect way for me to help further expand my latest venture, Caputos Hair, my family’s new line of exclusive men’s grooming products, which I am personally super excited about.”

It’s exciting times for the Like a Gentleman team with the shop going from strength to strength and Mikey says clients from Vegas, Miami, and even New York have been asking them to open up shop there…

Let’s wait and see what happens!

Fit for Vikings Barbershop – Oslo Scandinavian style, Viking spirit, British barbers. It’s Norwegian beardcare brand Fit for Vikings’ first foray into barbershops and owner Hjörtur Scheving hopes to give the people of Olso a whole new barbering experience with their own products at the heart of it.

Much like the brand it originated from, the Fit for Vikings Barbershop is aesthetically pleasing, minimalistic and industrial. Bespoke furniture sits side by side with top of the range Takara Belmont chairs to create a unique but winning style. The crowning glory is the Custom Belmont chair embossed with the Fit for Vikings logo – this is no out of the box barbershop interior, but it stays strong to its Scandinavian roots with items from Sweden, Finland, and Norway.

Beards are where Fit for Vikings shines. Their products are beloved around the world for their refreshing scents and unpronounceable names (including Hallormsstadaskogur – Iceland’s biggest forest – and Eyjafjallajokull – the volcano that ruined your summer holiday a few years ago) so expect barbers fully trained in their use and happy to showcase their benefits. Hjörtur loves to share his Icelandic/Viking heritage but with the Fit for Vikings barbershop you can expect modern styling and contemporary twists on classic cuts to be a just as key part of the menu.

He isn’t resting on his laurels now the first shop is up and running, with plans to expand the Fit for Vikings Barbershop brand internationally. Customer service has set them apart from other brands since the product range began, continuing with the shop, and Hjörtur hopes to build on that by educating barbers in giving their customers the Fit for Vikings experience.

Photo Credit: Anthony Harrison

42 | BarberNV Magazine

United Kingdom of Barbers Hjörtur says he’s “won the lottery” with his initial line-up of barbers, so let’s meet the distinctly British bunch.

Jac Ludlow - Wales Well-known in the UK scene, Jac is an awardwinning Welsh barber who Hjörtur has enlisted to help get the shop up and running for the first four weeks.

Hjörtur says: “He is here to tighten up things and to create the routines with me and to train the barbers to follow those routines. He is a young guy with a lot of experience and had opened a few of his own shops. I’m thrilled to have him along.

Danny Keenan - Scotland Picked up from Phil Simons’ Phunk-U shop in East Kilbride, Danny has over five years’ experience in the trade.

Hjörtur says: “I had met Danny before and didn’t hire him just because of his barbering skills but also his personality, his engagement, his customer service. He is an extremely nice guy and brilliant at connecting with customers.”

“Hiring barbers is like playing the lottery – that’s with all staff, not just barbers – you see some of their work, you have them for the interview, but in the end you have no idea what you’re getting until they have worked with you for a while. So far I think I’ve won the lottery, I’m really happy with all the guys.”

Have the Viking spirit?

Think you have what it takes to fit in at the Fit for Vikings Barbershop? Hjörtur is currently looking for exciting barbers to carry on the brand’s standards of excellence in barbering and customer service.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience a new culture and lifestyle with Norway regularly rated among the best places in the world to live.

Whether you’re looking for a permanent switch or are interest in doing a guest spot, Fit for Vikings could be the next step on your barber journey.

A host of top talent including Tom Chapman, Dan Davies of Pall Mall Barbers, Sindi Devitte, and Davie Walker have already indicated their interest in getting involved so it could be an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

Visit us at fitforvikings.com

BarberNV Magazine | 43

on the road with ...

JAY ADAMS Jay has packed a lot into his 28 years. He’s owned seven shops, worked on three continents, is the proud father of two kids, and is now taking his skills on the road as a clipper for hire.

B

doing anything, just making enough money to live and that was it. It was never going to amount to anything. So on the Saturday two days later I booked a flight and left that day.

He Who Dares

“Within four days I’d literally changed my whole life. I’d flown to Australia, got off the plane at five in the morning, checked into the hotel, and then started work that same day I landed.”

arberNV met Jay at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Show which he’s attending while guest spotting at Phunk-U in East Kilbride, just outside Glasgow. That’s Jay’s lifestyle now, going from shop to shop, staying long enough to impart some wisdom, pick up some new tricks, enjoy the local culture, then find the next pin in the map.

The nomadic existence is not for the fainthearted and Jay’s journey hasn’t been without risk. But the rewards speak for themselves. Australia. New Zealand.

Norway. America. But the biggest leap came at the beginning.

Having moved around most of his life, Jay always had the itch to travel. So when he, a London boy used to the hustle and bustle of the capital, found himself living the quiet life in Devon, he knew he had to make a move.

“I wanted something different,” he admits to us. “Because I’d been travelling from a young age and seeing a different life, I still had that hunger in me to get away. So many barbers told me that Australia was the place to be – beautiful sunshine and all that.”

Luck led him to a six-year old online post from a Melbourne barber looking for staff.

Fearlessness took him on the next flight over.

“I spoke to him on the Thursday on Skype and he told me about the areas to move to and gave me information about the job and said ‘I really like you, I want you to come out.’ I said ‘You can’t offer me an opportunity and not mean it because I’m the guy who will take that opportunity and be knocking on your door.’ He laughed it off and told me to talk with my wife and we’d chat next week.

“It was really at that time a change to better my family’s life: good money, private schools for the kids. We were stuck not

44 | BarberNV Magazine

Down Under Fortunately, Jay’s roll of the dice paid off and within two months he was manager of the shop, and then area manager of the business’s other shops as well. But Jay isn’t the type to be content with what others might call success.

An interest in television production and mixed martial arts led to him taking part in an MMA TV show in Sydney. Unfortunately an injury cut his hopes short, but Jay hadn’t wasted his time on the show, using it to work out what he’d need to get his own programme up and running.

He says: “I moved back to Melbourne but I was kind of stuck. I was like ‘do I really want to back into a barbershop’ and at that time I have to be honest I didn’t. Yeah, the money was good but I’d been doing it for so long and thought is it time for a change for me?

“I’d been on this show and seen it’s actually not as complicated as what everyone thinks. There was one cameraman, one photographer, and one sound man on this show, but they made it look really good. So I thought I could do this, bring in my own small team, I can put the structures in place, I know what I need to do to train people. I always have a go at things, what’s the worst that’s gonna happen?” And so the London Barber Movement was born.

London Barber Movement Opening up his own barbershop and building up a customer base was the easy

part of Jay’s next adventure. His big idea was to create an online show that would give wannabe barbers the opportunity to get some training and showcase their potential in essentially a game show environment.

barbershop. I’ve given them the basic skills to go in and develop themselves. Everyone in the barbering industry always remembers where they first started.”

Jay explains his thought process behind it as “Worst case scenario it’s going to go online as a social media boost for the shop and create some hype. If it goes any further great, if it’s not it’s going to make the shop look busier.

If you spend time with Jay you discover several things. For one, he’s a no-nonsense guy. He calls things like he sees them and he doesn’t like bullshit. Second, he’ll go out of his away to help anyone he can. He didn’t get into the barbering trade by taking a week-long course with an educator, he did it the hard way and it’s shaped his outlook.

“Effectively my first thought was to help people and give them an opportunity, but second in line you got to do it for the money right? It’s got to be viable.”

For that to happen Jay had to bring in sponsors – not an easy task for a completely original idea from someone with no proven track record.

“It was very difficult at the start,” he tells us. “I talked to everybody in England, in New Zealand, in America. I messaged all these people asking for their help or their advice or if they could support me because I’m a nobody in the game. I’m just a kid that’s opened a few shops and moved to Australia.

I’m no big name, I’m not in any magazines, I’m not on stage anywhere, so I was trying to use other people’s hype to create my own hype.

“I feel that everybody, everywhere across the world, every barbershop, every little Facebook group, is trying to be the best on their own and what I was trying to do was unite everyone. What’s the point in you making a noise on the right, you making a noise on the left, and you making a noise in the middle?

I was trying to bring everyone into the same circle, this ‘barber love’ if you want to call it.

I’m not the best barber in the world, far from it, I was just trying to create something new that no one else in the world had ever done.”

Not an easy task but piece by piece Jay had started to build something with brands like Muk and Wahl taking notice and, more importantly, he was enjoying it.

He says: “I loved doing it. It was real good.

Once I had one big name on board then names started wanting to be affiliated with me because I was affiliated with the big brands, so it became a little easier.”

Of course, when something’s going well, that means trouble must be just around the corner.

“I had a bit of a hiccup with my visa,” he explains. “As people know it’s difficult out there with the visa situation. I couldn’t get back into the shop so left it to the three guys that run my show so they’re dealing with it now. The London Barber Movement in Melbourne, Jamie, Jamie, and Chris. They’re doing really well so if you ever see the show you’ll know who they are. Big love to them.

And to everyone who got voted off the show, every single person, I’ve given them an opportunity and an avenue when they’ve left the show. I’ve put them into a barber college that is running now over in Australia or into a

Tough Start

He says: “Everyone who’s in this trade who’s done it properly has been through a hard apprenticeship. We used to get beaten up, thrown water and flour and talcum powder at, and done the whole old-school apprenticeship thing and had it rough. The thing everyone doesn’t understand about this trade is you have to go through two years of shit money and being the bitch in the shop to be who you are today. You can always tell a good barber because they’ve had a rough apprenticeship. I believe that.”

Unsurprisingly, Jay didn’t enjoy it. But the lessons he took from it have convinced him it was the way it had to happen.

“There were days when I didn’t want to go in ‘cause I thought ‘fuck, I just can’t take this today.’ I felt like I was getting picked on and physically and mentally bullied. But it’s character building. I got broken down so much but you rebuild yourself stronger every time and that’s what I appreciate now. Everyone who I’ve taught I’ve done the same to them and it’s made them a good person.”

“It’s the uncertainty. I was uncertain to go to Australia because it’s on the other side of the world, leaving my wife and kids. It’s a risk but you have to take risks sometimes. You can always come back. Just never burn your bridges where you left, cause if you burn your bridges, you’re fucked then!”

If you feel like taking the plunge then Jay is happy to help.

“I’d like people to contact me. I’ve always got time for someone who wants to experience the world and a different way of barbering. You’re always learning, I’ve been in the game 15 years and I’m learning all the time. You never complete this trade. If anyone wants to know how to get over to Australia I can recommend barbershops, I can set people up, I can help people out. Anyone who wants to get out of England and move on with their life it will be the best thing they’ve ever done.

We’re going to be keeping in touch with Jay as he travels around the globe so stay tuned for his next adventure.

Around the World in 80 Shops With Australia and his internet show off the table, Jay hopped the Tasman Sea to New Zealand for a month of travelling and guest spotting in a barbershop. Then it was off to Arizona, working in a shop and taking in another incredible location Earth has to offer. Now in East Kilbride he has already lined up a shop in Norway for his next adventure and he’s excited about what the future holds.

Jay says: “I’m just on a working holiday. I always hashtag #thegoodlife because I’ve got a good life. I’m not earning millions of dollars, I’m not famous on social media. I’m just enjoying my life and that’s what I’m all about now.

“I’ve got other doors open for me. I’ve been offered work in Copenhagen, Spain, Italy, Dubai, Ireland. At the end of the day the barber industry is worldwide.”

Hiking in New Zealand, skiing in Norway, exploring the deserts of Arizona, why isn’t every barber out there doing this? Jay thinks they should be.

“My message to everybody else out there is don’t be afraid to just get off your arse, book a ticket, book somewhere to stay for a week, and go experience what a different culture is like.

Nothing is coming to you, you need to go out and get it.

BarberNV Magazine | 45

THE BARBER CHAIR 1871 - Theo Kochs, based in Chicago, designed and created the first formal barber chair. An early entrepreneur, Koch studied various chairs including the sturdy four legged wooden chair with reclining neck and headrest from the UK and the Paragon chair which was the first revolving chair. He then adapted all the best assets and created his first barber chair – it was so successful more than 35,000 were sold in the USA within the first 15 years of production.

In 1892, Ernest Koken, a German immigrant, took the barber chair to another level, designing, creating and patenting the first hydraulic pump. In addition he also added the joystick side lever – an invention we still see featured in today’s modern chairs.

Takara Chuzo, a scrap metal company based in Japan, designed and manufactured their first barber chair in 1931 – they developed their first hydraulic base almost 20 years later in 1950.

The 1950s saw an explosion in new companies designing and manufacturing their own version of the barber chair - It was during this period the Murray Chair was developed, this allowed the barber to stay seated to cut hair. In Chicago a company called Emil J Paidar who modelled their first chair on the Koken chair. This proved to be a massive hit selling more than 10,000 chairs per year.

Another company to take full advantage of this rise in demand for barber chairs was the Japanese based company still known as Takara Chuzo. They competed against the American based manufacturers by supplying their barber chairs at cheaper prices.

The UK and Europe first saw the Takara chair hit the industry in 1959, it was during this time that they changed their trading name to Takara Belmont – a name which still resonates throughout the industry today. At the same time La Reine of London and Serventi of London were jostling for their position in the British marketplace.

The turn of the 21st century saw another explosion of Barber chairs and furniture hitting the industry, this time the design and manufacture was coming from China. Whilst in the beginning it would be fair to say that there was a question mark over the quality of both manufacture and service, it is also true to say that the last few years have seen a massive improvement in the quality, attention to detail and after sales of the chairs travelling to our shores making some Chinese companies a force to be reckoned with.

BEC have been working with customers throughout the UK and Europe for the past 25 years, during this time they have built an enviable reputation amongst both young and old barbers for their knowledge, expertise and eye for detail of what is often considered to be the most important piece of equipment – the barber chair.

The BEC Showroom has the largest display of modern, traditional and refurbished barber chairs on display.

However if you are looking for authentic barber equipment, visit the BEC showroom were you will find the largest display of memorabilia to set your barbers shop alive. Just opened and still being developed is a is a collection dedicated to the history of the barbering and hairdressing industry. You can see chairs of almost 100 years old and also see how the introduction of electricity bought a spate of inventions for the industry… many of which did not live up to their wild claims! Touch and feel the equipment and furniture the barbers of yesteryear used, if nothing else it will fascinate you to see how much this remarkable industry has developed over the years.

Bought and Sold all Barber Memorabilia

something to sell? contact us

John@salonequipmentcentre.co.uk

BEC Y[Z Est. 1993

THE LEGION NATIONWIDE DELIVERY PART EXCHANGE SERVICE SALON PLANNING & DESIGN SERVICE FINANCE AVAILABLE Tel: 01455 660 024 www.salonequipmentcentre.co.uk all products subject to VAT, terms and conditions apply.

BarberNV Magazine | 47

THE STATELY GENT

TheStatelyGent TheStatelyGent enquiries@thestatelygent.ie www.thestatelygent.ie

When timeless heritage meets contemporary design you achieve a level of style that only the classiest of establishments can succeed in achieving. Welcome to The Stately Gent.

B

rought to Stradone, Ireland, by international educator Charles Clarke, The Stately Gent is a high-end barbershop offering the finest service in the most luxurious of surroundings. It’s located in an almost two centuries old building that has been fully restored while taking advantage of the stunning traditional features including natural stone walls.

With almost 30-years’ experience in the industry, Charles knew exactly what he wanted with The Stately Gent – top of the range service and truly outstanding customer service. He’s outdone himself with highly trained staff as passionate about barbering as he is, who offer an experience that is second to none for each and every customer that walks through the doors.

But more than that, Charles wanted to integrate the world of men’s fashion into his love of barbering. They’re both about looking your best after all! Now The Stately Gent is set to offer a variety of premium brands hand-picked by Charles for their quality and excellence.

The Stately Gent is taking barbering to the level it deserves, offering customers an unrivalled experience steeped in heritage, sophistication and class.

Design You’ll certainly be impressed by the aesthetics

48 | BarberNV Magazine

of The Stately Gent. From when you first come upon the building erected in 1828 by Major Robert Burrowes, High Sheriff of Cavan, it’s a marvellous sight full of history and culture.

Step inside the salon proper and it gets even better as old and new blend seamlessly together to create a luxurious experience for both clients and staff. Antique chesterfields and the original stone walls combine expertly with modern salon design to create an atmosphere that feels as exclusive as it does comfortable.

Nothing incorporates the old ways with the new better than The Stately Gents’ range of refurbished Belmont Apollo chairs from Custom Belmont. Beautifully complementing the stately surroundings, they are a fusion of vintage elegance with modern construction. Having become a real centrepiece of the business, they are a gateway into the history of barbering as a whole and how we’ve got to where we are today.

Education at The Stately Gent To complement the exceptional surroundings you need an exceptional barber and there’s few finer than Charles Clarke. With 2018 set to mark his 30th year in the trade, Charles has seen it all, done it all, and never stopped learning along the way.

As a member of Sid Sottung’s International Creative Team he’s travelled the globe showcasing work of the highest calibre but it’s in bringing out the best in other people where he truly shines. Working alongside the likes of Adam Sloan as part of the City & Guilds Barbering Industry Board and as a fully accredited assessor with VTCT, Charles is determined to raise the standard of barbering across the industry.

At The Stately Gent’s very own training school he is offering a range of courses for barbers whether you’re looking for your Level 2, Level 3, or an extended diploma, or if you’re after a day courses to top up your knowledge on skin fades or any other specific piece of knowledge.

For hairdressers looking to take advantage of the incredible growth in the male grooming sector in recent years, you can be taught the skills needed to transfer your expertise and boost your business thanks to the barbering boom.

With easy payment plans and the ability to work around your schedule, it’s the chance to finally take the next step in your career and upgrade your work.

INNOVATORS OF PROFESSIONAL RESTORATION & REFURBISHMENT

T. 07411 621 751 | E. info@custombelmont.co.uk

www.custombelmont.co.uk

BarberNV Magazine | 49

CHA NGING S PACES With barbering continuing to explode in popularity and a new barbershop seemingly opening on every street, creating an environment that stands out from the crowd but still delivers a relaxing and comfortable client experience is more important than ever. From traditional Turkish to vintage speakeasy and luxury male grooming establishments, how do you differentiate yourself in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive?

BarberNV sat down with Takara Belmont’s Marketing Executive Cari-Anne Rawlinson, and salon owner Kevin Dunn of The Serious Barbering Co. to talk barbershop interiors.

“Barbering is a booming business and an increasing number of salon owners are turning to Takara Belmont for a complete barbershop solution to create their specific visions,” says Cari-Anne. Thanks to their free* Salon Design Service, Takara Belmont offers a bespoke 360° experience, helping salon owners realise their interior dream. “Our expert design team are with you from the very start of your build or refurb, to the moment your salon opens. From measuring up the space, to creating 2D drawings, 3D visualisations to product recommendations and training. Our aim is always to complete a project with the salon owner feeling confident and happy in their new space, come opening day.”

Having firsthand experience with the Salon Design Service, Kevin found the service to be positive and stress free. “Using the Salon Design Service was great for us as the team at Takara Belmont helped to guide our vision into a working barbershop, recommending appropriate furniture and equipment that would suit the design and also be long-lasting.” As one of the largest purchases when fitting out or refurbishing a barbershop, ultimately you want to invest in furniture that’s timeless in style,

reflecting your salon’s interior and space, but at the same time is built to withstand the hustle and bustle of everyday barber life. “We selected the Legacy 95 for its classic barbering chair design and reputation as a great workhorse that will serve us for many years to come,” comments Kevin. With a luxuriously padded reclining backrest, headrest and cushioned seat, the Legacy 95 offers ultimate comfort for the client, whilst its 360 lockable rotation, recline lever, integrated gown rods and headrest, towel and dryer holders, make it a pleasure for working barbers.

Perfectly paired with the Legacy 95 is the Aubrey Barbering Station with its robust yet rugged good looks.

“The Aubrey fitted aesthetically with our heavily wooden design, but also offered a space saving solution having an integrated backwash and plenty of storage space for products and tools,” explains Kevin. Space is a huge consideration when designing your salon and something that Takara Belmont look to make the most of during the design process. “From the original measurements taken at the beginning of your Salon Design journey, our team will create a space and recommend furniture and equipment that will make the most of the given space,” explains Cari-Anne. “Smaller barbershops might consider adding large mirrors, creating the illusion of space, whilst an integrated backwash and storage piece like the Aubrey or Salon Console offers a compact solution.”

With so many options available, let Takara Belmont help transform your barbershop dream into a fully-fledged business!

For more information, please call Takara Belmont on 020 7515 0333 or email hairdressing@takara.co.uk *Service is free when clients place an order of over £5,000. T&C’s apply.

TA I L O R - M A D E F U R N I T U R E

TOM CHAPMAN E D U C AT I O N C O U R S E

The idea: Create a barbering education course that as well as improving and introducing new skills, gives the barbers something tangible to show for their effort.

that week as there’s a lot of amazing products but people think they need everything – we showed them that they can do it with just scissors, clippers, and a comb.

The execution: A four-week course with Tom Chapman, culminating in a photo shoot suitable for competition entry for each barber and publication in BarberNV for the winner.

“The second week we brought in some more advanced barbering, some more advanced fading and showed them some of the more advanced scissors and clippers on the market. We discussed where they’d need to be tool wise, what they’d need to own to achieve their looks.”

Innovating There’s no shortage of barbering education courses at the moment, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pro, so while the lure of working with founder of fantastic charity The Lions Barber Collective Tom Chapman might have been enough, he felt it important to give his students something more.

“I thought it would be a nice idea to have something to take away from the event,” Tom explains, and so the end of session photo shoot was born.

Structure Open to barbers of any skill level, from those just starting out who had a keen interest in barbering or to hairdressers who wanted to learn more about the trade and add another skillset to their repertoire, the workshops took place over four Mondays and with two models for each participant each week, were heavy on the practical knowledge.

Tom says: “We started with a very basic introduction into the barbering world. The first week we concentrated on clipper work and scissor work and the structure of the haircut. We only used on set of scissors and trimmers

As well as cutting techniques, a vital part of the course was encouraging each barber to embrace their creative side says Tom. “In the third week we had an editorial style workshop and demo. It was to show that what’s expected of you in terms of high street consumerism and in photo shoots can be completely different. When you’re doing photo shoots you don’t even need to think outside the box, sometimes the box doesn’t exist! You’re doing your own thing. So we spoke about getting the right angles on the shot to showcase that.

“On the last Monday their own models came in and we had a morning workshop to help them prep their models and let them decide creatively what they wanted to do. But we also watched over them, helped them, coached them into the styles they wanted to do. In the afternoon the photographer (Rob Grist) came in and spent four or five hours doing the photo shoot. It was the first time doing a shoot for everyone involved and they all learned a lot.”

Growth Tom was clearly impressed with each of his students and as you can see from the work on this page and the winning shots overleaf, he has every right to be.

He says: “They were all fantastic. I think the growth over the four weeks was amazing. Key to that was having the week in-between each day where they could go back to their shop and practice what they’d learned.

I’ve attended courses myself and if you do three or four days all in one stint you learn so much and take so much in that you can easily forget a lot of little bits. Doing it this way and having that week to apply what they’re doing and seeing the difference in them was phenomenal.

The confidence and the techniques they were doing without me having to tell them and by the fourth week doing the editorial work you could tell they were a lot more confident with their clipper work, holding them correctly and using good terminology and techniques” For Tom it was very much an experimental course, both in terms of pushing the boundaries of what his students could accomplish and of his own educating experience, but he hopes to make it a yearly event.

Keep an eye out in future editions of BarberNV for more information, and meanwhile you can check out the fantastic winning shots in our Showcase section on the next page.

Winners images Photos by Rob Grist

Sadie Hughes

54 | BarberNV Magazine

Shell French

Mark Loftin

BarberNV Magazine | 55

Chopping wood.

Looking good.

Let Lumberjack Inc. take over your barbershop and give your clients the manliest of experiences. Owner Scot Thompson is on a mission to bring the missing masculinity back to an industry that he felt was lacking some red-blooded brawn.

your customers experience them first hand at absolutely no cost.

Lumberjack’s range of manly products, from beard oils and balms to tough, durable outerwear, are designed to withstand the rigours a typical bearded bloke will endure in his day-to-day life. The reception has been outstanding but Scot and his team are happy to prove their products in barbershops with their inventive takeover scheme.

Taking place after hours so it won’t interfere with your business, it’s a relaxed occasion for everyone to dig in and get a feel for what Lumberjack have to offer.

Scot recommends dishing out some free trims, perhaps a few drinks, and have a good time. At the end of the night you can decide if you want to become a Lumberjack stockist or buy some individually. It’s a no pressure environment, just a chance for some beard lovers to get together and test out good products, and all you need to do is promote the event on social media and get a decent crowd involved.

Scot, all 6’4” and 18-bearded-stone of him, will pack up his ‘manity’ case (that’s man and vanity, of course) full of Lumberjack’s finest wares and let you and

If you’re in Scotland and think it’s time you offered your customers a strapping, wellbuilt brand like Lumberjack then contact scot@lumberjackinc.com

Lumberjack Giveaway!

Our friends at Lumberjack have been kind enough to put together a fantastic ManPack of goods for one lucky BarberNV reader to win.

With over £120 worth of goodies included, you’ll be the envy of all the bearded blokes in Britain. Alongside their brand new softshell camo jacket (as featured in our apparel section) there’s a giant gift set full of balms, butters, oils and everything else you need to keep your beard in tip top shape.

HOW TO WIN

We want to see your inner-lumberjack unleashed! Whip on your finest flannel top and ready that axe (axe not actually required, let’s not injure ourselves here), the best, most lumberjacky image takes home the prize!

Use the hashtag #LumberjackNV to enter on Instagram and a team of talented judges from Lumberjack Inc and BarberNV will pick a winner to be showcased in the next issue.

Good luck!

56 | BarberNV Magazine

Introducing the Wahl 5 Star Series - the specialist range of powerful, dynamic clippers & trimmers created to bring state of the art technology right to your barbershop or salon.

FINALE FINISHING TOOL IDEAL FOR FINISHING, FADING & BLENDING

CORDLESS MAGIC CLIP FASTER FEEDING & SMOOTHER BLENDING

LEGEND CLIPPER EXTENDED WIDE RANGE FADING

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE WWW.BARBERSOCIETYLIVE.COM

THE BARBER EVENT WITH PASSION FOR THE PROFESSION

SUNDAY 25 JUNE 2017 11.00 AM - 6.00 PM AMSTERDAM, ZUIVERINGSHAL WEST, WESTERGASFABRIEK

WAHL UK WILL BE EXHIBITING FIND US AT ZUIVERINGSHAL WEST! BarberNV Magazine | 57

the bearded men of wessex

On the 22nd of April, The Wessex Beardsmen held their 4th annual Beard and Moustache Competition, sponsored

by Beardilizer, raising money for the local blood bike charity in Yeovil, Somerset.

Over 100 Beards and Moustaches from all over the country came, with the furthest travelled award going to a member of The Sandgrown Beardsmen, who travelled over 250 miles from Blackpool. There were 10 categories, including natural moustache, business class beard, partial beard, and

even women and children’s handmade.

The competition was compèred by The President of the Wessex Beardsmen, and current British Goatee Champion, Andy Teague.

The Wessex Beardsmen were formed in 2013, members have competed all over the world including Germany, Austria, and the United States. Some members are travelling to Austin Texas this September for the 2017 World Beard and Moustache Championship.

The Judging Panel

58 | BarberNV Magazine

Host - Andy Teague

BarberNV Magazine | 59

ALANFINDLAY rebelrebel

Welcome back readers to another exciting issue of Barber NV and as usual we have been overwhelmed with your barbering questions which I’ll answer a bit later. But first let’s kick off with what’s coming up in the world of barbering.

60 | BarberNV Magazine

ASK ALAN? June 11-12th sees the biggest barbering event of the UK calendar and many of our readers will be making the annual pilgrimage to Barber Connect at their new home at the International Centre in Telford after outgrowing its traditional home at the Celtic Manor in Newport. Barber Connect is the forerunner to all other barbering events in Europe and has been running for a number of years now showcasing the latest talent in our industry.

Expect to have your inspiration buds tingled there, boosting your passion for our craft whilst adding some new skills and ideas to take back to your chair. For any budding barber this is a starting point in the ‘go to’ barbering event calendar.

Later in June we then have a fairly new event which made its first appearance last year and I along with my other B.O.M.B. Squad compatriots James Beattie and Foxy were fortunate to be guest artists at the event. Set in the grounds of a 19th century gasworks factory in Amsterdam, the event was super organised with a real family run, warm, and friendly feel to it. Really well organised with really cool brands and artists that we had never seen before. This year is even bigger and better, doubling its capacity! Honestly do not miss this one it’s tge favourite event that I’ve done so far and it’s in AMSTERDAM what more do I need to say! Also, this year B.O.M.B Squad are going back with Chris Foster and Simon Shaw, while and my newly formed art team from Rebel Rebel ‘The RAT Pack’ will be making their debut along with many more acts from across UK and Europe, but best of all the whole BarberNV team will be there so check it out. www.barbersocietylive.com

Readers’ Questions

Now let’s have a wee dip into this issues mail bag and see what we’ve got. Up first: William, Milton Keynes asks: I have just started barbering but I am worried about picking up an injury from using my hands all day and being on my feet all the time. Is there anything you can recommend to help prevent this?

AF: William, our job can be labour intensive especially on those mega busy days and standing on your feet all day can cause aches and strains all over the body. I’ve been barbering for nearly 30 years and have found the backs of the knees and shoulders seem to take most of the burden but regular exercise and good posture while cutting will limit these ailments. Keeping your back straight and shoulders back is a good habit to keep over time and always use the foot pump on your chair to raise or lower your chair for your optimum cutting posture.

Brad Johnson, London What’s been the highlight of your career?

AF: That would have been last year Brad when I was invited to Warsaw to perform barbering techniques in front of a big crowd for the KEVIN MURPHY brand at their annual fashion week trend report. The format of their events is second to none. We had two hours of rehearsals of stage positions and event walkthroughs prior to the show. The stage was massive with catwalk and giant cinema like projector screen. I knew it was high end stuff when I walked on to the stage and saw my name on the massive screen and looked into the crowd and noticed everyone was dolled up to the heavens sipping away on champagne.

It was a real honour to be the first barber invited to showcase our craft on such an illustrious platform with KEVIN MURPHY and it really confirmed to me that barbering as a skill has now reached the point where it is truly respected in the whole of the hair and beauty industry.

Mohammed Asif Are thinning scissors really necessary? Some barbers in my shop swear by them, some claim they do nothing?

AF: Mo, the 1st thing I would like to say here is that it’s not the tools that make the barber… There are many, many tools and gadgets that can enhance a haircut but I believe that in the pursuit of true craftsmanship of barbering you should master the basics with the basic tools first. That being clippers and cutting scissors. Now thinning scissors, in my opinion, in our industry are being used to primarily to hide mistakes in cutting techniques or blend where the top meets the clipper work, time wise cutting corners so to speak… as most barbershops still employ the practice of trying to squeeze the haircut into 10-15 min slots for a cheaper price. This results in shoddy workmanship that a lot of unprofessional barbers try to hide with thinning scissors.

On the other hand if you’re using the thinning scissors to remove bulk out of really thick hair or point cutting with them into the ends of top sections of hair to create texture these are some of the techniques where thinning scissors can have a use, but ultimately you need enough time to complete the cut in a professional way.

Just a wee thought when sending in your questions don’t forget to mention your name and the barbershop from where you hail and let us give you a proper shout out.

So with that being said I wish you all a productive summer and hope you get inspired at the upcoming events and if you make it to BarberSociety Live in Amsterdam make sure you come and say hi as we just love meeting our readers!

Be the best you can be!

af

BarberNV Magazine | 61

Barbering, bites, beats, and beer at BarberSociety Live How do you make your barbering event stand out in an increasingly packed schedule? Marc Van de Hare might have figured it out: hold it in Amsterdam.

Behind the curtain Known around the world for its beauty and culture, it’s also a great place to have a good time, and that’s what the barb ering community loves more than anything.

As owner of Van de Hare barbers in the city, Marc is a third-generation barber and one of the most well-established faces in the industry, using his experience to grow BarberSociety Live from a Facebook group into the most prestigious event on the calendar.

Having spent his life visiting industry events across Europe, Marc wanted to create something that barbers would truly enjoy. “In Belgium and the Netherlands, the trade fairs are mainly focused on women’s hairdressing,” Marc tells us. “I am totally not into the set-up and feeling of those fairs – I don’t feel at ease at all. There is nothing to experience for barbers. But gaining inspiration and sharing knowledge with colleagues is very important to me.

“That’s why I started BarberSociety in 2013, a private social network for barbers and barbershops on Facebook. The next step was an event.”

One of a kind

To make it unique, Marc took everything he’d learned from other hair industry events… and threw it out the window.

He says: “I did not want to organise a traditional trade fair, but an event that fits the target group: the atmosphere of a barbershop, a man cave with man stuff. So, not only industry related shows and seminars but also lifestyle brands that have the interest of barbers.

Creating an annual barber meet-up which inspires and informs you and also gives you the opportunity to drink a beer and ‘chew the fat’ about the barbering profession in a laidback setting.”

Unsurprisingly, barbers took it into their hearts, coming in unexpected numbers and making the first BarberSociety Live a raving success.

“I was so thrilled about last year’s success,” Marc says happily.

“We totally sold out and everyone, visitors as well as participating brands, were so enthusiastic about the event! It was remarkable that lots of visitors stayed from the beginning to the end (11am – 6pm). It was the first barbering event in the Netherlands and Belgium and everybody was happy that finally an event was organised especially for barbers and men’s hairdressers. We got a lot of media attention and on social it exploded! It was a bullseye!”

So what made it such a great event? The line-up, including Chris Foster, our man Alan Findlay and his B.O.M.B Squad, and American Crew, helped of course but for Marc it was about the connections and friendships forged between barbers.

Marc says: “So many shows full of international barbering talent could be seen, so many industry related barbers were united, and so many barbers were together. It was great to experience the connection between the barbers, like brothers. There was such a good vibe, the whole picture was complete. It was truly a unique set-up brimming with inspiration, sharing knowledge, and fun.”

What to expect It’s almost time for the second edition of BarberSociety Live and BarberNV for one can’t wait to get over there and enjoy it. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet there is still time and Marc is promising it will be a step-up from 2016.

“There is more to see and experience this year because it’s a bigger venue than in 2016,” Marc explains. “And of course, more barbers to meet! Besides that, we’re promoting the event outside of the Netherlands to unite barbers from everywhere and we have invited more international barber teams to take part in the programme. We are also introducing an Open Stage where you can explore ways of working with talented barbers and experiment together with them.

“For the Dutch and Belgian barbers we have organised a BSL People’s Choice Barbershop Award powered by Wahl in cooperation with ‘WieWatHaar’, a Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) review platform with an award ceremony at the event. And last but not least, we’ve got a bigger terrace with several food trucks and for the first time we have cool BSL merchandise and some nice BSL gifts for the visitors!”

Book your flight now!

It’s a real coming together of barbers from across Europe with UK, Dutch, and even Italian barbers all showcasing on the main stage that offers something you just can’t get here in Britain. So we’ll leave you with Marc’s fantastic reasons to book a cheap flight and head over for the weekend.

“If you are up for a different barbering event, you have to visit BarberSociety Live. A day of packed barbering knowledge in a relaxed atmosphere, chilling with fellow European barbers and chatting shop over a few beers. Add in the great things Amsterdam has to offer – smoking some weed, drinking beer, and having sex with the most beautiful girls in the world (it’s not only barbring!) – and you have the ultimate BARBER AMSTERDAM weekend away!”

That’s good enough for us, we’ll see you there!

Get your tickets and see the full line-up at barbersocietylive.com

showca se 64 | BarberNV Magazine

This month’s cover comes from the British Barbers’ Association Hall of Fame photo shoot.

The most popular competition of its kind, it sees 250 barbers enter every month with two winners being chosen – People’s Choice (most votes) and Judges’ Choice (voted by BBA Judges Team).

14 of those winners came together to put together to put together the photo shoot with famed photographer Tim Collins from which we chose our cover. Congratulations

to Jay Kizito Byrne on his winning image.

The other barbers involved were Joe Cartmel, Ross Mathieson, Jac Ludlow, James Williams, Yucel Olmezkaya, John Mulholland, Jack Bishop, Rhys Green, Jack Finch, Robert Grosvenor, James Beaumont, Enver Yeshilbulut, Ali Husseini.

If you want to take part in the BBA Hall of Fame competitions for this year, visit britishbarbers.com

BarberNV Magazine | 65

BLUE TIT

Hair: Chris Merrick at Blue Tit London Styling: Chris Merrick at Blue Tit London Photography: Andre Titcombe

66 | BarberNV Magazine

R A W

Hair: Gary Baker & Dylan Johnson Make-up: Ashley McGrath Photography: Nikki Cram

COLLECTION

BarberNV Magazine | 67

‘naked’ by STAG BARBER co.

Hair: Murray McRae Clothing: Stewart Christie Tailors Photography: Andy Bell

68 | BarberNV Magazine

BarberNV Magazine | 69

STAG.

70 | BarberNV Magazine

BarberNV Magazine | 71

Allan Stone

Hair: Allan Stone Models: Lee Tiffen , Mark Beckham Photography: John Donoghue Make-up: Ellie Gibson

72 | BarberNV Magazine

@chop_a_gram

chill mens

Hair: Robert Kirby Models: Lee Tiffen, Mark Beckham Photography: Benjamin Johnson Make-up: Davia Kazlauskaite

BarberNV Magazine | 73

74 | BarberNV Magazine

the modern gent

Hair: The Jacks of London Art Crew Products: Jacks of London The True Gent Range Photography: Barry Makariou

BarberNV Magazine | 75

the modern gent

Hair: The Jacks of London Art Crew Products: Jacks of London The True Gent Range Photography: Barry Makariou

ruth geary

Hair: Ruth Geary Photography: Fiona Millington Photography Barbershop: Tip Top Barber Shop 76 | BarberNV Magazine

Psychedelic soldier

Hair: Ross Charles Photography: David Charles Photography

BarberNV Magazine | 77

Hair: Kyle Ross and Laura Michelle Shop: Huntsman Photography: Richard Frew

80 | BarberNV Magazine

dirty face

Hair: Jordi Perez at La Barberia de Gracia Make-up: Monica Martinez Photography: Sergi Jasanada Styling: Fermin and Giles

BarberNV Magazine | 81

kam Men

Hair: Karen Thomson Make-up: Carol McLuckie Products: Matrix Styling: Ian Tod

82 | BarberNV Magazine

CREATED BY BARBERS. USED BY GENTLEMEN.

REUZEL.CO.UK 0 1 3 9 2

3 6 5 1 7 7

REUZEL UK

@reuzel

@reuzeluk

BarberNV Magazine | 83

Tag @Barbe rNVmag to featur azine e your wo rk! @darrenjopson

@jamesjay_hair @david_hardgrind

@charlie_cutthroatt

@jarredsbarbers @lukebradleyhair

@liamjtwist 84 | BarberNV Magazine

Showcase @mrrosskelly

@oldfaithfulbarber

@rhysfergus

@steve.the.baron

@rebelgraeme @jarredsbarbers

@liamjtwist BarberNV Magazine | 85

Fraternising with the Fellowship If you thought the Fellowship for British Hairdressing was just for women’s hairdressers, think again.

T

he Fellowship for British Hairdressing has plenty to offer men’s hairdressers and barbers, from education to networking events. Now in its 70th year, the industry body has always promoted the very best of our industry. Its packed schedule of events for members encourages education, inspiration and networking, as well as support in times of need or even just with everyday salon queries and niggles. There are also marketing benefits thanks to the press the Fellowship receives, as well as its own publication to get your name out there. Then there are the opportunities for young artists; the F.A.M.E. Team and Project X provide year-long mentoring programs for shining stars of the industry – with past members like Umberto Giannini and Jamie Stevens going on to be crowned Men’s Hairdresser of the Year. Finally, it marks your salon business out as a cut above the rest, aligning you with industry leaders and some of the most respected salons in the country.

Over the last year, the Fellowship has launched more regional events than ever too, meaning their stellar lineup of education evenings from guest presenters is closer than ever. Over the last 12 months, men’s events have included a star-studded show in Stockport with Simon Tuckwell from Zullo & Holland, James Earnshaw from The Francesco Group, Ben Sutcliffe from KH Salons, Inky Steve from Barber Barber UK, Jodie Palmer from Russell Eaton, Lauren Arstall from The Colour Room, and Dean Bradwell from Scarlett Moon. The magnificent seven

86 | BarberNV Magazine

showcased their skills in scissor-over-comb, fading, and disconnection in an up-closeand-personal environment which allowed the crowds to study their techniques and pose their questions.

As well as showcasing the work of men’s hairdressing maestros, Fellowship events also provided the opportunity for members to showcase their own work and receive feedback from experts. At a recent Men’s Hair Workshop in Smithfield, East London, members were mentored by Ian Rotman from HOB, Jean Louis Canonville from Alan d Academy, Ollie Mehra from Th1 Hair, Amy O’Keefe from Hare & Bone, Richie Kadir from Billi Currie, and Jeremy Roca Ripoll from Rush. Members worked with their own models as the masters guided them through techniques with one-to-one guidance and skill-sharing.

Jonathan Andrew from Jamie Stevens; Marcus Giamattei from Marc Antoni, and Seung Ki Baek from Rush are amongst the other men’s hairdressing gurus who have presented and educated at workshops in the last few months, ensuring that men’s hairdressing is always well catered for and represented by some of the industry’s most inspiring names.

Fellowship president Karine Jackson says: “The Fellowship is a great platform to meet like-minded people and to share ideas and information – and that includes men’s hairdressers too. We want to portray

a stronger, more professional industry to the outside world so that the press, schools and the wider public take hairdressing seriously and respect it as a career choice.

Our members can see the latest trends and techniques to help you stay at the forefront of the industry, network with industry leaders, get the chance to do more stage work and to be part of an organisation that’s leading the way.

I feel that when we’re united, we can show the world how amazing our industry is.”

working with

TRADIUM DENMARK “As a Barbering Academy Tradium must rate as one of the best in Europe. Their use of natural materials and keen attention to detail has produced a stunning environment for REM’s iconic Emperor Barber Chair to reside in.”

Trevor Lingard, Commercial Manager REM

sales@rem.co.uk

www.rem.co.uk

01282 619977 BarberNV Magazine | 87

Robert Rix Words f rom the Wise

The Company of Master Barbers Ltd

Wayfarer’s Arcade, 315 - 317 Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1NH, Telephone 01704 807176 Robert Rix, SHR SRSB MCH MCB

When I first set out on my barbering journey in Glasgow 1991 there were only three barbershops in whole city centre and at the last count there are now around 25 with most of them appearing in the last six years.

FINDLAY FACTS

When I first set out on my barbering journey in Glasgow 1991 there were only three barbershops in whole city centre and at the last count there are now around 25 with most of them appearing in the last six years.

88 | BarberNV Magazine

F

ollowing on from my last article; where I centred my comments on what I termed a “monoculture” that seemed to be developing, I got to thinking about how the whole of our industry is developing, or more correctly, has developed over the last few years. As you’ve probably guessed, if you have read my articles, I go back a long way in this trade and have seen many changes take place over the years. There are no changes however that are more striking or significant than the changes that have occurred over the past few years.

Let’s wind back the clock to say 2006 or 2007 and take a look at what our industry was like then. At that time the ‘Barbering Boom’ had not even been born let alone been identified as game changer to the whole of the hairdressing industry. The ladies side of the craft was the dominant economic force. Ladies hairdressing was riding high and any investing business angle or entrepreneur, if asked to back a new hairdressing venture, would have naturally assumed that it would be the ladies side of the game that their funding was being sough for. Back then, and we are only talking about 10-years ago, things were very different. Barbering/ men’s hairdressing was very much the poor relative in the trade. There were plenty of one man businesses and no real chains of any consequence to speak of. The average barbershop was decorated in a quite sombre manner with no real hint of style or flair. The operatives engaged in barbering did not present themselves in any discernible way. You could have hardly labelled them as cutting edge or avant-garde. From an economic stand point prices were basically governed by local market forces. Hairdressing events and exhibitions placed little or no emphasis on the men’s trade and gave their main attention to ladies and or unisex hairdressing.

The manner in which our shops are decorated now has little connection with what has gone before. A barbershop could now quite easily mistaken for US speakeasy or juke-joint, festooned with all manner or ephemera and object d’art, from stuffed animal heads to life sized model cows anything and everything seems to go. Lots of barbershops are now licensed to sell or even give away booze.

Now we can come onto perhaps the most significant change of all – The Cool Factor!

Barbering has become the ultra-cool way of earning a living. Over recent years it has gone from a job that very few wanted to do, to suddenly being the coolest job on the block. For that single reason it has attracted far more than its fair share of willing candidates for employment. It is now not unusual to find job applicants with university degrees wanting work in a barbershop, having kicked over the traces in either academia or industry. Only a short time ago this phenomenon was unheard of.

There is what could be defined as a stereotypical barber look being developed.

I won’t go into any great detail of what comprises this look but I am sure that you will get my drift on this subject. I can personally call to mind one chap who has been elevated from the status of your average barber to that of something akin to a style icon.

A very troubling development that I have witnessed is the emergence of barbering factions; almost a tribe mentality where no credibility is given to anyone from the opposing gang. This is a very unsavoury and extremely unprofessional and damaging stance that is being adopted.

With the advent of the net and social media such sectarianism now has the vehicle by which to deliver is poisonous message.

Consider now the way in which a would-

be barber would enter the trade; what path would he follow? Yes, there is still the tried and trusted pathway of traditional apprenticeship; there is also the funded education route either through FE colleges or private training providers, the numbers of which has also increased dramatically in recent times. There is even the ‘watched it on YouTube and thought I’d give a go’ element. The sad thing is there is nothing to stop them doing that. The biggest problem we have in the industry now is that despite the massive growth we have experienced we are still an unregulated industry. I won’t bang on about getting registered with the Hair Council, but please do give it your consideration.

I don’t want to sound like the prophet of doom, but I do wonder sometimes what is going to become of our industry. What will happen if we continue on the current path?

Will we ever become a regulated industry?

What will happen when the ‘Next New Thing’ comes along and it’s no longer cool to be a barber? Will we reach saturation point where there is a barbershop for each customer? Will the whole barber thing implode upon itself?

The answer to all of that is, despite my many years in the trade, I simply don’t know. We are in the most dynamic period I have ever experienced. We can either make our industry something that we can be very proud of and say that, yes we were part of all that, or we can flush it away and move on to the next best thing. For my part I will continue on the path that I have trod all my working-life, trying to do the best work I can and delivering a service to my clients that is delivered in a clean and hygienic environment to highest of professional standards.

Until next time, keep snipping and clipping Robert Rix SHR SRSB MCH MCB

In the intervening years we have seen a massive shift in the relevance of barbering.

Not only has it become if not the dominant segment of the industry, it has become the sector into which the greatest portion of investment has been channelled. I do not have the exact figures to hand as to how much money has been pumped into UK barbering, but I am sure the figures must be somewhere out there in cyber-land, should any reader want to go and seek them out. It’s not uncommon to find a town where there have been 30 or 40 new barber shops open in recent times. There is no more hair being grown in the UK than there was 10-years ago, so the service offerings being available to the public have had to widen. We now have the emergence of barbershop chains; these are already gaining ground and commanding very sizeable cash investments in their creation.

The consequence of this burgeoning of barbershops is that the total takings pie is being sliced smaller and smaller with every new shop opening.

BarberNV Magazine | 89

TrainingNV.

june/july 2017 Training Dates Date

Duration Course

Company/School

Location

Cost

Contact

19th June 3 Weeks

Masters in Barbering - NVQ 3

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£1,840.00

0207 404 0998

19th June 1 Day

One Day Shaving Course

Joseph Lanzante Training

Accrington

£195.00

01254 427575

20th June 1 Day

Total Barbering

Alan Howard

Preston

£130.00

01772 824585

26th June 2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

28th June 2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

3rd July

6 Days

Fast Track Barber & Shave

Hair for Men Academy

Surrey

£1,095.00

0800 6446601

3rd July

2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

3rd July

10 Days

Elite Barber

Hair for Men Academy

Surrey

£1,695.00

0800 6446601

4th July

1 Day

Total Barbering

Alan Howard

Rochdale

£130.00

01706 644803

5th July

2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

10th July

3 Weeks

Masters in Barbering - NVQ 3

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£1,840.00

0207 404 0998

10th July

12 Weeks

Masters in Barbering

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£5,550.00

0207 404 0998

10th July

2 Weeks

Diploma in Barbering

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£1,540.00

0207 404 0998

11th July

1 Day

Total Barbering

Alan Howard

Crewe

£130.00

01270 581307

17th July

1 Day

One Day Shaving Course

Joseph Lanzante Training

Accrington

£195.00

01254 427575

24th July

2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

24th July

5 Days

Fast Track Barber

Hair for Men Academy

London

£895.00

0800 6446601

26th July

2 Days

Wet Shaving Course

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£550.00

0207 404 0998

31st July

3 Weeks

Masters in Barbering - NVQ 3

London School of Barbering

Farringdon

£1,480.00

0207 404 0998

Learn the true art of maLe grooming Professional barbering and hairdressing courses.

By Joseph Lanzante - the leading barbering expert. › Traditional barbering one day clipper cutting course

› Hot towel cut throat shaving one day course

› Barbering boot camp four day course

PLUS NVQ level 2 & 3 in ladies and mens hairdressing.

To Book - Tel: 01254 427575 · 07984 797726 or visit www.josephlanzante.co.uk 90 | BarberNV Magazine

AT

Credit: Image courtesy of Bluebeards Revenge

ALL YOUR BARBERING NEEDS FROM BASIN ST. BRINGING YOU THE BEST IN BARBERING PRODUCTS, INCLUDING YOUR FAVOURITES FROM LEADING BRANDS…

CHOOSE BASIN ST. Order online or over the phone for delivery to your barbershop or click & collect to a store near you Order by 4pm for FREE next day delivery on orders over £30 Range now available in over 180 stores nationwide Regular promotions and offers Professional products at professional prices, only available with your trade card

SIGN UP FOR YOUR TRADE CARD IN STORE OR ONLINE NOW

SHOP YOUR WAY Visit salon-services.com/storefinder for your nearest store

Shop online at salon-services.com for home delivery or click and collect

Phone us on 0330 123 1907 BarberNV Magazine | 91

92 | BarberNV Magazine