Marc Milman’s passion for cutting perfection drives Washi to the top

When it comes to thriving – not merely surviving – in the beauty business, it takes nerves of steel. “I broke into the beauty industry not knowing that this would be what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” confesses Washi founder/CEO Marc Milman.

“I just dove in headfirst. Back in 1986 I stumbled upon a career sharpening shears, and just a few years later, I bought Washi!”

At the time, Washi was a fledgling company, but thanks to Milman’s swan dive into the deep end, it’s now at the top of its game. Thanks in part to his quarter century in the business, the company’s product roster contains some of the most popular shears on the market, including the AX Ultimate, and Milman is continually creating new scissors that cater to stylists’ every need. (Milman relates that Washi will be launching a revolutionary new design slated to hit the market soon.)

But how do Washi shears manage to snip away at the competition?

“It’s our Hitachi steel. Unfortunately, our industry is plagued by companies claiming that their scissors are forged with Hitachi – which is the finest steel available – when they are not. The burden of finding quality shears ultimately falls on stylist’s shoulders.”

Quality ingredients aside, Milman prides himself on the individual attention that he gives to each set of scissors. “I inspect all shears before they go out the door,” he says. “And if a stylist ever says that his or her shears aren’t performing correctly, I personally adjust the product.”

With this hands-on mentality, it’s no wonder that Milman’s carved out an indelible niche in the pro-beauty world.

Chock up Milman’s success to the mantra that’s made his company a cut above: “The day I stop learning is the day that I’ll fail.”

There is increasing concern from the hairdressing industry and the public over the number of professional footballers sporting immaculate haircuts and so the NHBF has raised the issue with the Professional Footballers’ Association, the English Football League, The Premier League and the Football Association.

Over the past week, the NHBF has been contacted by members of the public raising their concerns that professional football players appear to have had fresh haircuts, despite the mandated closure of hair salons and barbershops.

Richard Lambert, chief executive of the NHBF says, “Of course, we realise that some of the players may have cut their own hair, or had it cut by someone within their bubble, but there seems to be a growing assumption that they must have knowingly broken the rules.”

In an open letter to each of the professional football organisations, the NHBF has asked them to remind players that current regulations mean that hair stylists and barbers, whether premises based or freelance, are not permitted to offer any services at the moment. 

Richard continues, “Hairdressers and barbers have a responsibility to comply with the rules, and it’s our job to make sure they understand what that means.  There is no exemption for sportspeople, so when the public see people who appear to think that the rules don’t apply to them, it really hits a nerve. With the whole country struggling as the pandemic continues, it’s important that those in the public eye are sensitive to the need to show that we are all playing our part.

It is also important to stress the reasoning behind the regulations themselves, which is to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and ultimately save lives. Looking specifically within football, each time a player flouts the rules and gets a haircut, they increase the risk of getting and transmitting the disease, which in turn puts the rest of the squad and team staff at risk.  As we have seen, this can lead to matches being cancelled, putting pressure on other clubs and even the wider competition.”

Those providing their services in a professional capacity as part of those sectors that remain open can continue to operate. For example, make-up artists in film and TV production, and on fashion shoots. However, these services cannot be carried out in premises required to close.

We at BarberEVO, along with the rest of the barbering world, are shocked and devastated by the loss of legendary barber and friend, Allan Stone.

46 year old Allan Stone was the owner of Stoney’s Barber Shop in Laygate, South Sheilds. Allan was a named a Grandmaster Barber by the British Master Barbers (BMB) Alliance, he was a Master Barber, and was also recognised by the British Barbers’ Association. Allan Stone was a a big supporter of the barbering industry ­– always pushing for higher standards and education, and he was a regular at most barbering shows, always offering advice and kind words.

Stone began his career in the industry as a young man, working as a Saturday worker at Saks Hairdressers in Newcastle while he was still at school. Allan Stone, was dedicated to sharing his knowledge and skills, and worked as part-time lecturer at South Tyneside College, while running two locations of his barbershop in South Shields.

We, at BarberEVO, are absolutely devastated to learn the news of the passing of our friend Allan Stone.

Full of energy and a real zest for life, Allan truly was one of the most genuine, larger than life guys you could ever wish to meet.

His presence MADE barbering trade shows worth attending alone, Allan put a smile on everyone’s face, almost effortlessly and we will cherish those memories forever.

Only last week Allan reached out to check in on Andrew and David, full of that Geordie banter and light-hearted exchanges that epitomised why Allan was liked by so many.

Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the very many industry peers throughout the UK and beyond who will be truly saddened to hear of his passing.

If you are able to do so, please consider making a donation to this fund set up to help support Allan Stone’s family with funeral costs.

The outpouring of emotions in the aftermath of Allan’s passing has been truly sad, but equally heart-warming to read all of the kind words every single person has had to say about the one and only Stoney.

Rest easy Stoney.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/allan-stone?utm_term=AxGXWgeAv&fbclid=IwAR0HwgUWVLTjoSY_X9wtDbKyzTwhojtxKj9HwwbNyWXLVBudpFQNY3Q1fN8

With uncertainty hanging over all events this year, the organisers of the CT Barber Expo X have decided to move the event date back to August 2021. The following announcement was released:

To Our Current & Previous Valued Guests,

     With recent discussions with the State of Connecticut officials, Mohegan Sun Casino management and current state of the pandemic, we are rescheduling the date of the Connecticut Barber Expo X. The dates of the event will now be Saturday, August 14, 2021, through Monday, August 16, 2021. The date change will allow for the current surge to subside and allow more time for individuals to be vaccinated. 

     The event will continue to take place at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino. This will allow for hotel, plenty of dining options and social distance protocols. For hotel room booking, you may call 1.888.777.7922 or use the following link Mohegan Sun Hotel  for special room pricing. To purchase tickets on Eventbrite, please click on the following link. All competition registration entries have been transferred to the new dates as well.

     Again, we apologize for the inconvenience. We hope that you and your loved ones stay safe during this time. 

Sincerly,  CTBE Staff

Any further updates will be fully covered within the pages of BarberEVO magazine and on our social media platforms.

WELCOME TO THE FIRST BARBEREVO NORTH AMERICA EDITION OF 2021. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SEE THE BACK OF 2020 AND LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXCITING YEAR AHEAD.

We are committed to continuing to deliver a combination of creative content, inspirational features with the biggest names in the business, and the very best of real-life business advice to ensure we keep everyone rolling in the right direction. 

With that in mind, events and tradeshows are top of our list in this issue as we talk to those in the know. The organisers of the events, that we miss so much, talk about the chances of them going ahead, the challenges they face with staging them in a pandemic and the hopes for the ones that are scheduled for this year.

This issue’s barbershop focus has some cool places featured. Barbers are so proud of their shops, whether they are traditional, cutting edge, minimalist, or are designing with Instagram in mind, the design is so personal, and how you choose to furnish your shop, and the décor you choose, can make or break the visual. We’ve found some knock-out barbershops that have opened their doors to BarberEVO, talked us through their décor decisions, what works for them and what they love about their shops.

A hugely important part of the hair industry right now is how it can be more sustainable. We have spoken to hair professionals who have taken their personal commitment to being eco-friendly and carried it through to their shops and their business practices. Whether you want to commit fully or just make a small change, have a read of our eco feature and see what changes you can make to be a little gentler on the planet. 

Last, but certainly not least, The Barber Authority’s Steve Vilot lets us into some tour secrets as he and his band of elite barbers provide grooming services for international rock starts and the world’s top athletes. It’s a great read, and his commitment to elevating the image of barbering is commendable.

You can order your printed copy of the new edition right here.

As of the 25^th of January, Health Officials have lifted the Regional Stay at Home Order in California and put the state into the ‘Purple Tier.’

This allows ‘personal care services’ such as barbershops, hair salons, and nail bars to operate indoors. However, Health Officials ask that businesses operate at 25% capacity, and continue to social distance and wear face masks where applicable.

Until the 25,^th California had been the only state in which barbershops and hair and beauty salons were under strict regulations to stay closed.

Thankfully, the ICU percentages and case rates have remained low enough over the last month for restrictions to be lifted enough for beauty industry professionals to get back at it.

Andis Company has today released the second volume of ‘FLUID’, an Andis Hair Tech publication embracing heritage and the natural beauty of multi-cultural textured hair. 

Featuring work from Andis Creative Leads, Eric Cheek and Kenny Duncan the publication has five looks created using a selection of Andis tools. 

Angie Perino, Managing Director for FLUID and Global Education Manager for Andis Company. “Kenny and Eric are world renowned for their talent and skills as educators within the beauty and barber industry. They did an incredible job of creating looks that allow learners to expand their skillset, preparing them to service any type of hair pattern they encounter. Their creative techniques will inspire the industry to continue reaching for its fullest potential.”

The publication includes step-by-step guides on how to achieve each look, including the tool for each step, suggested techniques, and tips for perfecting the cut. For barbers and stylists who may be less experienced with textured hair, the book also contains a hair pattern terminology guide, outlining the types of hair by size and pattern, along with other terms commonly used when cutting and styling hair.

Fluid Volume Two is available for purchase here for $14.95.

For many men, a trip to the barbershop is much more than just a luxurious effort to alter their aesthetic appearance. For many, their barbershop has become a safe place to chat about their lives, and their barber, a friend and confidant. Many barbers may joke that they find them feeling more like a therapist than a barber ­– but what if you could provide barbers with the tools to do both?

Lorenzo Lewis did just that. After spotting a deficiency in mental health care for Black men and boys in the United States, Lorenzo Lewis founded Confess Project Barber Coalition in 2016. Their goal is to bridge the gaps in mental health care for Black men and boys, by providing barbers with the resources and skills to listen and talk to their clients about their mental health wellbeing in a judgement-free safe space.

Lewis noticed that African American communities in the United States were terribly under-resourced and underrepresented in terms of mental health care and support. However, he found that the importance of the barbershop’s role in improving and promoting mental health in men, specifically in African American communities, had been previously overlooked.

Through workshops hosted by the Confess Project Barber Coalition, barbers are given education, resources and training to talk to their clients about mental health, and to point them toward further help and solutions. Since 2016, the Barber Coalition has trained more than 200 barbers across the United States to be mental health advocates.

During the last year, throughout the pandemic, African Americans have been disproportionally affected and racial injustices and police brutality have only increased the Black community’s need for mental health resources. Meanwhile, many barbershops have been forced to close and the in-person workshops have had to be put on the back burner. However, that won’t stop the Coalition’s efforts to continue to support their communities. The group has started hosting online training courses, group support calls, and individual check-ins for member barbers.

Lewis’ goal for the Confess Project Barber Coalition to that the messages and lessons taught go ‘beyond the barbershop,’ showing men and boys that it is okay to talk about their emotions and to ensure that they know they are valued in society, and that there is a community behind them.

For more information and resources, visit www.theconfessproject.com

There’s no getting away from the hardship that having to close your barbershop can bring. Barbershops in Ontario are currently unable to open due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as part of a province-wide declaration of emergency and a stay at home order.

However, the folk at Chrome Artistic Barbering are able to remain open, despite this. They are offering their clients auditions for $37 each to participate in their podcast and documentary, by being filmed having a discussion about their lives whilst getting a haircut.

While hair salons and barbershops are not permitted to open right now in Toronto, film production is permitted.

Despite the controversial nature of this, owner Alicia Hirter told local press that it wasn’t a case of exploiting any loopholes. Camera’s, lights and microphones were already set up in the shop, and this had been planned for some time ago.

You can visit the Chrome Artistic Barbering Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/chromeartisticbarbering/

Legendary Ontario barber Frank Filice has hung up his clippers one last time, leaving behind a notable career, with clients ranging from Premiers, Politicians, Bureaucrats and Journalists.

“Frank the Barber” cut hair in his basement shop at the Ontario Legislature, which explains those intriguing clients, for over 45 years.

Frank was known for being neutral, fair, balanced, and good with secrets… “What is said in the barber’s chair, stays in the barber’s chair” was his motto, according to Speaker of the Legislature Ted Arnott, no doubt one of Frank’s regulars!

Frank originally arrived in Toronto in 1960, aged 16, from his native Calabria in Italy.

We wish Frank, who was clearly a local legend, the happiest of retirements!