If you are looking for a year of mentoring, inspiration, education and fantastic opportunities, then the Fellowship Projects are for you!

Applications are now open for those who are interested in joining one of the teams – PROJECT: Colour, PROJECT: Men and PROJECT: X

PROJECT: Colour

This annual programme brings the finest colourists together for a year of pure hair artistry.

The industry’s world-renowned colourists share their unique colour application techniques, creativity, art direction on photoshoots and vision in an exciting calendar, designed by Project Leader Paul Dennison, that will see you improve your knowledge and skills and become the best you can be.

PROJECT: Men

The ultimate education aimed at hairdressers and barbers looking to develop their skills in the ever-growing men’s grooming market. Project leader for 2022 is Simon Shaw, who has put together an amazing programme of events, workshops and shoots – there’s nothing else like it for barbers and men’s hairdressers.

PROJECT: X

Described as the finishing school for hair, it’s aimed at qualified hairdressers who want to add finesse, knowledge and creativity to their portfolio.  Led by Project Leader, Sam Burnett, you will spend time with some of the most inspiring mentors in the industry to take your skills to another level, including stage time and photoshoots.

President Ken Picton, says: “There is nothing else like our Projects in the industry. They offer unrivalled opportunities with some of the best mentors in the industry, seminars and workshops with the most creative minds and the chance to put your new skills to the test in a special photoshoot. Some of the industry’s brightest stars have been part of our Projects and next year we have lots of exciting experiences planned for the new members.”

The application process is quite simple – head over to fellowshiphair.com and follow the instructions to apply. Deadline has been extended to 29 November 2021.

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK and Ireland is OUT NOW.

Get your copy here!

Feelin’ Festive

The latest issue of BarberEVO UK and Ireland is OUT NOW. This issue is packed full of advice, features and trends to keep you up to date with what’s current.  

Gracing the coveted front cover (even if we do say so ourselves) is Parlous Barbershop, the recently announced winners of the Wahl Barbershop of the Year. Parlous are huge advocates of Takara Belmont and we have a feature highlighting this iconic brand and what the chairs and furniture means to barbers.

We also have the first reactions from both Reece Whitehouse who won the Wahl UK Barber of the Year, as well as Rico Ugur Aydemir of Parlous Barbershop as they stepped off stage with their shiny new winning trophies.

Furniture

Your barbershop design and furniture says so much about you, and the clientele you are going to attract, and we speak to Kingsman Barbershop about their furniture choices and why Takara Belmont was the brand they invested in. We also have an informative list of things to keep in mind when picking furniture for your shop.

We speak to many barbershop owners about what brands they opted for, and why longevity and quality will always win out when it comes to buying furniture.

Barbershop focus

Our barbershop focus is on Stag Digbeth, in Birmingham, an incredible combination of barbershop, cocktail bar and coffee shop. They are mixing it up, literally, on the decks, with ‘barber sessions’ nights, that have guest barbers cutting model’s hair using head torches to see what they are doing while the party rages around them. It sounds epic. If you fancy a slot with the headtorch… give them a shout, they are open to inviting talented barbers to showcase their skills.

Technology

Technology is now essential in everyday life, and we are now reaching the point where barber booking apps have become an essential barbershop management tool. The features list of the apps is extensive, have you checked them out properly, and are you using them to their fullest potential? We take advice from those that rely on them heavily to send out reminders and taking that all important deposit when clients book to decrease no-shows. Since implementing payment at the time of booking, The Academy Barbershop has found a 25% increase in retail sales… have a read and find out how it managed that with the help of its app.

Christmas Retail

The silly season is just about upon us, and that means back-to-back appointments and the chance to really go hard on the retail side of the business… you’ve got to have something to see you through January! We speak to several barbers who have strategies and plans in place to increase retail sales from now – don’t wait. Plus, we found a nice selection of barber-related Christmas Gift Sets that would be perfect to sit on your display shelves for an easy solution for the chaps that don’t know what to buy their loved ones.

Movember

Finally, we must mention Movember, which is a huge movement within men’s health and an incredible charity that many barbers support.

We have already seen lots of barbershops taking part in raising funds, and we applaud them all. We have a chat with Dan Davies of Gould Barbers, which partners with Movember, about why the charity are the one to support… it only takes growing a mo – even your granny can do that!

Get your hands on the latest edition here.

Slick Gorilla made their statement in the barber industry with their market-leading Hair Styling Powder. Born in barbershops in Leeds, the brand offers a range of styling products that are recognised and used globally, which is why they embrace their KING of hair products status.  

The brand previously launched its ‘The New Chapter’ campaign, that highlighted its position in men’s fashion and how its products play a huge part in this area of men’s lifestyle. The campaign pushed the brand into new territories and their latest venture sees the team collaborate with two unique brands that allow Slick Gorilla to reach a range of audiences.

Slick Gorilla x Matt B Customs saw the brand team up with a Manchester-based brand that specialise in trainer customisation, to create a one-of-a-kind Slick Gorilla trainer. Matt B Customs has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion, music & sports and the Slick Gorilla collaboration aligns both brands’ messages of creativity, innovation & individuality. The partnership displays Slick Gorilla’s street style statement as a fresh pair of trainers are just as important to style as a fresh haircut.

Slick Gorilla x Northern Monk collaboration combines two brands that share the same values. Community and collaboration run through the veins of Northern Monk, with countless creations with musicians, artists, charities and much more, that express their core message.

A community built on strong relationships and acknowledgment of creativity, much like the barber community that Slick Gorilla embraces and invests in. Slick Gorilla teamed up with fellow Leeds-born Northern Monk, to create a unique beer can design and labelled up an exclusive range of THE KING OF THE JUNGLE German Lager.

“Slick Gorilla recognise individuals and organisations that showcase innovation and talent. We aim to use our platform to create something unique that appeals to all types of audiences,” said Ari Farbod, Slick Gorilla co-founder.  

Award-winning men’s hairstylist, Jim Shaw, owner of Toni & Guy salon Billericay, shares his thoughts on autumn and winter men’s hair trends.

CUTS& STYLES:

Slick Back – for the dapper man! Slicked back styles look incredibly sophisticated and professional. This style looks particularly great when worn with a haircut that has length on the top and is shorter at the sides, really helping to show off the haircut and giving structure to the hair. Using a hairdryer to slick the hair back off the face is the easiest way to create this look before finishing with a pomade, gel, or wax to help create the shape and hold it in place. You can use a product with a shine for a sleek and shiny finish or a matte product for a more natural finish depending on what the client prefers.

Long Waves – after all the lockdowns many male clients have been experimenting with long hair looks and embracing their long hair and natural textures. Long hair is here to stay and looks particularly great when worn messier for a relaxed finish. If your client has natural curls or waves, use a curl-defining product or salt spray to enhance these and give the style further body and volume. Although long hair may require less regular cuts, it’s important that clients do book in for cuts for their long hair to keep it looking its best, free from split ends and frizz.

Caesar Hair Cut – For male clients who want to ooze style this will be one of the most on-trend haircuts this season. With this look it’s all about the scissor work and ensuring the cut is as precise as possible. I also love the versatility of this look, the client can wear it super sleek and straight for a more sophisticated finish or for day-to-day and quicker styling, this look also looks fantastic when paired with texture. A texturising spray or matt pomade can be applied through the hair with fingers to break up the hair and give it a softer appearance. You can also incorporate some choppy layers into this style for further texture.

Buzz Cut – this is a great look for men who want to show off their facial features and allow them to really pop and for men who want a haircut that’s lower maintenance and requires little to no styling. I love using clippers to create this look and going shorter on the sides to create a gradual fade and to give the look a more on-trend finish.

Side Part – the side part has made a comeback over the past couple of years and it remains on-trend for autumn/winter 2021. The beauty of this style is that it can instantly update your male client’s look and give it a more contemporary finish. It’s also great for those who may want to make their hair appear thicker in appearance, as the style adds volume and height to the hair. I love pairing a side parting with a quiff for a statement look with extra volume.

COLOUR:

Blondes – warm, golden shades of blonde will be huge this autumn/winter and can be worn all over the hair or through highlights to give the hair dimension. Silver and ashier shades of blonde will also be popular and look great on all complexions and on men of all ages, giving them a super trendy ‘cool guy’ look.

Pastels – pastel hair shades are becoming more and more on-trend with men and pinks, in particular, will be one of the most sought-after pastel shades this season. The pink tone can be as bold or as subtle as the client likes and lighter shades of pink are particularly great for blonde-haired clients who want to give their hair a funky update but want something that will wash out easily and won’t be a big commitment

Reds – coppers and mahogany shades will be another huge trend for the new season. These colours come back year after year in autumn/winter and are great shades that work well on all skin tones and hair types. For men who don’t want to go too bold with their red hair, they can give their brunette hair a slight copper tone or they can experiment with copper highlights or flashes of red.

In what was a record breaking year for entries, the Wahl British Barber of the Year 2021 was announced this past Sunday at Salon International in London.

In front of a big crowd on the Wahl booth, Simon Shaw announced Rhys Whitehouse as the winner, following live demonstrations by the five finalists.

Rhys beat out Luke Dolan, Kyle Rowland, Charlie Venn and Mercedes Paginton to life the title

Rhys, a barber at Hinces in Shrewsbury follows in the footsteps of 2020 winner Kilian Maddison.

All at BarberEVO congratulate Rhys and look forward to watching him work with Wahl throughout 2022 and beyond.

Mat Jones, @boneyardcuts_ of Boneyardcuts barbershop in Birkenhead is in the middle of training to take on a mammoth task on November 6^th for Movember, the leading charity dealing with men’s health issues. He plans to do four marathons in one day, back-to-back, in four different disciplines. That’s 26.2 miles on a rower, then a static bike, then a ski erg, and finally bring it home with a full 26.2 miles running the streets… all in the same day.

Mat has always been into fitness, and became a barber five years ago and has just opened his own shop on the Wirral.

“I’ve always trained and exercised so this event, when I got it into my head, was always going to happen. I like to challenge myself mentally as well as physically. I am not sure if anyone has done this before or maybe done something similar. This event was meant to happen last November but due to Covid, we put it back a year, as there was limited access to training facilities.

“Once I had decided on doing it, I thought why not do it for Movember, as I know it is quite big in the barber industry and it’s all about mental health, which after the lockdown there may be more cases than there used to be, so it’s very important to me to get the message across.”

Mat trains six days a week at 6am every morning before work, and sometimes he fits in another session after work in his gym at the barbershop. He also has to fit in spending time with his family and kids.

Mat predicts it should take him between 14-16 hours to complete the task all going well.

Mat’s Movember Four Marathons in One Day:

26.2 mile row on a rowing machine 

26.2 mile bike on a static bike

26.2 mile ski erg 

26.2 mile road run

All will be done in the barbershop, except the road race.

To motivate Mat on his huge challenge, you can donate to his page for Movember HERE.

Eight of the hottest shops in the UK and Ireland have been announced as finalists in the Wahl Barbershop of the Year competition. The finalists are:

Congratulations to:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Andys Barbershop (the defending champion) @andysbarbers_bicester⁠⁠
Barbertown Worcester @barbertownworcs⁠⁠
EMI Bertea Barbershop Academy @__e.b.b.a__⁠⁠
Huckle the Barber @hucklethebarber⁠⁠
Kendrick’s of Rochford @kendricks_of_rochford⁠⁠
Kesman Male Grooming @kesmanmalegrooming⁠⁠
Parlous Barbers @parlousbarbers⁠⁠
Ruffians Barbers @ruffians⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Simon Shaw said: “Once again, the standard of entries was off the charts. There were so many great shops to choose from. So, a huge thank you to all that entered, you guys are all killing it with your team, the services you offer, the interiors, everything was 👌!”⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Make sure you head to the Wahl stage at Salon international on Sunday 17th October as the winner will be announced at 3pm SHARP!⁠⁠

Best of luck to all the finalists!

The finalists are in! Huge congratulations to the five finalists who have been selected from an incredible standard of entries.

“The standard this year was so high, so we want to thank everyone that took time to enter, you guys were incredible and should be so proud of what you have achieved,” said Simon Shaw, Wahl Professional Global Artistic Director.

Make sure you head to the Wahl stage at Salon International on Sunday October 17^th for the LIVE final at 12pm with the winner announced at 3pm. It’s not to be missed.

The latest issue of BarberEVO North America is OUT NOW! This issue is headed up Taylor Perry who is front and center of this action-packed 104-page, beautifully presented issue. 

Taylor shares his journey from working 12 hour shifts behind the chair to taking his career to a new level by introducing Scalp Micro Pigmentation to his skillset. And now that he has taken the step to educate this fantastic revenue earning skill, the sky’s the limit. 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Events are back! And we are loving the energy that has infiltrated the industry now that barbers have had some much-needed creative contact. We feature a review of the CT Barber Expo and look ahead to Fusion Beauty and Barber Expo which is coming up in October.

NAHA announced its winners and we caught up with Nieves Almaraz to talk about picking up the last men’s hairdresser award before it is renamed ‘barber of the year’ category.

BARBERSHOP FURNITURE

Your barbershop says a lot about your brand, and your clientele will judge you on that before they walk in the door. We have a cool feature on barbershop interiors and furniture and talk to the owners of some of the hottest shops in town about their furniture and design choices. Barrelli Barbers with their masculine décor, Floyd’s 99 colorful murals and we enjoy the urban retreat that Dapr Grooming Parlour have created. 

As well as looking at some creative spaces, we talk to the experts about what to think about before you hand over any cash for a barbershop chair, and why buying the best will always be a good investment.

MUSTACHE/BEARDCARE

Where there are beards, there is revenue to be earned. Elevate your beard trims by adding exclusive element to your service. Adding moisturizers, oils, that extra neck massage give license to elevate prices and offer a more luxurious experience. The beardologist, Khristian Santana and Lex Andre of Marvelous Barber Lounge talk us through their exclusive beard and mustache techniques.

Also talking beards is Nasee Yehuda, and Elliott Chester, both talking about making best use of beard and shaving products that they believe in. 

ADVICE

As always, our columnists have their fingers on the pulse of what you need to know. Tyrik Jackson talks insurance, what you need to know and what you really need to make sure you are covered for. Also, we have the talented Whitney Ver Meer talk about following your own path in this industry and the pros and cons of working for someone or taking the leap and going it alone to work on commission. There’s lots of options but finding the right one for you is essential. 

We hope you enjoy this issue! You can order your print copy here 

Entries are closing soon! Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity.

Wahl UK want to celebrate and recognise the hard work we all see everyday, so once again they are looking to crown a new Wahl British Barber of the Year.

BarberEVO are thrilled to be the official media partner for this years contest!

To enter, go to the submissions area here and tell Wahl UK why you think you’re worthy of the title Wahl British Barber of the Year. 

Wahl want to hear about your barbering career so far and your ambitions for the future, this is your opportunity to sell yourself. You’ll also need to submit up to 4 images showcasing your best work. Make sure these are the best possible representation of your work, Wahl want to be impressed!

Furthermore, Wahl are also crowning the British Barbershop of the Year.

Do you work in an outstanding barbershop that provides exceptional customer experience?

Do you have a unique environment that sets you apart from every other shop? Are your staff the best in the business?

If this sounds like your barbershop, you’re in with a chance of being crowned Wahl Barbershop of the Year 2021.

For the chance to lift the prestigious Wahl British Barbershop trophy, ENTER your submissions TODAY here.

Finalists will be contacted and provided with further details once entries close on 4th October 2021.