Andis Company recently hosted the first ever virtual Copy the Cut Challenge, which saw 50 barbers and stylists competing virtually from their own shop or salon. Participants recreated their best version of the Andis Fluid Vol2 Modern Day Frederick Douglass cut for a chance to win up $500 and an Andis Limited Edition Copper ProFoil Shaver.

Top three winners:

1. Eddieberto Martinez (@_Techneek_)
   • Owner of Techneek Studios in Philidelphia, PA
2. Louis Rexach Jr. (@earsthebarber)
   • Owner of Always on Point Barbershop in Philidelphia, PA
3. Manny Weston (@there__e_go)
   • Student at Hair Lab Detroit Barber School

Dark Stag are proud to introduce you to Bridey Jo and AJ Rapture, two of the UK’s brightest barbers.

The British-based manufacturers of superior barber tools are making a push to offer barbers superior online services to complement their acclaimed equipment; that starts this month, with the onboarding of two official ambassadors spearheading the company’s online expansion.

With work featured in high-profile publications across the barbering and haircare industries, Bridey and AJ truly reflect the modern face of barbering.

On welcoming the pair to the Dark Stag family, founder Andy Wiseman said, “We are very excited to announce, and get started working with, our Dark Stag UK ambassadors AJ Rapture and Bridey Jo. These two great barbering talents are responsible for some impressive work and we can’t wait to share what we do together going forward!”

Bridey Jo

Of the exciting news, Bridey, who runs her own store – Bridey Jo Barbers in Wombourne, Wolverhampton – shared on her socials: “Been keeping this quiet for a while now… I AM SO EXCITED to announce I’m officially part of Dark Stag’s passionate team! I’ve used their tools since I first started out barbering & I’ve not looked back ever since, so it’s a huge honour to be working with such a growing and trustworthy brand. Buzzing to unlock more creative potential together! 🤘🏻✂️”

AJ Rapture AJ, who leads the remarkable team at Hayes’ Rapture Barbers said in his social post about the announcement: “I’m absolutely ecstatic to be part of this amazing brand having already been a fan and user of they’re tools for some time due to their undeniable quality! Dark Stag has integrity and holds true to the heritage of barber tools with a vision to grow and evolve alongside barbers and modern barbering. I am so humbled to have been recognised by them and I am extremely proud to be an ambassador for them! I’m excited for what’s to come! 🙌🏽”

OSMO ambassador and celebrity barber, Justin Carr and his team at That Feeling have hung up their clippers (temporarily of course) and turned their hands to television presenting. Chop & Change is the new bi-weekly game and talk show on YouTube bringing you entertainment, fun, and laughter.

Featuring celebrity guests each week, this will be one to watch for sure.
Justin and the That Feeling team are used to making people feel good with their razor-sharp hair-cuts but with lockdown restrictions meaning they were unable to work for the best part of a year, Justin had time to think about channelling his creativity and energy. His plans for That Feeling have always been about creating more than just a barbershop but to become a lifestyle brand – bringing into the mix music, fashion, production, modelling, photography, rappers, and even content creation, so the Chop & Change series was a natural direction for Justin and his team of creatives.

With 14 episodes planned, the new Chop & Change series guests include musicians Aston Merrygold, Dappy, Tion Wayne, One Acen and Gassed Up Lighties, footballers Dele Ali, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and William Ekong, content creator Sarchie, music producer Hargo and radio presenter Jourdan hosted by Justin and the That Feeling team.

“That Feeling is more than just barbering, we’re all creatives and have this energy and passion to really show how barbering can open up opportunities and be a really exciting industry to be a part of. Chop & Change helps us break out of the barbering box and branch into even more creativity. We want to show the next generation of barbers that anything is possible. This was all financed independently and has taken time to write, produce, film, and edit – something we did during lockdown. I know that content creation and social media is where it’s at, so we need to embrace it and play to our creative strengths. I’ve a great network of well-known clients and friends, so it seemed natural to get them involved in the series,” says Justin Carr, owner of That Feeling Barber Shop and OSMO Ambassador.

Check out Chop & Change, airing every Wednesday and Sunday at 8.30pm on the official Chop & Change YouTube page.

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is excited to announce the opening of the 33rd Annual North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA), the most prestigious professional beauty competition and awards,
on June 14, 2021. As the top hair and makeup competition in North America, NAHA is the premiere platform for beauty professionals to push the boundaries and bring their artistic visions to life

This year, NAHA will feature the following categories:
• INSPIRING SALON OF THE YEAR
• EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
• AVANT GARDE
• MAKEUP ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• MASTER HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR (by invitation only)
• EDITORIAL STYLIST OF THE YEAR
• HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR
• TEAM OF THE YEAR
• TEXTURE
• BARBERING (replacing Men’s Hairstyling)
• STYLING & FINISHING
• HAIRCUTTING
• HAIRCOLOR
• STUDENT HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR

“We are thrilled to introduce the category of Barbering to replace Men’s
Hairstyling,” shares PBA Events Brand Manager Sheri Rearick. “NAHA has always broken barriers, and our categories will continue to evolve to reflect the pulse of the industry. Expect more changes soon.”
NAHA is also pleased to announce the return of the NAHA Remix! NAHA Remix allows artists to enter previously submitted collections as long as they were not selected as finalists. Remix collections can be updated and must follow the current category and overall NAHA rules and regulations.
NAHA submissions are judged online, in multiple rounds, by a blind panel of judges.
The judging process is completely anonymous with no contact between judges or knowledge of artist names to ensure anonymity and fairness during the judging process.

Key dates for NAHA 2022 are as follows:
Entries open: June 14, 2021
Entries close: September 10, 2021
Finalist announcement: November 10, 2021
NAHA 2022 Award Ceremony: January 30, 2022—Long Beach, CA
For specific category rules and to enter, please visit probeauty.org/NAHA2022. Get inspired and learn more about the most prestigious competition in beauty.

World-leading manufacturer of grooming tools for barbers and stylists, Andis Company, is delighted to announce that renowned barber, men’s stylist, educator and photographer Kevin Luchmun has joined the brand as ‘International Artistic Team Lead’.

INSPIRATION MEETS EDUCATION

In a newly created role that seeks to accelerate Andis’ international presence by building upon its global reputation for world-class tools, education and creative inspiration, Kevin will play a pivotal role in the development of educational programs and artistic directions for photoshoots. He will also be instrumental in the formation of new programs to continually develop the creative and editorial talents of Andis’ audience of creators.

BEHIND THE CHAIR & BEHIND THE LENS

As one of the UK’s most recognisable and respected men’s stylists, Kevin’s technical hair cutting skills have positioned him as one of the industry’s most inspiring barbers, men’s stylists and educators.            

A multi-award-winning stylist spanning barbering and men’s hairdressing, Kevin’s work on editorial photoshoots and collection photography, and the relationship between hairstyling, fashion and the visual presentation of technical cuts, has seen his creativity extend into a signature photography style. As passionate about photography as he is about hairstyling, both are approached and revered in equal measure with his work appearing on the covers and in the pages of international trade and consumer magazines, on the catwalks, online and across social media where Kevin has amassed a following of over 90k on Instagram alone.

According to Angie Perino, Andis Global Education Manager, it’s Kevin’s multi-faceted skills base, creative vision, technical precision and stage craft both as a hair artist and educator that led to the creation of this new role. “We’re so delighted to be partnering with Kevin as we continue to expand our outreach to barbers and stylists around the world. 

“We pride ourselves in providing world-class educational programs and inspiration that provide the road map to a successful career! Kevin will be working closely with our other internationally renowned educators, including Kenny Duncan – our North American Artistic Team Lead in the USA and Canada – to merge all strands of our educator network into a global vision that empowers barbers and stylists to express their individuality, maximise their creative talents and exceed their artistic potential through hair and imagery.” 

THE FIRST MISSION: FLUID VOL3

Following the worldwide success of FLUID Vols. 1 & 2 – a combined artistic hair collection and educational concept that integrates with Andis’ groundbreaking Virtual Education resource, Kevin’s first assignment will be to lead the creation of FLUID Vol.3.  Angie Perino: “This program will include educational videos, learning modules and a stunning look book with steps to teach our learners how to create the featured looks.  Kevin will be contributing to creating a vision for the collection, selecting models, orchestrating photography and video and finalising all details of the final edits. I can hardly wait to see Kevin’s inspiration come through in our very first Andis FLUID collection captured in the UK!”

KEVIN LUCHMUN – ‘JOINING ANDIS WAS MY DESTINY AND A DREAM COME TRUE’

For Kevin Luchmun, joining Andis is a dream come true. Unlike ambassadorships that hinge on commercial arrangements alone, Kevin has long-held a deep rooted respect for Andis and was determined to work with the brand from the outset. “Very early in my career I got the opportunity to work on the Andis stage at Salon International. From that moment I was passionate about Andis and I was always intent on working with the brand. For me there was never an alternative to Andis; I’ve waited a long time for this to come to fruition.

“Now I’ve reached this point in my career and have so many achievements and accolades, the timing and the type of position couldn’t be more perfect. I look forward to working with Angie and the global team to elevate Andis’ brand appeal and educational resource base, as well as highlighting the precision and performance of its industry-leading tools.”

Kevin officially joined Andis on May 1st 2021.

Do you rate yourself enough to compete alongside 120 talented barbers in the Texas Barber Battle and Expo, being held on July 17/18 at the San Antonio Shrine Auditorium in the heart of San Antonio, TX.

The event will be filled with barbers and stylists from all over the United States, competing in a range of battles from the Fastest Fade, Traditional Haircut, Freestyle Design, Fade W/Beard, and a Student Battle (Traditional). 

Attendance at last year’s event was more than 3,500 people, and this year’s event will not only feature the Barber Battle, but will have a range of vendors at the event. There will have educational classes in the morning from several educators/platform artists demonstrating different techniques and products.  

Where:  San Antonio, TX

When:  Sunday, July 18, 2021 with classes starting at 9:30am and the Barber Battle starting at 3pm.

By Who:  Texas Barber Battle & Expo is proudly presented by Wahl Educator and Platform Artist, Rick “Da People’s Barber” Morin.  Rick has traveled all of the United States, Mexico, China, and India educating barbers and stylists different styles of clipper cutting techniques. 

For more details go to: www.txbarberexpo.com

To register to enter for the Barber Battle click here

The first Monday of the month is a special day inside O’Neil’s Barber and Beauty Shop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Children get a free haircut, and a unique opportunity to work on their reading ability, with books sprinkled throughout the shop. Indeed as soon as they come into the shop, they collect a book and become engrossed in the plot prior to sitting in the chair.

Once in the chair, the barbers assist with any difficult or hard to understand words, and enquire about the plot and story that the children have been reading.

Shop owner O’Neil Curtis created the Line 4 Line program in 2014 with volunteer Lucy Perera. Each year this program serves 200 kids aged between 3 to 16 years old.

You can find out more about this amazing program here: https://www.facebook.com/Line4LineBR/

Do not adjust your computer screen or handset… we bring you news of the Lahore based barber Ali Abbas…

Ali is, somewhat controversially, swapping his clippers and scissors, for meat cleavers and blow torches.

Sometimes pictures (and a video) speak louder than words… so watch at your discretion…!

and DO NOT try this at home, or in your barbershop!

Abbas charges $13 / 2,000 rupees for the ‘treatment’ and has seen his popularity and fame grow rapidly thanks to the hype around his unusual technique and tools.

The Boston barber who accidentally stabbed himself with scissors in February has recovered from his injuries and returned to work.

Steve Silva, who cuts hair at Boston Barber Co. on Beacon Hill. said: “I’m happy to be back, it’s good to see my customers and everyone I work with.”

Silva, 30, who lives in Wilmington, was cutting a customer’s hair at the barber shop on Feb. 12 when he slipped and fell on his scissors.

“The floor was a little wet from me spraying the kid’s hair…and my foot went off the mat and kind of slid away.”

Trying to break his fall, he landed heavily on the pair of shears he was holding, and the scissors plunged into his chest.

At first “I didn’t know I stabbed myself,” he said. “It didn’t hurt too much.”

Silva was bleeding heavily, and his co-worker Sarah Santiago rushed over to help him.

“Sarah, she grabbed paper towels and put pressure on it,” he said. “My customer laid me down.”

Silva said he could have died because the scissors “punctured the sack that your heart sits in” and if they “went in any further, I would’ve actually hit my heart muscle.”

Silva had to undergo open heart surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. He spent about a week in the hospital (at one point, he was in the intensive care unit) and it took him about a month and a half to recover from his injury.

Silva is now back to working at Boston Barber Co. three days a week.

Silva said he was grateful to Robert Dello Russo, the owner of Boston Barber Co., for being so supportive and for helping him out while he recovered from the accident. “He texted me every day,” he said.

He’s also thankful to everyone who donated to the GoFundMe fundraising campaign that was created on his behalf, and for all the well wishes and messages of encouragement that he’s received.

“I’m just grateful for the support,” he said.

Back and Booming!

We know it has been a manic few weeks back for those of you returning to your chairs, that’s why we have packed this issue full of exciting content, to not only inspire our readers, but educate, inform, and offer helpful tips and tricks from leading experts.

As we all know, adapting is the name of the game, during these unprecedented times. We speak to leading barbers Luka Chitty and Phil Jarman about how they utilised their time during the lockdown for the better, by retraining, and adding another notch to their belts. 

L3VEL3

Speaking of comebacks, featured on our front cover are Jay Nouri and A-Rod, Founders of L3VEL3 grooming. In this issue we chat to Jay about how the barber-owned and operated company, pulled together during lockdown to launch their impressive range of grooming products and tools. Now available in the UK, Jay told us of his goals to elevate the barbering industry and help barbers around the world level up their retail game. 

Finishing Tools & Products

In the barbering world, its all about giving your client that detailed, sharp and perfected finish. For that, you need the right tools and products. 

We chat to industry-leading barbers like Hayden Cassidy, JJ Savani, Pete Cranfield, and many more to find out what tools and products they depend on to ensure their clients are walking out that door with a look that could be only achieved by a skilled barber. 

Sustainability

We all know that there is no planet B. But did you know that adding more sustainable solutions and features to your barbershop will not only help lower your environmental footprint, but help increase your footfall? For many barbershops, green solutions have become their USP which has driven in more eco-conscious customers and in turn, brought in more revenue. 

We chat to barbers and hairstylists such as Ky Wilson, OS Barbershops, Damien Diablo who have made sustainability a priority in their shops, from utilising the recycling services of Green Salon Collective, reducing waste, incorporating refill bars, and using more eco-friendly products! Every little bit helps to create a big difference. 

Colour

Finally, have you ever thought about bringing colour services into the barbershop? The boundaries between what is being offered in salons and barbershops are becoming more and more blurred—and why not! Why let salons have all the colourful fun? 

In this issue we investigate the pros and cons of bringing colour and other alternative services into the barbershop, and what to look out for. We chat to 2020 British Master Barber of the Year Shaun Buckingham – known for his skill and creativity with colour about how to use colour in the barbershop, while balancing time and increasing revenue. Norman Boulton, member of the Crazy Color Squad talks haircare, and that you don’t have to sacrifice hair health for vivid colours.  We also catch up with Bridey Jo, of Bridey Jo Barbers, who shares all the additional services she offers to pamper both her male and female clients.