Barbering and art are not usually two words that go hand in hand. And, we’re not talking art in the conventional sense either. This form of art is also not something that is gained by throwing paint at a canvas and hoping for the best. The art we’re talking about in this article is art in the form of hair, a trend we’re seeing pioneered by the likes of city centre barbers and hairdressing establishments that dare to challenge what hairdressing chains and barbers consider to be ‘individual’, and turning it on its head.
Collectives such as notjust Manchester are turning their city on its head, redefining what it means for a barbers to deliver high-end cuts in a unique setting. The collective challenged the zeitgeist of their city, going against the grain of an American Pyscho-esque, cut and paste service for suits and working professionals, instead speaking to their clientele on a personal level and encouraging each and every client to arrive at their intimate space with an idea of the individual haircut and overall style they want to achieve.
By addressing hair as art, modern barbers such as notjust are taking a step back from simply trying to fill empty spaces in their chairs. What was once a mirror for clients to glance at is transformed into a canvas, a fleeting glimmer of inspired transformations in 40 minute intervals with an emerging ideology as the end result, daring to invoke the individual within an often beaten-down and corporately-owned soul.
The people want more, the people are waking up to their individual styles, and it’s about time.
