The Modern Barber Awards spotlight the top UK barbershops, business leaders, teams and more. We caught up with a few of the winners from 2025 to learn what the achievement meant to them.
The Modern Barber Awards are now incorporated with the British Hairdressing Business Awards – resulting in an even bigger evening of celebration!
Check out the Modern Barber Categories:
- Barber Team of the Year
- Barbershop/Grooming Salon of the Year
- Best All Round Barber
- Business Leader of the Year
- Community Hero
- Customer Service Award, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional
- Educator of the Year, sponsored by Wella Professionals
- Marketing Excellence Award
- New Business of the Year
- Sustainable Salon of the Year, sponsored by Authentic Beauty Concept
Entries have been extended, meaning you have until Friday 21 August 2026 at 5pm. You've got to be in it to win it – click here to enter now!
Adam (Boardroom Gentlemen’s Refinery) - Best Client Experience
"Winning Best Client Experience was a huge honour for both myself and the entire team at Boardroom Gentlemen’s Refinery," says Adam, founder of Boardroom Gentlemen's Refinery babership in London.
"From the beginning, our vision has been to create more than just a barbershop - a place where every guest feels genuinely welcomed, valued and looked after.
"This award recognises the care, attention to detail and passion our entire team puts into every visit. To be recognised by Modern Barber for something that sits at the very heart of who we are is a huge honour, and one we are extremely proud of.”
Rob Wood - Best Social Barber
Rob Wood, TikTok star and founder of Novo Cabelo, which supports clients with hair thinning and loss, says that "winning this award has not only been amazing for myself personally, but for the hair replacement sector of our industry.
"Hopefully this will empower other barbers to learn this life changing service for their clients."
Katie Birks - Best Educator
The Oakwood Barbering Academy is a training program inside HMP Oakwood, providing inmates with barbering qualifications, led by Katie Birks since 2016.
For Katie, winning this award was "a surreal and incredibly rewarding milestone for both me and the Oakwood Barbering Academy. Having been a finalist in 2024, receiving this prestigious recognition felt like a validation of all the hard work we have put into creating a professional, high-street standard academy within a prison setting."
"The exposure and gratitude this award has brought have been truly career-changing, not just for my own professional development, but for the credibility and growth of our barbering programme.
"It highlighted that, even within a complex environment like ours, our work makes a tangible difference in rehabilitating lives and equipping students with the skills for a successful future."
Alicia Hammersley-Fenton - Best Shop Interior
Alicia Hammersley-Fenton is the co-founder of MOSU hair salon - an eco-conscious hair in Worcester bringing together inclusivity, sustainability and design.
"Winning Best Shop Interior 2025 was a huge milestone. Transforming an empty railway arch into an award-winning hair space came with its fair share of challenges, making the recognition all the more meaningful," says Alicia.
"Every element of the space was carefully considered to create an environment that feels welcoming, intentional and enhances the client experience. To have that recognised through such a prestigious industry award was a real honour.”
Manifesto - Best Team
"Awards are always appreciated, but Best Team felt particularly special because it isn't about one person," says Mikey Pearson, co-founder of Manifesto - a London-based hair salon and barber shop.
"It says something about the culture you've built and the people who choose to be part of it. We've always believed that if you create the right environment, where people feel supported, challenged and trusted, good things happen naturally.
"Every person at Manifesto has played a part in building that, so this was an award everyone could share. That means a lot."
Cosmin Gradinaru - Best Newcomer
"Winning this award was a truly life-changing moment for me, and that day will always have a special place in my heart," says Gradinaru Cosmin, an award-winning rising star barber and graduate of the London School of Barbering.
"After winning the award, I was approached by some amazing top brands for collaborations. It gave my social media a huge boost, increased my confidence and, most importantly, opened doors I never imagined would open so soon. It gave me the opportunity to work alongside incredible brands and showed me that this was only the beginning."
In the same month, Gradinaru also opened his first barbershop in Manchester - Cos Male Image, building a team of barbers. "This award gave me the confidence to believe bigger, dream bigger and keep pushing forward", he says.
"That day will always be in my heart, because it was the moment I realised that some of the biggest doors were only just starting to open."
Jovaras Mazrimas - Best All Round Barber
"Winning Best All Round Barber 2025 was an incredible honour and a defining moment in my career," explains Jovaras Mazrimas, owner of YOSHYA babership in Worthing.
"It was a reminder that consistency, creativity, and genuine care for every client and every haircut are always worth the effort. Since receiving the award, I've taken the exciting step of opening YOSHYA, where I'm focused on building a welcoming space, mentoring the next generation of barbers, and continuing to push my craft forward.
"This recognition has inspired me to keep learning, creating, and giving back to the barbering industry that has given me so much."
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