Hayley Kemm and Georgie Wynes-Devlin, the duo behind The Wild Hare barbershop and salon, are bringing a bit of London’s West End to Tooting. They are also way ahead of the trend for offering barber haircuts to women.
What are you clients are asking for in the chair? “Low-tapered haircuts with strong, neat outlines, which allow gents to keep more of the length on the back and sides to sweep back or mess around with as the taper fade is so low. It offers versatility with their haircut as there are so many ways they can style their hair. Hairlines are faded out with sharp edges which is nicer on the eye and a distant cry from the dreaded heavy square neckline.”
What sort of techniques are are you putting to use? “We like to use as many cutting techniques as possible. We believe it’s important not to rely too much on a pair of clippers as your scissors are so important to create shape, remove bulk and add texture. Most of the time if a haircut doesn’t grow out well it’s because of the scissor work.”
What sort of products are you using a lot of at the moment? “We’re seeing a lot less messy, textured looks. Recently, our gents are asking for more of a well-groomed style and tips on how to maintain it. Gents now want to be educated on how to use the hairdryer to create the look at home and how to apply trickier styling products like pomades. Our go to products would be strong hold clays, pomades, and beard oils.”
You’re a barbershop that welcomes female clients. How come? “We decided to add women’s barbering as more and more women wanted short, sharp haircuts that barbers are more traditionally known for than hairdressers. We also recognised that these women came back every three to four weeks to maintain their hair just as our gents would, so it seemed only fair to offer this service with the lower price than the normal ladies haircut.”
