The Modern Barber Stage at Salon International 2023

This year the line up for the Modern Barber stage at Salon International 2023 was a game-changer for the barbering community. We had an outstanding lineup on the Modern Barber Stage, where the spotlight shone on some of the most exciting talent in the industry.

Kicking off the weekend, Deone Luke produced a dimensional, curly hairstyle, dried with a diffuser and faded to perfection. Keri Blue crafted a mini mullet live on stage and talked about their education Human First, helping create safer spaces with more diversity. Later on, Tom Chapman, founder of The Lions Barber Collective, spoke about the training they deliver: "It's a four hour session that gives people the skills to go out and recognise the symptoms of mental health, and how to listen with empathy. As hairdressers, it's estimated that we spend 2,000 hours a year listening to people, so we should be good at it anyway! And when it comes to mental health, listening is a crucial skill."

Fella Hair showcased 'The Signature Collection', featuring six looks: The Rockstar, The Fro, The Business, The Slick, The Mod and The Casual. Bobby Gordon, owner of Fella Hair, explained the looks in further detail. Touching on The Casual, he said: "It's a take on a classic look from the 80s – we've started to see a comeback of looks from this era. Whether we like it or not, the skinfade is not going anywhere." He also spoke about the training and ethos at Fella, adding: "We get our barbers to start understanding fashion; as barbers we're trendsetters, so we need to understand the whole look."

 

Hairforce1 were first up on day two. Anderson Boyce was joined by three young barbers from his shop who cut three different hair types on stage and talked through the importance of education, understanding all hair types from Asian to European and Afro hair and the importance of a detailed client experience from start to finish. Natalie Cresswell and the team from Cresswell Barber Co. teamed up with Rob Wood, director of Novo Cabelo, as they demonstrated the hair replacement service for the first time on the Modern Barber stage.

Manifesto showcased a photographic documentary to their audience, presenting their new collection while the team talked through three different, salon-friendly styles for you to take back to the salon. Finally, Brad Fearn, Billy Coles and Stefan Clark presented the three most popular services at the Murdock London stores - beard shape, wet shave and on-trend haircuts, using their Clean Label products to get the look.



On the third and final day, JJ Savani began with an in-depth demonstration and breakdown of the classic fade, pausing to talk through the tools he was using and the differences between them. Joining JJ was Kirpal "Kip" Khaira and Vinay Lakhatariya, who shared his technique for freestyle designs: he begins the fade, etches his pattern out and then completes the fade, using this time to enhance certain areas.

Later, MaxOliver displayed three salon-friendly cuts, and talked us through the transition from barber to men's hair specialist. Brothers Max and Oliver explained to visitors how you can combine the key skills you learn in hairdressing, such as long-hair handling and sectioning, with the fundamentals of barbering to master this in-depth approach to cutting men's hair. They also discussed hot topics such as appointment durations and the popularity of the mullet.



Zamaine Ismail showcased a classic cut with a modern-feel taper on the side, taking off a lot of weight to provide shape and depth. The finished product was a natural style that flowed effortlessly and made for easy styling. Hayden Cassidy and Kevin Luchmun finished off the weekend with two engaging demonstrations. Hayden broke down the buzzcut and let members of the audience test her favourite tools, while Kevin crafted a textured, tapered mullet. Hayden and Kevin were an amazing asset to Salon International 2023, appearing on the Artist Spotlight stage, Modern Barber stage and at the Andis stand, ready to educate visitors and demonstrate their tools.

The Modern Barber Stage was a must-see spot, drawing in large crowds across the weekend. There was an outstanding level of education available to the Salon International audience of both seasoned barbers and aspiring talent, keen to engage and ask questions throughout the sessions.