A profession with edge

TRAINING TO BECOME A BARBER

Have you noticed that there’s been a real barbering craze in recent years? The profession is all the rage, with more and more men’s salons springing up all over the country. That’s why many customers ask me what it takes to do this job and how you can learn it.

The key to being a successful barber

First things first: as there is no traditional barber training programme, our apprentices Marios and Jesco are training as hairdressers. Through their studies and practical work, they are learning many aspects of this time-honoured craft. They also need to possess certain key qualities, particularly a quick grasp of new concepts and patience: Especially at the start, a large part of the work involves watching experienced barbers and developing a feel for which beard style suits which face shape – after all, you need a good eye for this profession. The lads should also be very communicative, without being overly pushy. And last but not least, an interest in current fashion trends and styles is essential.

“In the 80s, the trade was almost dead”

Nowadays, trainees learn the essential basics of the barber’s trade at vocational college. I didn’t have that luxury: in the 80s, the industry was almost dead, as there was widespread fear of infectious diseases and nobody knew how they were transmitted. During my apprenticeship, we were still told that this work was unhygienic, which is why nobody looked into it any further. After completing my hairdressing training, I therefore spent a few years working in a trendy salon, perfecting the models’ looks during photo shoots. But when Erik, the founder of Eric:Barbier, contacted me and I stepped into the premises on Ballindamm for the first time, I was hooked: it felt as though I had stepped into another world.

But from whom should I learn the art of shaving with a straight razor? Over ten years ago, there were still no high-quality men’s salons in Germany as we know them today. To further my training in this field, I had to travel abroad: together with Erik, I visited the barbershop ‘Taylor of Old Bond Street’ in London and watched the professionals at work. There we asked about everything under the sun, from the barbers themselves to the best grooming products. I was also given the chance to work for half a day at the barber’s “Truefitt and Hill” near Buckingham Palace. I did the same in Turkey too, to gather as many influences as possible. I brought back a wealth of knowledge from that experience; it was a sort of self-organised training course.

Overcoming hurdles

Marios and Jesko have it a bit easier: they find their beard models at the start of their barber training by approaching strangers on the street. This way, they learn straight away how to overcome the first hurdle of making contact and dealing with potential customers. It’s particularly important to come across as confident in order to gain the trust of the person you’re talking to. This is a significant aspect, as they need to be able to offer men comprehensive advice: what makes a good barber is not just following the latest trends, but also seeing the person behind them.

After all, fashion is only ever invented when you do something differently – otherwise you’re just following the mainstream. In our industry, many tend to fall into a rut and avoid trying anything new. It’s just as dangerous to blindly follow every request, even if the chosen look doesn’t suit the person at all. Here at Eric:Barbier, we don’t just want to rush through a quick service; we keep asking: Are you still happy with your haircut and beard style? If you follow these guidelines, you often build a deep connection with the people in the barber’s chair.

As you can see, not all barbers are the same. Many of our staff have taken a different path – why not ask us on your next visit how we learnt the trade?

Yours, Anthony