COMMERCIAL FEATURE

The Dapper Dan World Series returned for another year of fierce competition

BELLA BARBA (BARBERSHOP OF THE YEAR)

TESH FAKOO’S WINNING ENTRY (INTERNATIONAL BARBER OF THE YEAR)

Following another highly anticipated year, the Dapper Dan Barber World Series, previously known as the Professional Barber World Series, recently concluded its 2023 competition. Once again, the competition looked to crown the best talent across the industry, and with the entries pushing the standard of quality and originality even further, 2023’s selection did not disappoint.

After its continued success in 2022, the Dapper Dan Barber World Series maintained the same three categories: Barber of The Year, International Barber of The Year, and Barbershop of The Year. The illustrious judging panel saw some slight adjustments with previous judges Simon May, Colin Petrie and Mike Taylor, being joined by Mark Maciver (aka Slider Cuts), Rhys Whitehouse (2022 Barber of The Year), and Charles Gray (Founder of Hair in Motion). For the first time, the judging panel of industry heavyweights weren’t the only ones to have a say in deciding the winners, as a brand new audience vote was opened to the public, with the results added to each finalist’s score. Much like the judging panel, the sponsors of the 2023 competition saw founders Dapper Dan link up with Matakki and Nearcut for a second and third time, respectively, alongside the new addition of premium furniture brand REM, providing fantastic prizes for top placements.

When it came to the Barbershop of The Year award, there was even more competition than in 2022, with barbershops from around the UK showing off their great work, as well as a variety of decor and aesthetics. Within the vast array of barbershop entries, Redditch based Bella Barba stood out from the crowd, which was reflected in the judges’ score and the audience vote. Bella Barba had previously entered the competition in 2022; head judge Simon May commented on their efforts to clinch first place: “Bella Barba kept a consistently strong level of work, but they also provided improved photography this time around which better captured the shop’s vibe, and drew attention from both the judges and the audience”.

The ever impressive International Barber of The Year category saw standout entries from finalists based in Australia, Ukraine, Norway, Austria & Poland, with the final five being Itesh Fakoo, Arsen Zurnadzhian, Florian Zizkovsky, Jarle Solbrekk, and Olha Tkachenko. All the finalists brought something unique with their entry, although it was Itesh Fakoo who stood out with his entry earning him the International Barber of The Year 2023 title. Itesh’s blend of a classic flat top with the resurgent mullet showed great technique, creativity and originality, all elements Itesh explained that he tries to push with his work.

For a third year the Dapper Dan Barber World Series showed a continued rise in skill and passion within creative barbering across the industry on a global scale. This continues to be a platform for great talent and gaining recognition for skilled craftsmanship, and we can’t wait to see who will be victorious this year.

BARBER OF THE YEAR

We sat down with Callum Butler, 2023 Barber of the Year at the 2023 Dapper Dan Barber World Series

The Dapper Dan Barber World Series’ flagship category, Barber of The Year, saw Dundee based Barber Callum Butler claim the 2023 title. We sat down with Callum to find out a little bit more about him, how he came to create his winning entry, and his plans for the future.

Having worked in the hair industry for 13 years, starting at the age of 15, Callum tells us that feeling the buzz in the shop from the constant flow of people and the energy of the salon’s stylists led to him knowing from the day of his first trial shift that he wanted to work in the barbering industry. 

When asked about the inspiration behind his winning entry, Callum answered that he wanted to combine his roots in hairdressing with the skills and techniques he’s refined in his years of barbering. This led to Callum using a female model for a style that he described as bold and edgy whilst at the same time keeping the femininity of the model.

Talking about competitions and their effect, Callum surprisingly told us that the Dapper Dan Barber World Series was the first competition he’s ever entered as a barber, having only entered a small number of hairdressing competitions a few years before. Nevertheless, Callum emphasised that his advice for any Barber looking to get involved in a competition is to just be yourself, and allow yourself to showcase the “crazy idea” you’ve had in your head because win or lose, you’ll still be happy with the result.

Looking ahead to the future, Callum revealed that he has a few projects in the pipeline, including preparing to enter future competitions in 2024, working on collaborative shoots with clothing brand Partii, upcoming online education, and continuing to sharpen his skills. With great skills and creativity, Callum is certainly a talent to keep up-to-date with