THE PERFECT TEN

As I write my first Editor ’s Letter of 2024 (!) I feel excited for the year ahead. Last year went by in a flash and yet so much was achieved. With a new team and redesign, Modern Barber featured ground-breaking cover stars and cover stories (check out our January cover star, Callum Butler, Barber of The Year at the 2023 Dapper Dan Barber World Series) and returned to Salon International (page 25) with a stellar line-up of barbers and barbering teams. We’ve reached more of you than ever before through the pages of our magazine as well as through our social media content where you continue to inspire and create.

Now it’s time for us all to build on last year’s success and jump into 2024, starting with our 40th issue. Can you believe this year marks 10 years since Modern Barber’s first issue? It’s incredible to look back and see just how much this industry has changed in that time; 10 years ago, TikTok didn’t even exist and Instagram had only just released its now widely used editing tools – to put that into context, we were still six years away from Reels. Now social media is a key part of the barbering world from access to global trends to making connections with industry peers, so with that in mind at this year’s Modern Barber Awards we have introduced a new Social Barber category, recognising those who are using their online presence to build their business.

If you’re looking for some inspiration as to why you should enter this year’s awards then we’ve got exclusive interviews with three award winners in this issue, including the one and only Josh Lamonaca, Best All Round Barber 2023 on page 40.

But that’s not all we’re reflecting on in this issue. We spoke to industry experts about the need for more Afro textured hair education and what the industry needs to do to improve skills for all hair types in 2024 and beyond (page 36). We also focused on the increasing rise in grooming services and the need for the perfect client experience – prioritising this means prioritising your revenue and your business reputation (page 23).

THE FIRST ISSUE OF MODERN BARBER

Finally, I invite you to celebrate our 10th anniversary at the 10th Barber Connect exhibition from 23-24 June and the Modern Barber Awards (23 June), where we look forward to bringing the best in barbering education and craft to you – keep an eye on our website, modernbarber.co.uk, as we announce more line-ups and brands throughout the year.

Thank you for your continued support - now, let 2024 begin!