HJ ACADEMY STAGE : BARBER POD

LIV PLUM

AUBERNE ENKEL

Visitors were able to get up-close-and-personal with the best emerging talent in the industry, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and take the best tips and tricks back to the shop with them.

Aaron Halsey, barber at MaxOliver Lewes, presented a mod cut where he told us versatility was key: “I want the client to be able to style it sharp or more undone.” Meanwhile, Raw Talent Barbering Competition 2024 Graduate Finalist, JaiLi Rayneau, brought her cornrow braiding skills to the barbering pod. Her aim? To try and bridge the gap between barbering and hairdressing when it comes to braiding. Working from Do it for the Heart in Milton Keynes, Jai-Li is on a mission to change the face of braiding. The MustDash Barber (Liam Leahy) took to the barbering pod to cut a modern mullet keeping it short at the front and moving into longer lengths at the back, sharing his tips for how to re-shape a grown-out mullet and change it up.

MUST DASH BARBER

Day two started with Sid Da Barber who cut a traditional short back and sides, with a slight taper and some sharpness around the edges. He explained to visitors that his goal was to keep as much length as possible at the front, before diffusing the hair to enhance his model’s perm.

SID DA BARBER

Liv Plum was on hand to showcase a disconnected cut with a taper, leaving the edges “nice and soft for a touch of femininity”. To enhance her model’s curls, she dried the cut with a diffuser. When asked if this cut would only work for clients with curly hair, she explained: “No, this look could work on different textures – because I’ve taken some of the weight away, it sits really nicely.” Founder of Winding, Tommy Winding, got to work cutting a soft mullet. His focus was to add structure to make it a softer, wearable cut with movement in the hair. Tommy finished off the edges with a feather razor and styled the look with a hairdryer working to keep movement in the fringe, he told us he uses visuals skills as well as his cutting technique when approaching a cut.

Adding some colour to the Barbering Pod, Dan Burnett styled a faded mohican on his model’s textured/Afro hair. Dan commented on his client’s hair type of tighter curls and looser curls, educating visitors on the importance of understanding that each client will have different hair types throughout their head and scalp. Next, we saw Raw Talent Barbering Competition 2024 Post Graduate finalist, Jaiden McCarthy, Avenue Male Grooming, cut a classic fade while keeping the height and texture on top. When asked for his tips for the perfect fade he commented: “Just practise, use different techniques and find the right clippers - it all depends on the type of hair the client has.”

Sam Carter, barber at Attitude Men’s Hair, took us back to the 60s with a modern mod cut using just a texture razor to achieve his look. His approach showcased the power of precision to achieve sharp, timeless looks.

AARON OTTLEY

Finally, Hannah McKnight kick-started the barbering pod on Monday by cutting a taper fade with added texture on the top. While working, Hannah discussed her work as an educator in prisons and offered valuable insights on the topic of future-proofing your career.