2 mins
ADAPT & THRIVE
Welcome to the January-March issue of Modern Barber magazine. The first Ed’s Letter of the year is a personal favourite of mine. There’s excitement for the year ahead and it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the last 12 months. In 2024’s January – March issue I looked back on ten years of Modern Barber magazine and the changes our industry has seen, setting the challenge to grow on the success of 2023 – you did just that, and more!
In this issue we speak to our cover star and the Dapper Dan Barber World Series Barber of the Year, Connor Evans. Connor’s journey will be familiar to many of you; it’s one of hard graft, patience and a determination to keep going… and win! You can see all the Dapper Dan Barber World Series winners on page 4 and give yourself a 10-minute break to read his 10-Minute chat on page 60.
Keeping on the theme of big wins, we have six incredible collections from HJ’s British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, Men’s Hairdresser of The Year finalists from page 44. This year’s winning collection comes from Kevin Luchmun (page 54). Titled Shades, it “showcases editorial men’s hair styling and exceptional barbering techniques, highlighting the diversity and texture of different hair types.” In fact, conversations on improving your styling skills dominated the Modern Barber stage at #Salon24 (highlights on page 22), so we spoke to the experts to find out why the finishing touches can be just as important as the cut itself on page 32.
Elsewhere I caught up with the Raw Talent Barbering Competition 2024 winners on page 16, who shared their unusual journeys into barbering. From a lockdown wake-up call to a move across countries, it’s a must-read for anyone thinking about entering competitions.
As we look ahead to 2025, the UK barbering industry faces both opportunities and challenges. We recognise the challenges that recent economic changes bring to our industry’s growth; however, barbershops continue to be a cornerstone of the community. At Modern Barber we will continue to share advice on how to adapt and thrive as well as provide accurate reporting into government policies and their potential impact on you and your business.
Wishing you all the best for 2025,
SIAN JONES
EDITOR
sian.j@thepbgroup.com
020 7349 4798
CHLOE WELDON
SENIOR CONTENT WRITER
chloe.weldon@thepbgroup.com
020 3841 7362
JOSIE JACKSON
CONTENT WRITER
josie.j@thepbgroup.com
020 3841 7368