Devil pomp, burst taper or a slick back? These are only a few of the haircuts Walthamstow will be seeing on the competition floor of the Great British Barber Bash on Sunday.
Taking place at the Big Penny Social, the bash will feature a main stage of well-renowned international cutters sharing their barbering tips and tricks on live models.
The real fun begins with the battles, including: the fast fade and Barber of the Year final. Cutters wanting to show their skills will take to the stage to wow the judges by performing a live cut, in the hopes of winning up to £1000.
Asking the bash’s organiser, Garry Spencer, why he decided to start the competition, said: “We wanted to make a show that celebrated the industry, getting everyone together and enjoying the barber culture.
“We’re going to have more than 1000 attendees so, you know, it’s going to be busy.”
One hopeful, Jayden Nguyen, says this year he is excited for the challenge. Moving to the UK in 2018, the competition allows him to show his Vietnamese creativity and attention to detail in the British scene.
He said: “I’m really confident [to win] this year.”
Nguyen has been a finalist at many hair awards and hopes to use colour to take the crown.
However, The Great British Barber Bash judges like to keep the competitors on their toes.
Alexander Colucci, based in Birmingham, said: “For the fast fade category, sometimes they just pick someone random for you on the day. You don’t even know who you’re going to cut.
“You want someone good-looking with darker hair though. The detail shows up better that way.”
But the main benefit of the bash is the community. Jai-Li Rayneau, from Milton Keynes, said: “I learnt so much from the bash, you get to meet so many inspirational people and it’s a bit of fun.”
The competition prides itself on its diversity and inclusion.
“We want all different types of barbers there,” said Spencer, “Whether they’re from Kurdistan, Turkey or more of an afro-style barber – there’s a bit of something for everybody.”
Featured image credit: Mark Shirley
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