Meet miguel, the nomad barber

Miguel Gutierrez has already had an exciting year. In January he jetted off to LA to take part in the Global Final of American Crew's Face Off, having won the UK title at the end of 2012. But 2013 looks set to become an even greater adventure as Miguel makes plans to set off on a tour of some of the world's barbering hotspots, filming his journey and the inspirational people he meets on the way, paying his with using his barbering skills.

Miguel started working as a barber in his home city of Liverpool in 2003, training with Family Barbershop JC's where he learnt traditional barber skills.

The travel bug  hit early in Miguel's career, and after a couple of years working in Liverpool he decided to move to Australia for a year where he gained more valuable experience. 

After 12 months there he returned to London where he's worked with some of the biggest talents in men's hairdressing. "I've worked at Fashion Week, on music videos, with A List celebrities on photo shoots and in some of the best barbershops and male grooming spots in the capital," says Miguel.

It meant the world to me. For years I've worked really hard to get better and better at my job, and to be recognised  in such a high-profile competition is incredible. For any young barber it would be a dream come true and I've never felt more proud to be part of the industry than when I got to represent our nation on a global platform.

Barbering is truly a lifestyle as well as a job. I love every aspect of the barbershop; after visiting several over the past few months I've realised what I love is recreated in every single shop over the world - the banter, the relationship between the barber and their client and even the smell of the barbershop.

It's a creative job and it's super-fun too. I've never felt more sure that I took the right path by training to be a barber.

 The nomad barber started out as an idea of me doing haircuts in cool locations and has snowballed into the idea it is today. I'm setting off in June 2013 with a cameraman to film a web series discovering more about the history of barbering worldwide, as well as using the social aspect of the barbershop to speak to people. I'll be trying to trade haircuts for things along the way too.

I'm combining my three loves into one project - barbering, travel and film.

I also want to take every single barber and stylist who can't just get up and leave on the journey with me.

Not only do I want to hear some of their funny stories, I want to see if a trade which dates back thousands of years is really different around the world. The foundations to a haircut and shave will probably remain the same but I want to see what's different and if we're missing out on anything.

Keeping the momentum going, it's going to be a tiring project, with long days looking for barbers. Also I know I'm going to have a lot of haircut offers  rejected along the way so it's never going to be easy. But who wants to see me have an easy ride? no one will watch.

My family and friends mostly. But we hit summer pretty much the whole time along the way so I doubt I'll be missing the UK weather.

 

I want to work more on stage and eventually start my own barbershop chain, product line and barber school. So keep an eye out if you're an aspiring young barber. I also want to pitch the series to TV.

I'd say I've taken inspiration from every person I've worked with. I observe a lot to learn what to do and what not to do.

As cheesy as it sounds though, my mum and dad have been my biggest inspiration - if you have the support and backing of your parents in whatever you do, you can't fail.

 

My style icon has remained the same for years, James Dean. His hair and imagery and even clothing style has never looked dated and never will.