Understanding the market for male grooming
The iconic male film and rock 'n' roll stars that gripped the world in the 50s didn't just make headlines because of their performances, but their style - complete with short, sharp and perfectly tailored hair - created a fashion movement that is still evident today.
Since then we've seen a wild and wonderful mixture of men's haircuts, including the excessive new romantics look, big 80s hair, highlighted 'curtains' and of course, the look that required no hair at all- the skinhead.
Fast-forward to 2009, and men are still wearing variations of the traditional 40s and 50s haircuts, but there's also a big movement towards 80s 'anything goes' hair.
All this means that catering for today's male clients isn't as easy as it was when the whole male population opted for a grade two all over.
The key trends in men's hairdressing
At London Fashion Week recently there was a significant contrast in men's hair, with military looks juxtaposed with more relaxed, less groomed hair that had a big 80s influence.
Jamie Stevens at Errol Douglas, London, is HJ's current Men's Hairdresser of the Year and says 80s hair is going to be a big story in the male grooming stakes.
"Hair will start to get slightly longer with more styling through the top. To me, it is all based on the traditional techniques but with a modern twist," he says.
The must-have male grooming skills
Hayley Lawrence from Maxwells for Men, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, says that knowledge of the traditional and classic techniques is essential to achieve the current trends in men's hairdressing.
These are her must-have skills for any aspiring men's hairdressers:
- Scissor over comb
- Clipper over comb
- Tapering and texturising
- Classic blending
- Finishing hair lines and side burns
- Beard, eye brow, nose and ear trims
Knowing the clientele
Jason Shankey of Jason Shankey Male Groming in Belfast and London has built a reputation in men's hairdressing and boasts members of the Chelsea Football Team as clients in his Fulham salon.
He thinks that a man's age plays a major part in what he wants from his hair cut:
- Over 40's: stick to traditional easy-to-manage well-cut styles
- 12-to-35-year-olds: go with their individual style or with a fashion look that suits their image.
The right hair products for male clientele
With a multitude of male grooming ranges now on the market, choosing which products to use can be a mindfield for male clients so it is no wonder most guys like nothing more than being told what products suit their hair type.
And because men are notoriously brand-loyal, you'll probably find that once they've found a product that works, they'll be hooked for life.
"We feel that most of our male clientele like advice and recommendations when it comes to what to use on their hair," says Hayley
"While there are some great traditional products on the market one-size-fits-all and chooseing the right styling products is as important as choosing the right style."
Jamie agrees and thinks that greasy old-fashioned products are long gone. "Most of the gents I look after are so much more up to date with the looks and products that they like to have the most recent ones, and 99% of the time they will take advice from me on what I would recommend, which is clays and waxes," he concludes.
Male Grooming on HJi
