Oh we do love to hear about new collaborations, especially when said collaboration involves a super-smiley Respect fave like Barrie Stephen and a pretty cool talent from across the pond like Sid Sottung. But the Icing on the cake has to be that this unique partnership is happening away from our glitzy capital London. It’s fantastic to note that as a hairdresser you do not have to be in the Big Smoke to make things happen. Go Barrie – always keeping ahead on the high street by being commercially agile.
Barbering at its best
News just in is that Leicester entrepreneur Barrie Stephen is expanding his business portfolio in a partnership with internationally renowned barber Sid Sottung. The collaboration between the city’s most decorated hairdresser and American born barbering industry icon, will form the men’s grooming destination, ‘Sid Sottung Barber Shop’, and will bring world-class barbering to Leicester. The new concept will open in December and will also be a base for Sid’s high calibre education. Woo hoo!
Sid Sottung brings three decades of hairdressing experience to the new men’s salon which will be on Hotel Street in Leicester city centre. His impressive CV boasts 17 years at Vidal Sassoon in New York and Washington D.C where he rose to Assistant Creative Director with the brand. Sid has also looked after celebrity clientele, worked backstage for designers at London and New York fashion weeks, crafted hair for television, and was part of the hairstyling team on the 2005 blockbuster Pride & Prejudice. Ooo err.
Like-wise Barrie Stephen opened his hair business 23 years ago and has a list of accolades to die for, in fact just the other week he was voted Business Person of the Year 2019 at the Nachural Awards. His brand now boasts five-strong salon businesses including a training academy and barbers lounge spread across the county, in Ashby, Anstey, Narborough, and Leicester city centre.
Barrie Stephen says: “Sid Sottung is already an integral part of Barrie Stephen Hair’s professionalism and growth. Over the last four years Sid has trained up all our Barbers Lounge stylists, helping us skill up and provide amazing male grooming. I am so excited to be partnering with such an internationally recognised expert to bring world-class barbering to the heart of Leicester.”
Grooming is booming
Male Grooming has undergone a revival in recent years and is a huge part of the hairdressing business sector. Men now make up one in five salon customers, with over half (55%) of all hair professionals declaring a growth in male clients. Despite these strong results however, 45 percent of salons still don’t offer male grooming services. These findings suggest that many industry professionals are missing out on a compelling opportunity to both expand their business offering and acquire new customers. Currently over 287,000 people work within the hairdressing, barbering and beauty industries; contributing over £7bn to the UK economy each year.*
*Beautiful Britain report 2017 by Salon Services
For more of the latest industry news, click HERE.
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