The changing face of salons

With barbering rapidly gaining traction in South Africa, traditionally female-visited salons are sharpening their tools to also accommodate a lucrative new clientele: the beauty conscious male.

One such salon is Rhys Michelle Hair Studio at The Fat Mermaid in Bedfordview.

Although recently launched, the studio is already brimming with activity and the studio’s owner, 26-year-old Rhys Potgieter, says this is due to the direction his salon has moved in.

“While my clientele used to mainly consist of women, more men are making appointments with us. This is because we’ve positioned ourselves as a space where both men and woman can spoil themselves,” he told The Citizen.

Potgieter says the cosmetology landscape has changed and, where the once glaring difference between barbers and salons were their tools (clippers for barbers and scissors for salons), this is now a thing of the past.

“It’s about marrying the sophistication and treatments of the traditional female salon with the gathering space vibe coiffing that barbers are known for. That’s why our location makes our studio the perfect one-stop shop with the convenience of a big mall and none of the hassle.

“You can get your hair and nails done, and grab a bite all under one roof,” says Potgieter.

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