Steady hands for a close shave

By Ollie in the category Friends & Projects
Story date
8. Jun 2016
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oliverbrunschwiler
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R523 HOFFMANN is our new Good Business Bag. For the image campaign, we didn’t want just a good-looking model to wear the bag – so we looked for real people doing good business every day.

Looking for people with a sense for good business, we met barbers Eddine and Chris in Zurich Enge. The two are so immaculately dressed that even in freshly ironed Tenue Correcte Compostable gear, we feel slightly underdressed and understyled. And that’s before we even get to their haircuts.

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The Barber Shop is a business born from Eddine’s passion, who has been fascinated by the craft ever since he watched his grandfather smooth down his stubble with a sharp razor for the first time. He later trained in Berlin at Udo Walz’s renowned salon, which has been featured in various TV shows in Germany and beyond. As a make-up artist and stylist, he traveled the world and made a name for himself before landing in Zurich, Switzerland with 30 tons of furniture. He hadn't quite realized how high the rents in the city are and had to part with a few tons before moving into his place. 

«I am a perfectionist through and through.»

Both men and women are welcome at the salon, but Eddine's heart belongs to the perfect, personal man’s haircut, complete with a shave or beard trim. And because men being pampered feel most at ease when they are among each other, The Barber Shop isn’t just a place for a precise trim or cut. From the bearded hipster to the manager and those nostalgic for better times, anyone is welcome to drop by – preferably for a beer and whisky, rather than a cappuccino or tea. 

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Chris, whose timeless good looks hide his deceptively tender age, is at the shop every day working his magic with the razor. He had an affinity for dangerous things even before he applied to The Barber Shop: he’d just finished his service with the Swiss army when he managed to persuade Eddine to take him on as an apprentice. And because it's no longer possible to learn the craft here in Switzerland, The Barber Shop trains people themselves or sends them across the Channel to England, where Eddine himself was trained. 

“Why England?” those unaware of the traditions of barbershops in Old Blighty might ask themselves. In fact, the similar climate makes it ideal: the average northern European man doesn't just turn bright red under the Majorcan sunshine; his skin also suffers under the razor. Beards from up north need to go through extensive conditioning with various creams and procedures to ensure a smooth shave without afterburn. The entire process can take up to 45 minutes.

As a young stylist, Eddine was prone to mixing his own shampoos, so it’s not surprising that he's not satisfied with shaving and beard care products found on conventional shelves. He has now developed and produced his own product line. The line includes the first combined beard and shaving oil, which was tested 48 times before finding just the right mix.

It goes without saying that the ingredients are all-natural, but the true perfectionist is just as adamant that a product must work. Which is why, the master barber tells us, silicone makes all the difference in this shampoo.

«Silicone makes all the difference.»

If you’re looking for expert craftsmanship in a skillfully renovated vintage pharmacy, this is the place for you. And this barber shop in Enge keeps track of appointments on a MacBook – a good enough reason for a FREITAG bag.

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