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Ruffians barbers London Covent Garden


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Hair cut: c/o Ruffians


Here’s a post for all our male fans – and ladies, tell your boyfriends! Because you’re going to want them looking as sharp as Boy Behind the Lens here did after his haircut at the best barbers in town, Ruffians. For us, a good haircut comes down to one thing: service. You want someone who’s great at what they do, and good to hang out with for an hour or so (because how awkward is it when conversation fizzles out and they’re still hovering around you with scissors looming rather close to your ears?). With Ruffians – check, check, plus a whole lot more.

You’re welcomed with fresh coffee or a cool beer into the coolest warehouse-style space that’s the perfect blend of modern and old fashioned, a theme that runs through everything Ruffians do. They’re all about blending traditional techniques (hair vacuum, anyone?) with new trends – and doing it all with style. Callum’s barber Stephen worked with him to find a cut that fitted his lifestyle and fashion sense, but had that little bit of edge, something new and fresh, and because you can tell the Ruffians guys know what they’re talking about, Callum was happy to put his trust in him. Take a look at Callum’s Instagram for the final super slick result.

I loved how relaxed the atmosphere was in the shop – you’re made to feel totally at ease, and it’s somewhere you actually want to spend time in, rather than just rush in for your haircut and then out again. We ended up staying past closing time because we were busy chatting away with the team and enjoying our beers. We were also lucky enough to get Ruffians creator Andrew Cannon to answer a few questions about the company and male grooming, so check that out below. Big thanks again to the Covent Garden team for an awesome evening as well as a sharp cut! Boy Behind the Lens was so happy with his do that he’s been back since for a touch up – and is just about to book another. x


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Hey Andrew! So how did you first get interested in hair and male grooming?
It was out of frustration really. If you told me 5 years ago that I’d have set up a men’s grooming company, I would have laughed at you. Now I am in it, I can’t imagine doing anything else more enjoyable and satisfying. I had not enjoyed my previous barbering experiences: the options were woeful, either cheap, grubby barber shops or feminine salons. I always thought that there was a gap in the market for a place like Ruffians: a barber shop that has been created for the customer, by the customer. We’re all about proper haircuts and shaves, while keeping the atmosphere relaxed, masculine and fun.

How important do you think hair is when it comes to personal style?
Hair is definitely important. But more important – and this is a true Ruffian – is someone who carries themselves with confidence. Hopefully a good haircut can help them along the way.

What makes Ruffians unique from other barbers?
Well for starters, the best barbers work here! Our team is a mix of cherry-picked industry veterans and our barbers who we are training from within, so they really understand our Ruffians ethos and desire to change the industry for the better. Each of our team are unique and have their own character and personality; we encourage and promote these qualities because it helps them to build a relationship with our customers – and that’s the key to it: we’re different because we really enjoy building relationships and friendships with our customers. We’re honest about the fact we’re not inventing anything here; rather, we’re doing all the little things better, taking inspiration from all industries and walks of life to create something more special. We encourage our clients to come and enjoy their barbering experience, rather than just come in for a haircut. For this reason, we will offer a tipple on arrival and get to know everyone so they feel like they can return any time.

What’s been the toughest part of your journey with Ruffians so far?
Recruitment – getting the best team is difficult, especially when you don’t have a history in the industry. I’m lucky that Ruffians won the Best Hairdresser in the UK, Best Independent Hairdresser and Best Designed Hairdresser in the UK, so we now have a stronger reputation in the industry, which is really helping to make people take notice and now come to us asking to work for us.

… and which has been the highlight?
Obviously winning the awards above was a big deal, but my highlight was opening our flagship barber shop and store in Covent Garden. It’s exactly what I wanted it to be like, every time I step inside I feel a huge sense of pride and achievement.

What hair and male grooming trends are you seeing at the moment?
There’s a lot of chat in the media about how the ‘peak of the beard’ has been reached, although I don’t think it has yet; we’re actually seeing more men experimenting with their facial hair. It’s clear that the modern man is taking matters more into his own hands, and it not relying on the input from the fairer sex. We see more product purchases and have had an increase in our product sales as a result of men wanting to complement their sharp dressing with defined hair and grooming.

If you could live in any one hair era, which would it be?
Tough one! I’ve always thought that your hairstyle is so personal that is doesn’t really matter what anyone else is doing and you should just do your own thing. So in that theme, I have a lot of respect for the footballers of the 1980s – Kevin Keegan and all that lot… their perms may have looked awful but he didn’t care, and I respect that!

Whose hair have you always wanted to style, and what look would you give them?
I’d love to have in the likes of Clark Gable, in his pomp back in the 1930s. In those days there were very few big screen icons and they were so influential, so it would have been fantastic to have had them in the shop to hear their tales and cut their hair.

If you had to live for the rest of your life either with or without a beard, which would it be?
Well, my beard isn’t as impressive as I’d like it to be, so preferably clean shaven, but taking care of my skin religiously!

Your number one grooming tip every man should know …
With hair product: less is more, you can always add more if you need!

And lastly, give us a sneak peek into your future plans for Ruffians!
Well, that would be telling! We’ve got a couple of exciting product collaborations in the pipeline, and we’re thinking about other cities whose men need a Ruffians!

You can find Ruffians in Edinburgh and London: head over to their website for more info. 


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