A local barber has made it through to the live final of Scotland’s biggest barbering competition.
Pilton woman Dianne Philbin from Statement Barber Shop on Home Street, has made it through to the live final of Scotland’s Best Barber 2017 after finishing within the top six of a competitive online vote. The vote featured 25 of Scotland’s finest barbers and received more than 5500 votes. Dianne qualified in sixth place, with 354 votes.
Dianne said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have made it through to the live final. I had so much support throughout the online vote and want to thank everyone that took the time to endorse me. Over 100 barbers entered the competition and I can’t wait to show the expert panel of judges why I deserve to be here when I get up on the stage with the other finalists.”
Dianne is proud of her barbering career.
She said: “I started off as a hairdresser and spent 17-years mastering the craft. Then, as hairdressing and barbering became more popular, I started seeing lots of barbering videos popping up on social media. They inspired me to take up barbering and I’ve been cutting men’s hair for just over three years now. It’s my passion and life.”
The 34 year old now has until 23 April to prepare, before she performs some of the most important haircuts of her career in front of an eager crowd at the Scottish Hair and Beauty show in Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre.
Scotland’s Best Barber 2017 is being hosted by premium educational service the Great British Barbering Academy (GBBA) and the live final will be judged by a group of the United Kingdom’s most renowned barbers, including the GBBA’s Head Educator Mike Taylor, Britain’s Best Wet Shave winner Luigi Caterino, and last year’s Scotland’s Best Barber winner Stacey McCabe.
Talking about this year’s final, Stacey said: “There are some seriously talented barbers taking to the stage this year. It’s a real testament to how strong the barbering industry is in Scotland and I wish them all good luck. The best advice I can give is to prepare well and just enjoy the experience!”
On the day, each of the six finalists will have 60-minutes to produce their finest work. Their barbering skills will then be marked out of 100 on a variety of categories including difficulty, techniques used, health and safety, stage presence, and overall look.
The competition’s main sponsor, Salon Services, will award the overall winner with a brand new barber chair to take back to their shop, while premium men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge will provide the winner with £500 worth of barbershop-quality grooming products to ensure they give their clients only the best barbering experience.
Joanne Etherson, PR Manager for Salon Services, added: “We are very happy to announce our involvement in this year’s Scotland’s Best Barber competition. Barbering is a profession that Salon Services take very seriously and we are excited to see this competitive final unfold.”
Salon Services will also be displaying its new Basin Street pods at Scottish Hair and Beauty. These pods are dedicated to providing barbers with all of the products they need and highlight Salon Services’ commitment to the barbering industry.
Barbering is currently enjoying a remarkable renaissance, especially in Scotland. And research conducted by premium men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge has revealed a 15% surge in the number of barbershops that have opened over the last 12 months; the total number of shops now trading on Scottish high streets stands at approximately 1,345.
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