Gender-neutral barbers launch £25,000 appeal to open in Hackney

Best friends Felix Lane, 27, and Greygory Vass, 36, run Open Barbers, which was founded as a pop-up four years ago
Hairdressers: Felix and Greygory
James E. Smith
Rehema Figueiredo21 January 2016

The directors of a gender-neutral hair salon are appealing for help to raise £25,000 to open their first dedicated shop in Hackney.

Best friends Felix Lane, 27, and Greygory Vass, 36, who are both transgender, developed Open Barbers after it started as a pop-up four years ago. They had previously found it difficult to get a haircut that was “congruent” with their identities.

Their business, which the pair describes as “a hairdressing service for all lengths, genders and sexualities”, has a temporary home in Kennington but with 2,000 clients they have decided it needs a more permanent space.

Mr Vass said: “So many people feel pressure to live up to unrealistic expectations of gender, whether that’s with their hair, body type, relationships or interests. We are very excited to launch a new space that supports people to have more choice about their hairstyle in an environment that welcomes them for who they are.”

Open Barbers charges customers based on the type of cut rather than their gender and offer five £10 haircuts each week for people on low incomes.

Their business has gained 6,000 social media followers across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and has proved a hit with the LGBTQ community as well as other people looking for a fairly priced haircut.

Rosie Vare, 24, from Pimlico, said: “I have a pixie cut but whenever I go to a hairdresser they charge me more simply because I’m a woman. I wouldn’t trust a men’s barbers with my hair so Open Barbers is perfect for me because they charge for the cut. I’ve had short hair for six years and have struggled to find anywhere that charges the same for men and women.”

Since co-founding the business in 2012 with friend Klara Vanova, Open Barbers’ fair approach to pricing has been key to its success. Vanova used the same approach when she went on to found her own gender-neutral barbershop, Barberette, in Hackney Downs in 2012.

Open Barbers plan to open their own shop nearby next spring, if they can raise the funds.

“At a time when so many LGBTQ venues in London have closed down, such as First Out in central London, the Black Cap in Camden, the Joiners Arms in Hackney, and [with] LGBTQ support organisations facing cuts to staff and services, Open Barbers provides a much needed space that is sensitive and supportive to gender and sexuality issues,” they said.

Open Barbers launched their fundraising campaign on Monday and have already raised more than £5,000. They are hoping to fund a five-year lease in a venue that will offer them a rent-free period when they first open.

To donate to Open Barbers visit crowdfunder.co.uk/openbarbersvenue

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