Benny Jahns literally wears his passion for hairdressing on his skin – as a tattoo on his forearm. As modern and individual as his salon ‘Benny’s Haircut’ is, the basis for it was created by classical training.
By Alicia Reimann
“Booder with passion” – the fact that Benny Jahns is a hairdresser with great passion is not only tattooed on his arm, but is also clearly visible in his shop in Lauf an der Pegnitz. – © Chamber of Crafts for Middle Franconia
filter_none MORE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS ARTICLE
A man cave. That’s probably the first thing that comes to mind when you… “Benny’s Haircut” enters. There are wooden shelves hanging on the wall between the mirrors, in which pomade cans and tobacco pipes are lined up. The walls are decorated with metal signs in an old-school look, and in the corner there is a shelf on which a number of small wrestling figures stand in fighting positions. “This is my living room, everything my wife doesn’t want to have at home is here,” smiles Benny Jahns.
He has been a master hairdresser since 2004 and won the state prize as one of the top ten percent in Bavariain 2022 he will become senior master of the Nuremberger Land hairdressers’ guild. Today he stands in the middle of his shop in Lauf an der Pegnitz, which he has run since 2011, with a hair clipper in one hand and a comb in the other. He uses his foot to pump the chair up as high as he needs it to get the perfect haircut. And then he starts.
Solid foundation stone
As modern and idiosyncratic as “Benny’s Haircut” is – the basis for all of this is the classic hairdressing training. Although lateral entry into barbershops, for example, seems attractive at first glance these days, the hairdressing trade is still one of them Top 10 skilled trades training occupations.
Hairdressers learn in the dual system, which means they switch between school and the company. An important point for Benny Jahns: “In school and in inter-company apprenticeship training, you learn differently than in the company. Of course, a lot of things are theoretical in school, but also important for practice – for example, you learn how to respond to customer questions School.” There are currently voices calling for the training content to be modernized: men’s cuts should be given more attention than before.
Jahns doesn’t see it that way: “The training teaches the basics of what you need to know to work as a hairdresser. I don’t think that needs to change much. If you then want to specialize in men’s cuts and beard cuts, you can do that Do further training and further education.”
Everything that Benny Jahns likes but his wife doesn’t like goes into his hairdressing business. So the salon became a real man cave. – © Chamber of Crafts for Middle Franconia
Matter of trust
According to his own statement, Benny Jahns doesn’t necessarily specialize in men’s cuts – but in short haircuts, whatever gender is sitting in the chair in front of him. Today it is Alexander Bräunlein, a regular customer, who visits “Bennys Haircut” every four weeks. Jahn’s work on Bräunlein’s hair is routine: He skillfully switches between machine and scissors, uses different combs, and cleanly shaves the neck and forehead. At the same time, private matters are discussed.
Customers and master hairdressers agree: “Hairdressing is a matter of trust,” says Alexander Bräunlein. “The personal stuff is very important to me. That’s why I come here.” Jahns agrees. For him, his shop stands out because of its personality and consistency. “My customers value reliability and comprehensive advice. That’s not necessarily wanted in barbershops, for example.” And only those who really know their subject can provide such advice.
Beyond cutting hair
Hairdressing training is more than cutting bangs and perming. The trainees learn techniques that go beyond current hairstyle trends and prepare them for any developments in the future. There is that Insights into dermatology and chemistry, to understand, for example, how the hair takes on color or not and how to deal with the customer’s scalp. Things that you don’t necessarily notice when making a lateral entry. “Then you have to be able to take responsibility for mistakes if you don’t know any better,” says Jahns.
For him, hairdressing training and all its contents have additional advantages: it usually lasts three years, but can be shortened under certain circumstances. You also learn a crisis-proof profession that is needed at any time and in any place.
And after training, there are numerous opportunities to continue. Whether with your own business in the middle of your hairdressing career, as a teacher at a vocational school or as a product developer in the industry – the branches that trained hairdressers can take are varied.
Go your own way
Hair tonic with oil in the hair, then Benny Jahns applies to Alexander Bräunlein’s head with a round brush and hairdryer. The hairstyle is shaped before Jahns checks again that not a single hair is out of line. Pomade for shine and hold – done. “It looks a lot cleaner,” Bräunlein nods happily. Payment is made on an old Vespa that has been converted into a cash register. Just a man cave.
“Benny’s Haircut” is proof that classic hairdressing can be unconventional and that each trainee can decide for themselves in which environment they would like to work later. If Benny Jahns could give potential offspring a tip: “Do internships. It’s best not just one, but look at different stores with different focuses.” Because only those who take a look can decide in which direction they should go. And experience in practice how crucial it is to be properly trained as a hairdresser.
