Meet Wahl National Educator Ben Kane, who has an affinity for long hair men’s hair styles, the social side of barbering and the evolution of barbering alongside hairdressing as a connected concept.
“I believe the barbering industry is constantly evolving into bigger and better things, I love that the combination of barbering and hairdressing is becoming stronger with a more technical focus,” he shared.
Ben has been barbering since he started an apprenticeship at the age of fifteen, where he learned many old school, traditional barbering techniques, which he expanded upon while working and growing as a hairdresser at a salon in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs. Ben then further expanded on this education and experience while working at a high-end barbershop in Collins St Melbourne, before opening his own barbershop in Toorak for many years. Ben now works in Bairnsdale, Victoria and educates all over Melbourne, sharing the art of barbering and his passion for the craft.
“I love the people we get to meet, being a barber is more than just a haircut, it’s a lifestyle,” Ben said, sharing how important it is for him to foster meaningful relationships with clients, and how educating and sharing the beauty in barbering drives and inspires his work.
Ben has educated with Wahl since 2017, an experience that has seen him educate and travel nation-wide, as well as in Los Angeles with the brand’s Global Education Team. Last year, Ben was named as part of the Future Maker team, with the purpose of creating an international collection that’s now being delivered around the world.
“Being an educator with the world’s leading clipper brand has been nothing but a dream for me. Not only are the tools high performing and longer lasting but the ethos behind Wahl is that we are all one big family and that itself is a key value I hold for working with any brand,” Ben said. “I personally believe that when you stop learning, you stop growing, so being able to give back to others and share skills that I’ve learnt throughout my career is not only rewarding but essential to the growth of our industry.”
Fusing his talents and experience in hairdressing and barbering, Ben is currently loving long hair men’s looks, saying he thinks the next upcoming trends will be “long hair and perms”.
“The best haircut I’ve seen would be a long curly haircut done completely with Clippers,” he said, adding that his “favourite clipper is the Wahl Cordless Senior as I like the weight and the power it has”.
A shining example of the art of barbering, Ben’s passion for education, men’s hair and the fusion of barbering and hairdressing continues to push the craft forward.
For more information visit au.wahl.com