How a female barber became Dior’s new grooming expert

Few professions in the world remain clearly rooted in gendered stereotypes — no longer is it as surprising to encounter a male nurse or female engineer, for example — yet one exception to that is barbering.

While “barber” is a gender-neutral term, it’s easy to assume that the role is filled by a man; after all, men occupy a majority of barbering jobs (approximately 72 per cent) in the US, according to data platform Statista. However, female barbers are on the rise, accounting for 28.4 per cent of the industry today, up from 25.6 per cent in 2020.

Among the growing subset of female barbers is Leah Hayden Cassidy, a Dublin-born, London-based hairdresser who has amassed an engaged following, both in her salon and online (she counts more than 123,000 followers on Instagram). In March, she signed her first luxury deal with Dior, becoming the LVMH-owned house’s new grooming expert in the UK.

As part of her year-long contract, Cassidy is expected to apply her creative vision and techniques to Dior’s editorial, digital, influencer and celebrity projects. But how did the ambassadorship become part of her purview?

Cassidy’s career began in 2015, aged 22, when she took on an apprenticeship at a barber shop in her home city after finding herself “intrigued by this world,” she recalls. “Ten years ago, barber shops were these really cool places that people would go to, not only to get a trim, but to hang out.”

One spot in Dublin — Cut and Sew — caught her eye: it was a vinyl store on entry that led to a barber shop in the basement and essentially served as a space for people to gather and have conversations. “I remember being intrigued by the community. So, I went in and asked if they would take a chance and give me a shot. Up until that point, I had never cut hair.”

Cassidy later made contact with Miguel Gutierrez, another self-taught barber, whose enthusiasm for travelling led to the nickname “nomad”, after which he has since named his grooming brand. That approach inspired Cassidy: “I always felt that my view of barbering was not just sitting behind the chair and cutting clients’ hair. I always thought I could take scissors and a comb anywhere and make money off it.”

Cassidy soon joined Gutierrez in Berlin, where he was about to open a new barber shop. She worked in Germany for two years before moving to London in 2018. But then, in 2020, the pandemic brought all physical events and services to a halt, prompting Cassidy to re-evaluate her goals.

Ten years ago, it was unusual to see a female in a barber shop. Rather than me being the only woman in the room, now there might be five of us.

Keen to foster a local community of her own, she learned to create her own website and began looking for studio spaces. She found a small spot in east London’s Clapton that became her first salon, named Croi. Business has been good and, in January, she moved into an upgraded space in the buzzy London Fields area, where there is also enough room to host guest residences from other emerging creative talent — something that Cassidy has begun doing. “A lot of the time, hair salons can be quite intimidating. I wanted to create a place where people feel welcome and can chill out.”

Cassidy’s thoughtful approach has created loyalty among her customers. Ahead of moving to London, musician Gabriel Paschal Blake sought recommendations from his local barber in Letterkenny, who recommended Cassidy, offering stoic words of reassurance: “she’s better than me.”

Blake sought Cassidy out and has been a returning customer since. “One good trim can honestly change your year around. She’s caused this to happen for me many times; there’s nothing like the feeling of a Hayden haircut,” he explains. Cassidy has become not only his regular barber, but a “great friend,” he adds. “She constantly tries to elevate and support those around her. She’s as much a therapist as a barber.”

Actor Jose Palma regularly returns to London for a monthly trim by Cassidy, despite having relocated to Bristol a few years ago. “When I met her back in 2018, she did something no one had done when it came to my hair: she listened and has delivered every time for the last six years,” Palma says. “Her ability to bring consistency and attention to the smallest details make her incomparable in my opinion. I live in a different city and I still make the trip because I can’t find anything better.”

Cassidy sees her partnership with Dior as a win that is bigger than herself. “Ten years ago, it was unusual to see a female in a barber shop. I love that now when I teach seminars in Italy and other European countries, there’s a bit more female presence. Rather than me being the only woman in the room, now there might be five of us.” And while her experience hasn’t been without challenges — “I’ve been questioned if I can do my job because I don’t have a beard,” she recounts — she hopes that her appointment will inspire other women.

Her wish is also that it will help to shine a spotlight on the importance of barbering, which has long been undervalued, she believes. “Grooming is a universal language. No matter where you come from, everybody needs a haircut or some good grooming tips,” she says. “I have countless clients from my time in Berlin who will come visit me in London now for that one haircut. These are life-long relationships that we’re building.”

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