With salons remaining shut for most of 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, most men found themselves with long unkempt hair and ill-groomed beards.
The shaggy unmanageable hair coupled with the usual Karachi heat made things a bit too difficult for those who are used to having the shortest hair possible for summers.
While some resorted to taking the scissors in their own hands and giving themselves a haircut at home — instant regret, many including myself waited it out till our favourite salons reopened so we could finally get a proper one and get rid of the untidy hair that had become a part of our WFH lifestyle.
However, as we burst into 2021 hoping for better and more fashionable days with the glitzy fashion weeks making comeback, and fashion and beauty experts coming up with trends that’ll shape the summer fashion scene this season.
And speaking of beauty gurus, Pakistan’s very own beauty maven Nabila Maqsood’s elder son Zair Maqsood has recently introduced a new trendsetting concept of fast barbering under its latest addition ‘Factory’.
Having already had set a benchmark in men’s grooming with N-gents, the N-brand aims to provide a much more straight up and fuss-free barbering services to a fresh customer niche with services priced well under Rs2,000.
Targeting the younger crowd, Factory has also come up with some super cool hair trends that are definitely going to be a major hit among young men who’d love to look ace on a budget.
Short and Chic
Hello Summers! This dapper take on the classic Ivy League crew cut is just meant for the Karachi heat. Being sported by model Farman Masood, the hairstyle shuns the idea that one cannot do much with short hair. The haircut and styling have been done with such finesse that not only do they present a chic look but also bring out the model’s facial structure. Of course not all of us look like this but Factory’s take on the cropped haircut is the best choice if you are someone who likes to cut their hair super short but also wish to do something innovative.
‘Bowlin’ Caesar
Yes, it is inspired by the very common bowl cut that all of us have had growing up probably because that was the only thing our parents and barber knew to do with our hair. However, the super talented team at Factory have given it a total turnaround by experimenting with the Caesar cut. The hairstyle basically keeps the major volume on top with the sides faded out while the front hair is cut short with small, horizontal fringe. While the Caesar cut usually has much short hair at the front, the Factory stylists have kept it longer to make it more edgy.
Messy but Classy
As much as we dreaded our messy hair during the lockdown, the long and loose hairstyle is our favourite. The two variations created by the team at Factory take long and messy hair and style them in a way that you look dapper and not like you have a mop on your head. One such hairstyle sported by model Taimur Rumi has a more voluminous front fringe for days when you are feeling experimental and edgy while the other incorporates the French crop haircut with the messy hair for the perfect ‘off-to-college’ look.
Along with these super awesome haircuts that’ll make you look your coolest best even as the temperatures soar, Factory offers the best skin cleansing facial in town which I can personally vouch for along with several other services at their 4-story Khayaban-e-Bukhari salon — Don’t worry they have an elevator!!
Photography credits: Shahbaz Shazi
