- Adiel Salie started cutting hair as a hobby when he was still at school.
- After losing his job as a factory cleaner, he turned to cutting hair as a way to make ends meet.
- After years of perfecting his craft, Salie is now considered one of the best on the continent.
Adiel Salie is at the top of his game.
In October, he participated in the Duel of the Barbers in Stellenbosch and he took home the gold after completing a standard hair cut in an under a minute.
"You can have the best cuts, but if you aren’t committed, consistent and don’t have a good character, you won’t get far," he told News24.
The 38-year-old who is considered top of his craft, stumbled into a career in the haircare business.
"I used to cut my friend's hair while I was at school. They were my guinea pigs," he said.
It’s only after losing his job as a sweeper at a factory that he turned to the thing he knew best.
A star is born
"A friend of mine helped me get a job as a barber at a shop in the centre here in Bonteheuwel."
Three years later, he opened his own shop called Gents Pride Barber at his home.
The shop is fitted with three chairs, aircon and a range of hair products to keep his customers looking fresh.
He believes that being a great barber isn’t just about the haircuts.
"You are working with the community so you need to be a good person."
He draws his inspiration from social media and follows international barbers like Jason Makki from Dubai and Rob the Original in the US.
He hopes that by putting a South African twist on international trends, he can better the local industry.
"I go out there and seek this knowledge because it fascinates me and puts me on another level," Salie said.
His attention to detail also helped win the 2020 Bump Patrol Africa Battle of the Barber.
This was a competition that saw him going head to head with barbers from across the continent.
Paying-it-forward
He may have won several awards in recent years, but Salie says his biggest prize is helping those in his community.
He's started a workshop to teach the youth in the area about haircare, and plans to expand the course to a local high school.
"Over the years, there have been many guys looking for a job and I would always give them a chance to work," he said.
Shakeel le Roux, who has been working at the barbershop since 2019, said he was appreciative of Salie’s mentorship.
"When I first started I only had one machine, now I have a whole setup," he said proudly.
"One of the things Adiel has taught me was to not only try and be better than the other barbers, but to better yourself each day."
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