A Leicester businessman with a string of salons is launching a new barber shop in partnership with new York barber Sid Sottung.
Barrie Stephen is opening the Sid Sottung Barber Shop next month in Hotel Street, in Leicester city centre.
The premises has been occupied by another Barrie Stephen salon, BStyled, since 2015.
That part of the business will become part of the Barrie Stephen Hair salon in King Street.
A spokeswoman said BStyled staff will stay with the business across the salon portfolio, which includes branches in Ashby, Anstey and Narborough.
Barrie Stephen said Sid Sottung had been playing a part in the growth of his company for some time now.
He said: “Over the last four years Sid has trained up all our Barbers Lounge stylists, helping us skill up and provide amazing male grooming.
“I am so excited to be partnering with such an internationally recognised expert to bring world-class barbering to the heart of Leicester.
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“Bringing so many amazing hair stylists under one roof is a response to the demand for more top stylists at our King Street salon.
“This merger between our two styling arms, BStyled and Barrie Stephen Hair, will make space for our new concept that also meets market forces for barbering.
“We are consolidating and bringing all our BStyled customers into the King Street salon, so that the new Sottung Barber Shop venture can really fly and have space to flourish.”
Sid Sottung said: “Both Barrie and I have the same energy and drive to make things happen. We share the same goal of outputting high-quality hairdressing.
“Our new concept will combine all of the excellence of men’s barbering, attention to detail styling, traditional wet shaving and beard design with great attitude.
“Men can come and feel like a man without all the macho vibes – it’ll be comfortable yet creative.”
Sid Sottung spent 17 years at Vidal Sassoon in New York and in Washington DC where he rose to become the brand’s assistant creative director.
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Over the years he has looked after celebrity clientele, worked backstage for designers at the London and New York fashion weeks, crafted hair for television, and was part of the hairstyling team on the 2005 blockbuster Pride and Prejudice.
On the back of his career at Vidal Sassoon, Sid began teaching at hairdressing academies, before gaining invitations to lead seminars at international hair shows as far afield as China.
In 2014 and 2018 he launched two hair academies in Nottingham, and he continues to travel to countries as diverse as Mexico, Russia, Ireland and Romania to share his knowledge.
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Barrie Stephen, who has also been in the industry for 30 years, has won a string of awards over the years including Salon Business’ ultimate salon of the year accolade, and business person of the year 2019 at the Nachural Awards, which were held in Leicester.
He was also a finalist at the 2019 East Midlands Institute of Directors Awards.
He launched his Barrie Stephen Hair business 23 years ago in Anstey and now has five salons.
This year he became the first patron for Leicester’s Sir Thomas White Loan Charity, which supports start-up businesses.
It helped Barrie launch his own business in 1996 when he transformed an old butcher’s shop in Anstey into his first salon.