Pour your passion and creativity into... your scissors!

(Baonghean) - When it comes to the beauty industry in general, and hairdressing in particular, people often think of women. However, in reality, the majority of famous hair stylists are men. Young hair designer Nguyen Dinh Giap - owner of the "New Hair" salon on Nguyen Trai Street (Vinh City) is a prime example.

Born into a farming family in Hung Thinh (Hung Nguyen), after graduating from high school (in 2002), Nguyen Dinh Giap chose to learn a trade to make a living. Unsure which profession would suit him, Giap was suggested by his older brother to work at his hair salon in Vinh City. Every day, witnessing the unique creativity of the hairdressers in transforming women's long, soft hair into stylish bobs, wavy hairstyles, curled-under styles, or playful rooster comb and mushroom-shaped hairstyles for teenage boys, Giap found it very interesting. “After practicing for a while, I found it too difficult and almost gave up, but my brother encouraged me, so I persevered for a while longer. Unexpectedly, after months of diligent practice, I finally created a hairstyle with my still-unskillful scissor strokes, but I received a nod of encouragement from my brother, which made me incredibly happy. Hairdressing has been my passion ever since,” Giáp confided.

Nguyen Dinh Giap (left) is passing on his skills to his employees.

For Giáp, achieving the position he has in the hairdressing industry today was no easy feat. Recalling his early days as an apprentice, Giáp shared: “To make sharp, beautiful cuts, a craftsman needs strong arm muscles and good balance. Every day, I had to practice by holding the scissors perpendicular to the ground while they were attached to a string and a bottle full of water hanging from it. For two months of diligent practice, just one movement of balancing and making cuts in the air, even though I was exhausted, I had to persevere, starting with one hour, then two hours, and eventually lasting the whole day. After that, I had to train my wrists to be flexible and supple by holding the water bottle and rotating it back and forth day after day, month after month. When my wrists were more flexible and the scissor strokes were in the correct direction, the craftsman could practice on a mannequin head. There weren't many artificial hair or mannequin heads to practice on, so at night I would put my knees up and imagine they were the 'hair,' practicing each stroke of the scissors to make them neat and at the right angle.”

After four years of working as a hairdresser and apprentice at his brother's salon, Giáp had accumulated some capital. Instead of rushing to open a salon like others, Giáp wanted to improve his skills to prove himself and fulfill his long-held dream of opening a prestigious hair salon where he could freely express his creativity. Therefore, Giáp chose to embrace new creative approaches in hair design through formal training courses taught by award-winning hair stylists both domestically and internationally, such as Văn Đặng, Đặng Thìn, and Đức Quyết. In 2009, Giáp decided to go to Saigon to participate in a six-month basic vocational training course at the Creative Vocational School.

During his studies, Giáp volunteered to work for free at salons near the school, explaining, "Creating a hairstyle that satisfies a customer is not simple at all. You have to know how to assess their profession, age, personality, physique, and especially their face shape to advise them. Therefore, you have to gain experience and learn from your customers." After mastering hair cutting and styling techniques, Giáp unleashed his creativity, creating many hairstyles that were highly praised by his teachers. His skills gradually improved, and graduating with honors gave him the confidence to return to his hometown to start his own business.

In June 2010, after returning to Vinh and accepting an invitation from Phuc Van salon on Nguyen Van Cu Street to teach both the owner and the staff, Giap returned to his brother's salon to work and accumulate more capital. The "New Hair" salon on Nguyen Trai Street was established a year later with the joint efforts of his young wife, Nguyen Thi Anh Huyen – who was once Giap's student. Since then, Giap's salon has attracted many customers of all ages.

With a motto of continuous learning to improve his skills, after one year of opening his salon, Giáp continued to attend a perming, dyeing, and cutting course at LK I – HAIR ACADEMY and received a certificate of excellence. To date, in addition to creating hairstyles that suit customer preferences, Giáp has trained over a hundred students from various districts in the province, helping them confidently open their own salons and earn a stable income, such as: Phạm Trình (near Vinh University); Thanh Hợp (near Technical School 3); Hoàng Bình (Nghi Xá, Nghi Lộc); Quý (Nam Đàn); Đức (Con Cuông)… Meanwhile, the “Tóc mới” salon regularly provides employment and training for 4-5 employees, with an income of 3 million VND per person per month.

Driven by a passion for creativity and a relentless pursuit of learning, Giáp has become a highly sought-after hairstylist, earning the trust of many clients at a very young age.

Le Hoa