Lady Sings the Brews
Female barber and hairstylist MJ Deziel, from Montreal, Canada, is making her mark in the men’s barbering industry. Just 26 years old, this self-proclaimed “born and raised” Redken hair stylist has already travelled the world as the Global Ambassador for Redken Brews.
Deziel graduated in 2012 as a hairdresser and immediately began assisting in a Redken salon with one of the brand’s international stylists. She loved men’s cutting and built a strong clientele from her walk-ins. Barbering had started to become a trend around this time and when Redken Canada launched its first men’s collection in 2014, Deziel assisted on the launch shoots. By 2015, she was leading the collection, and by 2017, the year that Redken revamped its Redken for Men line as Redken Brews, it seemed only natural that she take the lead in this new men’s segment.
“I knew when I signed up that it would be big and demanding. It’s been a lot of travel but I love it.”
Redken Brews is men’s hair care crafted with malt. Packaged in beer bottles and displayed in a faux beer fridge, this line has everything from haircare and skincare to styling and colour products. There are over ten styling products to answer the needs of all the brand’s clientele, from young to older.
Since fading techniques are not normally done by hairdressers and cutting techniques are less common with barbers, Redken Brews has developed classes to marry the two worlds. Deziel says, “Education is our mantra. One class is Barbering 101 and the other is Advanced Cutting, which caters to both barbers and hairdressers. These classes also help with retail and selling techniques. If a salon takes on the brand, it is supported by education with either national classes or salon demos catered to its specific challenges.”
“Redken Brews merges hairdressing and barbering into one brand. The brand adds a barbering feel within your hair salon.”
Deziel has big plans for the month of April: She’s opening her own salon, which will offer chair rentals for the first few years, and she would like to develop the perfect team, with members who each have a varied skill set. The location is an industrial 1,400 square-foot raw space in a cool heritage building in Montreal that will be more of a hidden destination since it is not a walk-in space. The design is inspired by the deconstructionist designer Martin Margiela, and Deziel wants to develop a space that combines art, hair and clothing all under one creative roof. The clothing line will be her own, and she plans to have a photo and video studio where her clients can get their portraits done or use the space for shoots. Her space will be a creative gallery of art, lifestyle products and music, all curated for Montreal’s hip way of living.
Want to learn more? You can book MJ through your rep. She will be at the Toronto Exchange on June 17 and 18 for a two-day barbering and hairdressing program.
Find Redken at www.redken.ca
Image credits:
Photography: Kelly Jacob
Makeup: Celica Ce
Stylist: Frederique Legare