PHILOSOPHY Bertram K

Up to 2,000 colleagues sit silently in awe as the hairdresser Bertram K demonstrates on stage his method, his credo, his philosophy:

For Bertram K, the haircut is the tool. „It’s not coloration, hair-up or blow-drying, it’s the haircut which is the supreme discipline. Hairdressers only start to really listen when the cutting begins“, tells Bertram K in order to convey his philosophy, his concept. It is not for nothing that since 2004 tens of thousands of hairdressers around the globe have been attending Bertram K’s cutting seminars and shows.

“When it comes to a haircut it is not important to cut around a long time. It is important to understand the story behind the hair and the person. Everyone’s hair tells a story and it is the hairdresser’s job to craft and shape this story into something successful.” For Bertram K, interpersonal relationships are the key to success and knowing a person is the foundation of each individual haircut. By intuition, he pursues his ideas and transforms his visions into reality – again and again.

“Aesthetics always comes first. I am not a fan of freaky stuff. I don’t like copying cutting patterns or pictures that come from outside. I do not copy. For each customer I create a hairstyle that in that very moment fits to the person and the hair. I am not very interested in trends because hair grows, it is vivid and it changes. This must be considered and worked with. Hair should be sexy and inviting to touch.“

“A good haircut doesn’t need a lot of fuss. When I know, WHAT I cut, I do not need to prolong each move. When I know what I’m doing and master my craft, I simply create maximum effect without stealing the time of my customers or myself.“
The lack of efficiency in his business disturbs Bertram K: “The optimum use of “competence” as factor of production is particularly important for independent hairdressers. This way, the limited time capacity of each hairdresser in my salon can be optimised. This means of course that I can serve more customers per day and make them happy with a great haircut“
For over 20 years it has been Bertram K’s goal to teach this efficiency and profitability. However, not only colleagues but also clients need to learn this. Many of them still share the traditional view that a haircut which is made fast is made carelessly. “That’s wrong. I know beforehand – while talking to the client and after analysing the hair – which cut I’ll make. Why should I then still cut around a long time and try things out? Hairdressers who need long for a haircut actually do not really know how they should cut. They start and then look how the cut develops. I believe that this can neither lead to maximum effect for the client nor for the hair and oneself.“