Farzan Fahandezh: A new career, a new home, a new life
On the day Farzan Fahandezh was expelled from high school in his native Iran for what he says was being of the Baha’i faith, his father handed him a pair of scissors and a comb and asked him to cut his hair. He had a plan, it seemed, to help his son find a future in the face of religious persecution.
The haircut wasn’t bad, recalls Fahandezh, now 22 — maybe a bit too short, but decent overall. And so began his journey to a new career, a new home, a new life. As a Baha’i, he would never have been able to own his own shop in Iran, he says.
So his father gave him permission to leave.
At 16, he travelled on his own to Turkey where he applied to come to Canada — a country where he’d heard the schools were pretty good. And after three years of waiting, cutting hair, and honing his craft in Turkey, he was finally granted permission to come to Canada.
Fahandezh attended Sir John A. Macdonald and started working at Groom for Men downtown on King Street East. And at some point during his first year studying electrical engineering at Mohawk College, he decided to commit himself full time to building his brand as a barber/ stylist.
“In business you have to find something that no need else can offer” says Fahandezh of his strategy to offer a service that is one part barber, one part stylist, instead of choosing one over the other. Hundreds of Instagram followers and clients who travel from as far as Toronto and Buffalo for looks that include intricate beard designs would probably agree.
His own personal style is a modern take on a classic. Like pairing his roll-up royal blue denim jeans from Zara with a classic grey heather blazer from Le Château and crisp white button-down shirt. Or accessorizing with blue suede shoes and a classic tie.
“For me, it all depends on my mood,” says Fahandezh, whose plans for the future include creating his own line of products and a YouTube channel. “Every season you’re going to see me in a different look, different hair cut, different beard, different dress.”
Most eye catching piece:
This ring. That’s a promise ring — it’s silver. I always wear it. Right now it’s (been) four months.
Quirkiest wardrobe item:
Socks. They have just this funny kind of stuff — different animals. Lions, giraffe, everything. Green background and animals. I never wear them. I bought them but I never wear them. I just liked the animals on them.
Wardrobe must have:
Blazers. I think I have 23. And they’re mostly blue. Because to me, blue is all different colours, different types, all different blue. That’s why I keep buying them.
Best purchase:
My glasses. Because it matches my personality. They way it looks, the look that it gives me.
Regrets buying:
I bought a bunch of Guess T-shirts that I now regret buying. Because you pay mostly high prices for them, but you can only wear them a couple of times and then after you wash them, it’s actually shrunk.
Loves to shop at:
Zara, I love Le Château, I love Jack & Jones in Lime Ridge.
Ridding his closet of:
I would get rid of some shoes. Because I have 10-11 pair of shoes and they’re almost the same kind of colour — blueish. And I never wear them.
Splurges on:
On (hair) tools. They can be costly and I like to buy new tools and try new stuff. They’re mostly barber tools.
Beauty product he can’t live without:
American Crew Forming Cream. Because it goes with any type of hair, any type of style and it’s easy to use and it holds it in place.
And I like that it isn’t shiny. I like matte products.
Every season you’re going to see me in a different look, different hair cut, different beard, different dress