BARBER SAM’S DUBAI FIRST
IT IS a place synonymous with stunning seven-star hotels, oil-rich sheikhs and sprawling desert landscapes that go on forever.
But for all the glitz and glamour of Dubai, it’s never been possible for men to have their hair cut by a woman – until now.
Samantha Lloyd, from Aberdare, has overcome a generations-old ban to become the first female barber in the United Arab Emirates.
The 29-year-old has received special approval to cut men’s hair in the exclusive Dubai Design District.
“I’m overwhelmed, it still hasn’t sunk in,” said Samantha.
“When I applied for the job I didn’t think I would get it because when I Googled it I saw that there were no female barbers.
“I had a short interview and they told me it would be tough because I would be the first female barber.”
Women are usually barred from working in barbershops in the United Arab Emirates under laws which affirm strict Middle Eastern traditions.
The government’s health and safety requirements for barbers says that “females are not allowed to work/be present in barbershops”.
But managers at Chaps & Co, where Samantha now works, were keen to challenge the custom and give a unique edge to their new premises.
Samantha said it had been challenging trying to win over sceptical men who aren’t used to having women cut their hair.
“I can’t just stand there and not talk to them because I have to win a bond with them,” she said.
“But because I love my job I find it easy.
“I have been here for five weeks and I have had only one person that wasn’t happy. They were like: ‘I can’t believe this is a lady cutting my hair!’
“But afterwards they rang up the owner and said it was the best service they had ever had.”
Samantha grew up in the Cynon Valley and began her hairdressing training at Coleg Morgannwg in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Although she qualified at 21, Samantha didn’t pursue hairdressing as a career path until she moved to Australia, where she met her partner.
The pair moved back to her partner’s home in Ireland when Samantha was 26, where her career really began to flourish. She competed in the Irish Hairdresser’s Federation Championships, winning several awards along with her barbershop team.
She said: “I was progressing but I knew I wasn’t getting to the level I wanted to get to so I applied for this job.”
Social media has turned hairdressing into an industry where profile is very important.
Samantha hopes that all the publicity she’s getting as the first female barber in Dubai will go a long way towards progressing her career.
“Most of the top barbers are in London and I love following what they are doing,” she said. “You have to stand out and hopefully this will be a good step for me being the first female barber.”