An Australian by birth, Brent Barber moved into Bangalore a year ago, after spending 10 years working in some of London’s top salons, to set up the b:blunt salon in the City. However, before relocating to Bangalore, he lived in Mumbai for some time. He finds this a better place to live in than Mumbai. “I couldn’t think of bringing in my family to Mumbai, but they had no problem coming to Bangalore and now they’ve been here for about a year. It’s more relaxed out here and you also find decent, spacious apartments which is not the case in Mumbai,” Brent tells Metrolife.
Settling down in Bangalore had its own challenges. He recalls getting out of his car and yelling at people for rash driving. He thinks motorists here are rude and have no regard for the other person. “I would spend hours on Bangalore roads to get from one corner of the City to another. It’s frustrating to sit in the car and wait. I must say driving in this City has taught me patience. I soon realised that there’s no point losing your cool. It pays to stay calm,” he says.
Brent Barber dropped out of his civil engineering degree to pursue his passion — hair styling. He knew he was not the one to toe his parents’ line and wanted to do what his heart yearned for. “My mother was pretty supportive but my father wanted me to tread the traditional path, which I just couldn’t do,” observes Brent.
After 20 years in the business of beauty and fashion, Brent says that he can’t believe how time has flown. He confesses that he still hasn’t completely explored the stylist in him. He feels people in Bangalore are conscious about the way they dress and are willing to experiment with different looks. “The look of a person is changed according to his or her face and lifestyle requirements. My job is to suggest styles that I think will work best for them and sometimes people take to it or just leave it,” he avers.
Brent and his family have adapted to Indian food, although they think that it is a little elaborate to cook Indian food. “My wife makes lovely ‘chicken curry’ and she and I experiment with Indian food. Sometimes for paucity of time we just make do with a quick sandwich or something that is cooked our way,” he avers.
Brent says that he’s so tied up with his work 24/7 that he can barely snatch time to explore the City. “I stay at home during the weekends and the thought of getting out seems impossible. I love to spend the weekends with my family. I am committed to my work. I teach and train people at the salon. This takes up a lot of my time,” says Brent.
Commenting about the Metro Rail, Brent hopes this extended transport system will decongest the City.
“Only time will tell if the Metro Rail will have an impact on the road. It’s cost-effective and I see no reason why people here shouldn’t adapt to the system. It would help save a lot of time spent on the road,” he avers.
Brent lives in the City with his wife Rejoice and their two-year-old son
