News feed
Credit: Lester Jones
In collaboration with ECCO, GRAZIA has embarked on a mission to meet young Australians from all walks of life who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others – be it through gestures small or large, extraordinary or everyday, from a national campaign to a kind word one-on-one.
So often we’re told the difference between a ‘good’ haircut and a ‘bad’ one is two weeks. It’s a well-worn truism that, when viewed in light of Nasir Sobhani’s work as The Streets Barber, starts to sound even more trite.
In Sobhani’s hands, suddenly there’s no such thing as a bad haircut, and every fresh look brings with it a renewed outlook on life. That’s the ethos underpinning his work with the Streets Barber project, an extension of his passion for cutting hair and sharing the stories of others for whom a standard issue ‘short back and sides’ is a luxury, not a regular indulgence. The Canadian expat works as a full-time barber in Melbourne, and on his days off, he extends that same skillset to empower men and women living on the streets.
“I try to take the time to make them feel like a million bucks,” Sobhani told GRAZIA. “Make them feel important. Make them feel human again. When they feel clean, maybe they’re going to start thinking clean.”
Sobhani too is no stranger to the life-changing power of a haircut, having himself found renewed clarity and passion in his life after battling addiction in his early 20s through channeling his lifelong passion into something positive not only for himself and his friends, but the community around him. “The confidence that I get from the people on the streets is amazing” he says, “and it inspires me and makes me want to continue doing this until the day I die.”
On occasion of the release of the new ECCO Cool 2.0 shoe, in which 100% waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX technology acts to help keep feet dry no matter the task at hand, GRAZIA walked (and skated) a proverbial mile with Sobhani, whose work is testament to the life-changing power of a kind word and a clean cut from which to start afresh.
For more information about the ECCO Cool 2.0 shoes worn throughout, head here.
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Motion: Lester Jones
Art direction: Patti Andrews
Special thanks to: The Street Barber
