JOOST MULLEMAN PEOPLE CAN TELL IF YOU’RE GENUINE BARBERSOCIETY LIVE 2026 AN UNFORGETTABLE ANNIVERSARY FREESTYLE WINNER DANIELA ISLAS SOMETIMES, I UNPLUG FOR TWO DAYS
BARBERSOCIETY MAGAZINE
SCHOREM STYLE IS FOREVER
SUMMER 2026 | #28 | € 20
REIGNITE HOW DO YOU KEEP THE FIRE BURNING?
INTERV IEW
Joost Mulleman On BarberSociety Live 2026, long-term vision, and why he consciously keeps building his own world During BarberSociety Live 2026, Joost Mulleman (37) managed to completely silence the room. No standard barber demo or safe look-and-learn session, but a cinematographic show where the barbershop, fashion, music, and storytelling flowed seamlessly into one another. Models literally walked off a filmed barbershop screen and onto the stage, while the audience was visibly trying to process exactly what they were watching. And that was precisely the intention. After working relatively behind the scenes for years, Joost demonstrated once again during the 10th anniversary of BarberSociety Live why his name continues to circulate within the industry. As the former Creative Director of Barberschool Amsterdam, founder of The Garage 39 in Rotterdam, and the creative mind behind the new concept THIRTYNINE, Joost seems to be getting closer and closer to his own distinct way of working. Not by running faster to keep up, but by building more consciously.
A movie within a movie Anyone who caught his show at BarberSociety Live 2026 noticed immediately that this was not going to be a standard barber presentation. With mysterious visuals filling the screens and models emerging onto the stage with their hair still shrouded in tulle, the audience watched in stunned anticipation. “That alienating effect was exactly what I wanted to create,” Joost says. “I wanted people to think: what are we actually looking at here?” 6
@joostmulleman @thegarage39
“Honestly, I’ve known for a very long time what I want to do and where I’m heading.”
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REPORT
BarberSociety Live 2026, celebrating 10 Years A Decade of Craftsmanship, Community and Growth 12
REPO Photography ©: Sander Mulkens, Michael Joseph Productions, Paddy Amsterdam
One of the most memorable events in our history.
Ten years on. A milestone that simply cannot go unnoticed. On Sunday, 12 April, Hemkade 48 near Amsterdam once again welcomed more than a thousand visitors to celebrate the 10th anniversary of BarberSociety Live. What once started as an ambitious idea has grown into the largest barber event in Europe. But this edition was about more than just shows, competitions and education.
Sometimes, it’s important to pause for a moment. To reflect on the journey you’ve taken and recognise how many people have become part of the same story along the way. BarberSociety Live 2026 offered exactly that moment: a celebration of ten years of passion for the craft, of growth, perseverance, and the community that has shaped BarberSociety into what it is today. The message of this anniversary edition was simple: Ten years of BarberSociety is proof that true craftsmanship isn’t defined by talent alone, but by passion, perseverance, and the willingness to keep growing.
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Winner 3rd place Young Talent Battle: Barber School with Melle Eggerding
AMAZING EXPERIENCE
A DECADE OF JOY!
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ROBERT-JAN RIETVELD
AT BARBERSOCIETY LIVE ON BEHALF OF SCHOREM
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Hair: Robert-Jan Rietveld a.k.a. Bertus (NL) Photography: Robert Biesewig @the_bloody_butcher @schorembarbier
THE NETHERLANDS
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Hair: Robert-Jan Rietveld a.k.a. Bertus (NL) Photography: Robert Biesewig @the_bloody_butcher @schorembarbier
Redefining impact: how a young Mexican barber is reshaping modern barbering through visual cuts
At 24, Daniela Islas has already achieved milestones that define long careers in barbering. Just days after winning the Freestyle category, competing against 19 European barbers, and placing third overall at BarberSociety Live 2026 in April, she was back to what she does best: teaching seminars. She joins this interview from Barcelona, following five intense months on the road without returning to her hometown in Mexico. Daniela stands at the intersection of Latin American expression and European precision, reshaping how barbering is taught, performed, and understood across borders. 70
@islascuts
INTERV IEW
Building her own path Growing up in Mexico and with limited economic resources, Daniela looked for ways to support herself while pursuing her passion. But what started as a practical solution evolved into something more purposeful. “My parents didn’t have much money,” she recalls. “They gave me just enough for school, but I couldn’t ask for clothes or things I wanted. So, I looked for a solution—something I could do for myself that would also bring in money.” Her parents were initially shocked, but they supported her decision. That early support, combined with her determination, set the foundation for everything that followed.
Text: David Palacios
Early beginnings Daniela’s journey began much like many in the profession: in her grandfather’s barber shop in Tijuana, Mexico. She would visit his shop after school, watching him work with clients, captivated not just by the scissors and clippers, but by the passion he brought to every cut. “I’d tell my grandfather that I would help him sweep, but honestly, I just wanted to be around him and watch how he cut hair,” she admits. “That’s what impacted me —seeing how much he loved it and wanting to replicate it.” At 12 years old, while other children were focused solely on school, Daniela enrolled in styling classes. By the time she was competing at age 15, she had already made a decision that would shape her entire career.
Unlike many barbers who build their reputation through salon work, she chose a different trajectory. She doesn’t cut hair in a traditional barbershop. Instead, she travels the world teaching students to complement their work with pigment and makeup, enabling them to apply these techniques for weddings, artistic work, or clients who want to go beyond standard services. A winning mindset In an industry dominated by men, Daniela’s path has not been without obstacles. She’s experienced the subtle dismissals that come from being a woman in a male-dominated field— moments when colleagues would overlook her contributions or question her credibility. “At the beginning, they accept you as a barber if you cut well and the money is good,” she says. “But among other barbers, especially when most are men, they can overlook you. It’s valid in some ways, but it made me realize I had to constantly overcome myself.”
Rather than accept this dynamic, Daniela turned to competition. “My mentality is to win,” she states. And she won in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Malaysia. Each victory went beyond trophies, becoming a way to earn recognition and respect within the profession. “Each competition in different countries gives me the chance to meet different colleagues.” High-impact visual cuts What sets Daniela apart is her philosophy on what ‘impact’ means in barbering. While many barbers chase viral moments and instant recognition, the young barber has developed a more nuanced approach. Her signature is what she calls “high-impact visual cuts”, a creative approach that combines technical precision with artistic expression. They are not just cuts but statements that blend elements from her Latin American background, including pigment, makeup and styling, with the clean aesthetics that define European barbering. “What I like to create are high-impact visual cuts, creative things that you don’t commonly see in a salon or barbershop,” she explains. “It’s not something typically done, but I like to seal my work with visual impact.” Latin America vs. Europe When Daniela competed in the BarberSociety Battle in the Netherlands last April, her partner Jonathan stepped in as her model, combining his styling with makeup and fashion elements that reflected her Latin American heritage. She admits she felt nervous about introducing something different in a European competition. “In Latin America, we use pigment and makeup; 71
INTERV IEW
Jacob Atkins introduces himself simply: “Barber, father, business owner.” Three words that carry eight years of transformation. He is the director of Gallery X, a barbershop he owns and runs in Newcastle, a coastal city about two hours north of Sydney on Australia’s east coast. But to understand where he is now, you have to understand where he started and how far down rock bottom actually was. Back in 2018, Jacob was working as an operator in the transport industry. The paycheck was steady, but the motivation was non-existent. A significant relationship was falling apart and
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he knew, somewhere, that he was on the wrong path entirely. When that relationship ended, he made a decision that looked, from the outside, like a step backwards. He moved back in with his parents at 28, already a father, and invested everything he had into a barber course. “My journey into barbering started at a time in my life where I was at rock bottom,” he says. “Lost, not really knowing who I was. Looking for something bigger than the path I was on.” That path led him to a barbershop floor, broom in hand. What he found there changed everything.
This Aussie barber lost the fire. Here’s how he found it again. Jacob Atkins on burnout, purpose, and rediscovering the fire that started it all Text: Ben Copeland
More than a craft What drew Jacob in first was the creativity. The fashion, the visual artistry of men’s grooming. After completing his barbering qualification through Australia’s TAFE system in 2019, he stepped into a busy Newcastle barbershop, sweeping floors and learning the ropes with, as he puts it, excitement and determination to grow. But the chair had other plans for him beyond the technical craft. “Very quickly I realised it was much deeper than that. Behind the chair I was forced to grow in ways I didn’t expect, not just technically, but personally, emotionally, and mentally.” The moment barbering stopped being a job was the moment it started being a mirror. Through 2020 to 2022, he threw himself into it fully. Building client
relationships, developing his skills, growing a social media presence and a loyal following. His confidence grew, and so did the business around him. “But the biggest impact would have to be the personal reflection and growth journey it sparked. Skillset alone doesn’t make a barber great. Connection does.” The hamster wheel Jacob wasn’t always connected this connected to barbering, though. There was a period, before he had any ownership over his environment, when he describes feeling stuck and spinning without moving forward. “I was in a fast-paced walk-in shop, taking orders from every client like I was a ‘haircut vending machine.’” The mental toll was real. “Exhausting, with no real drive or purpose.” No creativity, no ownership, no reason to care
beyond the next number being called. What pulled him out of it wasn’t a dramatic revelation. It was a shift in perspective and a change of environment. He started taking ownership of the service, guiding and educating his clients rather than simply executing requests. The dynamic changed. The spark returned. In 2022 that shift became something more concrete. An opportunity came up to buy the barbershop where he had started his journey. With little to no business knowledge, he took the leap. Gallery X was born. And almost immediately, he recognised the existing setup did not match his vision. So he restructured the whole thing from the ground up, building something that actually reflected who he was and what he believed a barbershop could be. 83