The celebrity hair designer takes great pride in India’s barbering traditions
In India, a local barbershop was once considered far more than a place for a haircut or a shave. It was a safe space woven into the rhythm of everyday life. For many, the barber was also a confidant- someone who listened without judgment as clients shared their worries and aspirations. There was no room for privacy, yet conversations flowed freely within the confines of the shop.
Later, updated establishments or salons began to offer grooming services beyond cutting and shaving and replaced barbershops in urban landscapes. Darshan Yewalekar saw this shift as a young boy growing up in a small town. And despite becoming one of the leading hair designers in show business, he continues to hold barbering culture close to his heart. Even though he has designed for films like ‘Kesari -2’ and ‘Sky Force’ and has worked with celebrities like Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat’ as well as Salman Khan among others, he has chosen to express his pride in traditional Indian barbering traditions by launching ‘D Barbershop.’
“The quintessential Indian barbershop was always a small yet vital hub of connection, comfort, and community. But barbers are not treated with the respect they deserve. Once, I was travelling in an auto and as a biker brushed past us roughly, the auto driver yelled, ‘Hey, hajam!’ as an insult. I was taken aback and asked him why he had said that. He immediately replied, ‘Hajams just do the same thing all day. They don’t use their brains.’ It really hurt me to hear that barbers are looked down upon and belittled by the very society they serve so well,” says Darshan.
He believes that barbering is a craft, and the skilled hands behind it should not be disrespected. He adds, ‘D Barbershop’ is my way of celebrating traditional barbering values while embracing and adapting to new technologies. This is meant to be a space that brings together grooming, art, heritage, and community. Right from the Warli wall mural, to spaces where local artists can showcase their art, to a café where people can gather and share their experiences and stories, D Barbershop is designed to be much more than a grooming hub.”
Darshan has curated every element in D Barbershop including state-of-the-art equipment and ergonomic furniture from Japan but as he says, “At its heart, this is a gathering place where people can interact and build bonds. In the times of disconnection and isolation, a place like this can bring communities together in a very warm and organic way,” concludes Darshan.