Rock'N'Roll Never Dies, And Neither Do The Hairstyles, Apparently

Concealed within the centuries-old streets of Rotterdam, Schorem, the Netherlands' most notorious barber shop — famous for their pompadours, quiffs and flat-tops —  is keeping the culture of rock'n'roll in men's hair and fashion alive and well. 

Schorem, quite literally the Dutch translation of 'scumbag', has become synonymous with the classic style of 1930s, '40s and '50s pop culture. The Schorem barber shop opened in 2010 and bikers, punks and greasers from all around the globe quickly became desperate to make an appointment at Rotterdam's finest barber shop. Since then the brand has expanded into one of the foremost barber shops in Europe, establishing its own barber academy, line of specialty hair products and an international cult following.

Schorem founders and brothers Bertus and Leen Barbier have just completed a small run of live hair shows Down Under, giving Australian fans the opportunity to see their signature cuts performed live, to learn the tips of the trade and to banter with the men themselves about the finer aspects of the barber trade. "We want to do haircuts you can show your grandchildren without making them laugh," explains Bertus Barbier.

"You can watch a movie with Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant in a hundred years and they will still be style icons."

The Schorem barbers are not interested in trends - instead, they believe the philosophy that style is timeless. "You can watch a movie with Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant in a hundred years and they will still be style icons... We cut the classics, and the classics will never go out of style."

For the brothers, Australia was an obvious place for the Dutch men to come and show off their decades of experience, and to also meet people who are as "enthusiastic and passionate" about the job as they are. "We follow a lot of barbers and hairdressers in Australia and New Zealand on Facebook and Instagram. There's some amazing stuff coming from Down Under... We became more and more curious about the growing barber community so when we had the chance to tour we really didn't need a second to think about it."

The Schorem Live Hair Show travelled through Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and was unlike what you would ever expect from a typical hair show. "We're barbers, we don't really belong on stage," says Barbier. "We [wanted] the whole thing to be like we're in the shop, drinking beer, cracking a few jokes.

"We did a tour in Canada which turned into mayhem, people getting really drunk but having a ball! We had so much fun as well — that's all that matters in the end, right? Have a fun night, get a little wild and rock'n'roll."

The Schorem barbers wear their influences on their sleeve (quite literally in the case of heavily tattooed Bertus and Leen). "The most influential haircut is the pompadour — 99% of the haircuts we do are inspired by that all time classic," says Barbier, but the Schorem style has evolved with and drawn inspiration from the development of rock cultures. "We love the fact that so many kids are reinventing the rock'n'roll style, from rockabilly to psychobilly, but also punk and ska for example. Some of these music styles just need new blood, right? It's a good thing to see so many kids want[ing] to become a barber. We do hope they realise it takes lots and lots of practice to become a good barber."

Witnessing the strength of rock'n'roll subcultures globally has been an important part of the touring experience for the brothers — not that they ever doubted the popularity of their craft. "There will always be people keeping those cultures alive... We've been doing these kind of haircuts for over 25 years; there has always been a large group coming from different subcultures who have been sporting these cuts."

Finally, some parting advice from the barbers for anyone thinking of rocking a pomp or flat-top themselves: "It's important to understand that it's not the hair, it's the way you rock it. As long as you feel confident and relaxed with your haircut, it's a haircut that suits you."

The Schorem barbers' hair product, Reuzel Pomade, is available from selected barber shops nationwide and online. Visit reuzelpomade.com for more information.