With torch and chopper, Pakistani presents amazing hairstyles

France Press agency , Posted on Tuesday May 11, 2021 at 8:22 am

Blowtorch, chopper, broken glass … Ali Abbas, a Pakistani hairdresser with at least one original experience, is not shy about any tool to offer his clients the very best hairstyle that will take your breath away.

In a country that is nevertheless as very conservative in terms of fashion as in other fields, Ali’s disconcerting style is hugely popular with his clients, some of whom do not hesitate to come from as far away as Germany to discover his salon in Lahore (east).

Ali cuts hair with a chopper, with the help of a hammer or cutting board, or he softens very thick hair with broken glass, or burns his customers’ hair with a lamp to give them volume.

“I told myself that something different must be done to attract more customers,” he told AFP. “First I tried it on synthetic hair, then after a while I tried it on a client and I like it very much.”

After this first experience in 2016, Ali was able to convince other customers to beat their initial reservations and since then he has been very successful.

– “Very scared at first” –

Its reputation extended far beyond Lahore. Originally from a small impoverished village in the central Punjab province, he has appeared on television programs and participated in fashion photoshoots.

“There was a good response from my clients, who were very scared at first,” adds Ali, who made him look like a mad scientist because of the shaggy and frizzy hair and slightly strange manners.

He charges 2,000 rupees for these crazy cuts and 1,000 rupees for classic, chiseled cuts.

“I feel completely relaxed and at ease,” Saqin, one of the agents, asserts, as Ali lights the torch on his head.

The salon caters to a large number of female clients, who have to pay an additional 500 rupees to get more elegant discounts.

“I’ve cut my hair three times in this salon,” says one, promoting Bhatti. “I prefer it with a chopper, because my hair grows back quickly afterward.”