Why this man left a career in engineering to cut hair

The job of a barber is more than just cutting hair, it’s an art, a responsibility, and a trust which must be held wholeheartedly.

That’s what being a barber means to Mr Nor Muhammad Faiz Ismail, better known as Faz.

Mr Faz, now 32, made the decision to leave the engineering field at a young age to pursue a career in barbering. It was a decision which raised eyebrows back then, as engineering is a financially stable career path.

Fast forward to 2024, and Mr Faz’s DeepCuts barbershop, which he founded in 2014, celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Tucked away on the second floor of a shophouse at 47 Kampong Bahru Road, a stone’s throw from Outram Park MRT station, DeepCuts has expanded its services and now offers tailoring services as well. A barbering and tailoring academy is also set to launch soon.

“For me, barbering is a noble profession,” Mr Faz shared with Berita Harian. “It’s not just about how the customer looks, it’s about the trust they put in us.”

He added: “Every time I cut a client’s hair, I realise that I’m entrusted to make sure they not only look good, but also feel good."

The 32-year-old explained that the barber industry in Singapore in 2014 was not as extensive as it is now, and there was a shortage of barbershops catered to men. This inspired him to ditch engineering and venture into barbering.

To level up his barbering knowledge, Mr Faz studied in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for a week in 2015. He was mentored by one of the top barbers, Mr Dennis Da Costa.

The Singaporean invested a lot of time learning traditional European hair-cutting techniques, which he later modified to meet the needs of Asian men’s hair. He feels this was an important learning step, as Europe is where barbering originated.

“I believe the art of barbering is something you cannot learn by yourself,” he said. “If you want to become an expert in something, you need to learn from the right people.”

Mr Faz explained that the only way of improving is to view things from a “different perspective” and learn how to accept criticism.

Like most entrepreneurs, Mr Faz’s journey was not smooth sailing.

The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on his business, and recovering from it was hard. Additionally, Mr Faz had to constantly hire and, unfortunately, let go of staff to ensure the quality of service was maintained.

“I have to spend time training new staff and it takes several months,” he said.

“I can rely on my senior barbers to train them, but I think it’s still my responsibility as the boss to train new barbers, so I have to set aside my personal time to do it.”

Despite the hurdles he faced, Mr Faz successfully expanded DeepCuts and introduced suit tailoring services in 2017.

He explained that the reason behind this decision was his interest in offering an all-rounded, comprehensive experience to customers.

“We don’t just want to take care of their hair, but also their clothes,” explained Mr Faz. “With special tailoring, we can give them clothes that really fit their body, made from high-quality fabrics that we source from Italy and Europe.”

Despite different sewing styles, such as those from Britain, France, and Italy, he shares that the Italian style is most suitable for Singapore due to the tropical climate.

“The Italian fabric is not too heavy and the cut is not too tight. It should fit your body shape nicely.”

He added that the suits are designed to be affordable, not just for the wealthy.

“Everyone deserves comfortable, durable, and stylish clothes without having to spend a lot,” explained Mr Faz.

Just recently, Mr Faz and his colleagues went to Seoul, South Korea, to participate in a hair-cutting workshop from Oct 11 to 14.

The workshop was part of an international tour of about a month for Mr Faz to spread hairdressing knowledge to local barbers and promote DeepCuts.

Previously, they visited Bangkok, Thailand, from Oct 8 to 9, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Oct 16 to 17.

The tour concluded in Singapore on Oct 21 at DeepCuts, in conjunction with the launch of the DeepCuts Academy, a place dedicated to teaching both hairdressing and tailoring skills.

“Through this academy, I want to ensure that the new generation of barbers and tailors understand the philosophy behind their work, not just learn techniques,” he said.

For Mr Faz, success is not about record-high sales, but rather building a community for like-minded individuals to network and connect.

DeepCuts initially began its operations in Yishun before moving to Kampong Bahru.

“Kampong Bahru is very special to me. I spent my entire 20s here, from young adulthood to fatherhood,” explained Mr Faz.

On the meaning behind the name DeepCuts, Mr Faz explained he started it with the main intention of engaging in deep conversations with customers while cutting their hair.

The term “Deep” refers to a deep conversation with the customer and the term “Cuts” refers to cutting hair.

“What’s important is what I can do with my own two hands. By cutting their hair, I can change a client’s mood for the day, for the whole week, or for the entire month,” he said.

“I can change their appearance instantly within an hour.”

With a big smile, Mr Faz said: “I think that’s the specialty of the art of cutting hair.”