STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL, PHOTOS BY CHRIS TURNER

At Lucky’s Barbershop, a haircut and shave becomes something personal between client and barber.

The first barbering services were performed by Egyptians in 5000 B.C. with instruments they had made from oyster shells. In ancient Egyptian culture, barbers were highly respected individuals. Priests and doctors are the earliest recorded examples of barbers.

Mia Luciani and Benjamin Isaac are contemporary artists disguised as hairstylists, armed with scissors they shape up the way people look and feel. It’s the reason barbers were once called barber surgeons.

“Our journey began in the middle of lockdown,” quips Mia, as a Johnny Cash record blares from the speaker. Her partner Benjamin recently wrapped up his work in Byron Bay. Together they left the city and came home to Woodend, where Mia was raised.

“We probably get a few more older boys up here. It’s great. We want to be pretty diverse in the haircuts anyway. We don’t want our style to be overly masculine or feminine. We just want a relaxing place that’s functional.”

As their clients recline in the chair, it’s a first class service from the word go. Mia observes hair with clinical precision. Her ability to juggle conversation while delicately trimming hair is the sign of a master at work.

Last year, Mia was working in Pickings and Parry while her partner Benjamin was a few suburbs over at Electric Brain barbershop. “Cutting hair...it’s still a novelty.” For those in the know, the duo have graduated from the coolest undercurrents in the city of Melbourne.

Mia remembers the early days, “In passing, I told a friend who was playing in a band that I wanted to start barbering. He told me about his cool barbershop in Footscray so I called them.”

Mia earned her stripes as a barber, while working behind the bar at Johnny Helvete’s barbershop, now called Suedehead, in Footscray. It was among the first barber, bar and cafe concept shops. “Johnny taught me to be confident in my skills. It’s the first thing you need to overcome as a barber. Not doubting yourself or second guessing yourself.”

After my shave, Mia hands me a bottle of Holgate beer. Her dog Woody barks for attention in the backyard. A teenager sits up from his chair and admires his skin fade in the mirror.

“More than anything,” she ponders. “I started to learn that it was about having fun. Making people happy. And you get to talk to alot of people.”

Nowadays, there are whispers around town that clients come from as far as Sydney to have their hair cut at Lucky’s Barbershop.

Last week, a stranger walked into the shop and asked if they sell scratchies. “We were like...what?!” The man rolled his eyes and left. “He came back in for a haircut and said it was a joke...because the shop was called Lucky’s.” Mia still doesn’t quite laugh at the dad joke. But she loves the colourful community that pop into the shop, “There’s some character around this place.” Lucky’s Barbershop is making the character of the community look real good.

Lucky's Barbershop

0447 286 368

www.luckysbarbershop.square.site

114 High Street, Woodend