Karls Barbershop
Commemorative calendar for a Manchester barber celebrating 40 years of cutting hair
Created at
Graphic Partners
Deliverables
Design / Photography / Art direction / Print management / Print
Project
175,000 heads
Sector
Service sector
Project information
Background
Karls Barbershop had been styling the men of Manchester since the 1960s. A much-loved, traditional city-centre barbershop, it was run by my dad, Gordon Mitchell, an exiled Scot, former butcher and master of the razor, comb and chat. Named after Karl Marx, the shop had a character all of its own, shaped by decades of loyal customers, changing hairstyles and the unmistakable personality behind the chair.
The creative challenge
As Gordon approached his 40th year in barbering, I wanted to mark the occasion with more than a conventional anniversary gift. Building on the award-winning appointment card I had previously created for the shop, I set out to develop a commemorative calendar that celebrated its distinctive identity. It needed to capture Gordon’s craft, his tools and the stories behind the shop, while giving customers a memorable thank-you for their loyalty.
Creativity with character
I created a bespoke calendar concept that turned the traditional barber’s pole into the packaging: a die-cut sleeve revealed the striped calendar beneath, creating the illusion of the pole revolving as it was pulled out. With photographer Tim Ainsworth, I art directed a series of beautifully observed images of the shop’s iconic objects, from clippers and Barbicide to Gordon’s original chair. His peg-letter price board became the introduction, its imperfect lettering full of history. Personality-rich copy by Andrew Murdoch completed the story.
The result was a distinctive piece of brand design that customers treasured and which went on to win multiple national design awards.