Karls Barbershop
Appointment card design for a traditional Manchester barber
Created at
The Chase
Deliverables
Design / Print management / Print
Project
Appointment card
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
Appointment cards were an essential part of the barbershop experience, helping customers remember their next trim while keeping Gordon’s diary full. As his existing print run came to an end, he asked me to create a replacement. Rather than simply redesigning a functional card, I saw an opportunity for a piece of creative print design that would capture the distinctive character and heritage of Karls Barbershop and give customers something worth keeping.
Creativity with character
My inspiration was the traditional barber’s pole, the revolving red-and-white symbol that fascinated me as a child outside my dad’s shop. I translated it into a simple piece of paper engineering. The outer sleeve housed a die-cut shape and when customers pulled out the striped inner card, they appeared to rotate, revealing the barbershop details. The reverse allowed space for multiple appointment dates, so the design was as practical as it was memorable. This was brand identity through experience, turning an everyday printed asset into a small moment of magic. The card was warmly received and went on to win regional, national and international awards, including Gold at the New York Design Festivals.