In the city with the mindset that anybody doing anything with others’ hair could only be a barber by profession, Rohan Patel has to toil his way hard to break the stereotype and earn the tag of a hairdresser. He recalls that during the late 90s, the simple household of Patels always bustled with the coming and going of ladies; each one of them aspiring to leave with a brand new look. With only a hanging mirror on the wall, a table and a chair to seat them, young Rohan watched his mother work as a beautician and turn each one of them magically happy. The process of altering the appearances of people in minutes always fascinated him. These early days also marked the golden time, when the idea of walking in his mother’s footsteps took roots in Rohan.

The Inside Story

Today with more than 7000 loyal clients to call his own, and most of them belonging to the elite class of the city, Rohan’s Salon competes with well known national level salon franchises. Many Surtis know him for transforming the way they look; they say he creates magic for them without wands. However, what only a few know is his journey from disregarding conventional business to becoming a stylist cum hairdresser by choice. At the tender age of fifteen, when Rohan shifted to Mumbai for his studies, he rejoiced the opportunity and joined the same salon for practice, and under the same stylist from whom his mother has learnt the artistry. The salon was small, busy and served hundreds of clients a day. Rohan strived hard to learn whatever he can, at times from cleaning the space to even sleeping there, nothing stopped him from learning what he yearned to. So in the years that followed, he saved up his earnings as much as he can and with the help of a student loan, flew to London, where he pursued cosmetology and was introduced to a whole new world of real hairdressing and grooming.

The Beginning:

After practicing for a year in a London based Salon, for Rohan, his pair of scissors felt like his own limbs. Now he could not only execute any kind of haircut that existed but could also make completely new ones of his own. Rohan wasted no time in contemplating his life goals and in 2014, started R&G Spaloon, a small shop with limited seats. He never believed in marketing for his salon, so it was always the word of mouth that worked for him through his family, friends and happy clients. By creating customized haircuts on the basis of a person’s face cut, personality and behaviour, in a short span of time Rohan became a favourite among a lot of enthusiasts who believed in setting trends themselves.

Overcoming the Plot Twists:

Like any other profession, Rohan’s career as a hairdresser did face a lot of ups and downs, but even as an early bird, there were two events that changed his course altogether. After getting trained in London, Rohan worked for almost 9 months at Lo’real’s Salon in Boston. He was happy for himself and was considering to settle down there, when fate brought him back to Surat. His father’s deteriorating health called him to his hometown. For a while with a heavy heart, he helped his mother in her newly-setup Salon, where his skills and innovative expertise provided him a lot of clients of his own. That’s when he realized he needs to spread his wings again, and soon R & G Spaloon was set up. He recalls another major incident that left a deep impact on his career was the time in 2011, when he dislocated his shoulder in an accident. And the helplessness of not being able to work made him pick them up from the left. Today, he uses both his hands to cut, color and groom his client’s hair, and heartily, denotes his unique ability to that mishap.

Relationship with Scissors:

Art sees no bound when passion backs it. Rohan says, “What dance beats are to a dancer, Scissors are to me.” They are not mere tools to him, but a special kit that he keeps with himself, wherever he goes. He cannot remember if there ever was a time, when he did not feel a connection with those scissors; they have became an important part of his life now. He even carries his special pair even to vacations, because he believes that opportunity to make someone happy can come anytime, and what is the use of a skill if you cannot utilize them when needed.