601 Hairdressing (sorry boys)

Jan

As far as I'm aware, mobile hairdressers are not very common - the concept was totally novel to me when I came over here.

However things might have changed.

Personally I don't think Italian ladies would like to have their hair washed kneeling down by the bathtub, but that's just my opinion! It just doesn't sound like something that would catch on.

Hi Jan

Afraid I really couldn't tell you if there would be a demand for mobile hairdressing or not. I live in a small town and there are quite a few hairdressers here.

My last haircut cost 32 euro - not a particularly fancy or "trendy" hairdressers, nor was it in a big city. I thought it was going to cost about 15 euro but that was just the cut, they charge separately for the blowdry and also for the conditioner and hairspray (5 euro!!).

Colouring appears to be a lot cheaper here - around 25-45 euro depending on what you're getting done (although I haven't had my hair coloured so there may be hidden charges there too).

Hope that helps a little.

Just read Paperopoli's response and he may well be right - not sure how it would catch on with Italian women. I suppose to get business your prices would have to be significantly cheaper than the salons (which IMO are fairly cheap here - apart from conditioner and hairspray!). And if people do want to save money here they can just choose to have the cut and not bother getting it blow dried.

My Italian great aunt goes to the hairdressers once a week to get her hair done precisely cos she's more comfortable at a hairdresser's sink than having to do it herself in her own bathroom.

Sorry, don't want to be the bearer of doom and gloom

:o

You never know you may be about to introduce a great new trend in Italian hairdressing :D

I am afraid I have to agree with the others, I am not sure a mobile haridressers would appeal to many Italians. A trip to the salon is very much a social thing and there is always much chatter and catching up on all the latest gossip and local news. You would also face stiff competition as every town seems to have lots of hairdressers to choose from and a good selection of barbers. I know one of our hairdressers will go to peoples homes but it is a rarity. A hairdresser does visit the local hospital so perhaps this is something you could look into as Italian nurses would definitely not wash patients hair, it is something left to the relatives. As for costs, last week I paid Euro 23,50 for a cut and blow dry, so costs are much lower than in the UK, standards are just as high if not higher. I have had several bad cuts in th UK but none in Itlay, so far!!
Good luck with your plans
Anne2

My friends wife(an ex hairdresser from the uk)does this for local women and charges Euro 18,00 for a cut (not sure if she washes as well for that price)

[QUOTE=Jan]My family and I are planning to relocate to Italy in 2007.

I currently work part time for myself in England as a mobile hairdresser. My burning question is........

Do Italy have mobile hairdressers, especially in the smaller towns/villages?
Is there a call for this service or do Italian ladies (and gents) prefer to be pampered in a shop/salon?[/QUOTE]

Try to see the film "Chiusara" which is available as an Italian DVD with subtitles. It's the tale of the closure of a hairdressers in Padua. It gives a feel for what a social institution the hairdressers shop is in Italy. Not only does the owner give cuts/run the lottery/do errands for customers but she also finds the relatives of a lady with senile dementia.

I agree with what everyone is saying regarding the social aspect for women going to the salon. But, i know some Italian MEN who have a hairdresser coming direct to their house. So, maybe this is a market.

Dean

Thanks all, it has given me something to ponder over.

Jan :)

If you speak Italian it could work. I know some hairdressers that are quite busy with home services. There are a lot of old ladies hair that need to get their hair done but have no way to get to the hairdresser.
Of course it will take awhile to gain peoples trust but if you are in a small town there is def. a market for it.

Yes!
we do!
It is more common in the small villages though...
My Gran Mother lives in Lu Monferrato and there is a mobile hairdresser!
I hav eto say it used to be more common in the past, but hey, it is such a treat to have the hairdresser coming to your house that it might well work!
Just buy very sleak equipment and everybody will think it is very trendy!

But don't expect to get rich, or even to make much money.

My wife had her hair done locally and was astounded that the price was just EUR 7.00, same price for me when I had a haircut. A cut of the same quality in the UK would be about £12 for me and about £50-60 for her. Well, I say same quality but the truth i neither of us have been able to find a decent hairdresser since moving from the northwest of England to the South/South East.

South coast hairdressers expect to get paid a wheelbarrow full of cash in return for a very poor job.

BTW, I can confirm the social aspects of hairdressers. I got an earfull of the social problems caused by "too many English" in Penne, and she got the genealogy of every family in our village back to about 1290.

well I think that an haircut in turin costs from 30 euro on... not so cheap...

Yes my wife got an earful of that as well. "Do you know how much they charge for a cut in the City? Forty Euro! None of them as good as our Sabrina!"