The traditional street barbers of Hanoi

These barbers are on a mission to smarten up the men of Hanoi

Bui Van Quat, 64, has been working as a barber for 22 years after giving up his job at the Department of Energy. He loves modern hairstyles, and feels that every haircut he gives is a work of art

Ngoc Thanh Van, 56, has been cutting hair since 1990. A former soldier, his favourite styles of haircut is those that he gives to government officials

A sprightly former soldier, 74-year-old Tran Dinh Doan tends to his customers in his open-air salon located on Van Mieu Street, next to the Temple of Literature. He learnt the ropes from his uncle and gives around seven to 10 haircuts a day. He also occasionally gives haircuts to the city’s homeless people for free

You can spot them scattered throughout the wider boulevards of Hanoi, their mirrors affixed to crumbling brick walls, battered high chairs shaded by gnarled trees. Hanoi’s street barbers have been around since the 18th century, but they remain firmly embedded in the fabric of the city – even as the streets on which they ply their trade modernise rapidly.

Many of these barbers have retired from the military and have taken up this new career as a means of supporting their families. Learn more about these personalities in the gallery above.

This article originally appeared in the February 2017 issue of Silkwinds magazine