Starting a Revolution in Kirkcaldy with barbering legend Linda

Linda Finnegan, owner of the world famous Waldorf Barber shop in Dublin, came to Fife to hold an advanced barbering class at the Revolution barbershop in Kirkcaldy, owned by her former Employee, Mark Reynolds.

Mark, who is near to his first anniversary in the town, said the response to Linda’s class was overwhelming.

“In the barbering world she’s huge,” he said, “Credited with a worldwide revival in barbering. Anyone who knows barbering, knows Linda. So when she decided to come over for a visit I thought let’s make a class out of this for the week.”

The class was open to those who were already working in the trade and Mark said that the interest was huge – even from his competitors.

“We had Aaron Mitchell from Livingston and Arlene MacGillivray from Bearded Basturds in Dunfermline. I mean, they’re my main competition, right? But it’s so cool that they’re all over this and we’re going to do a few collaborations in the future.

“To have Linda work in my shop is absolutely mind-blowing. It’s humbling and it’s inspiring and to see other guys from within the trade here is amazing.

“You see, barbering is an ever-changing industry and they want to keep up with it and Linda is a master of the old school.

“If you stand still style will come back, like Peaky Blinders, and Linda is a master of that look.”

Linda, with over 30 years experience, is credited with the worldwide revival in barbering and says that training is now her passion.

“It’s what I love best. Teaching how to run a business, how they should be cutting properly, and teaching those little attentions to detail and it’s what I’m doing here in Kirkcaldy.

“It’s been so exciting. There’s been people stopping and looking in, or coming in to take pictures.”

One of Linda’s challenges whilst she was in Kirkcaldy was to cut the long hair of Glenrothes woman Lauren Jones (27), who wanted to donate her tresses to the Little Princess Trust, a charity, which makes wigs out of real human hair for young girls who have lost their own whilst battling cancer.

“All my life I’ve grown my hair long then had it chopped quite short,” Lauren said, “people have always said that I have beautiful hair and if I was getting it cut short I should donate it to charity so they can make a wig for it.

“My husband comes to Revolution so I followed them on Facebook to leave a good review on his behalf – my husband is quite pernickety above Barbers but they impressed him! – then I messaged them to ask if they did women’s hair.

“My usual hairdresser was a bit unsure about giving me a boys haircut but Mark messaged me back and said they would do it no problem, and to have Linda cut it is amazing.”

Lauren said she is delighted with the result: “I’ve never had it this short before but I’m really excited about it and I’m glad I’ve done it because it’s for such a great cause.”

Linda said she had thoroughly enjoyed her time in Kirkcaldy, before heading down to London to hold another class.

“It’s been absolutely lovely,” she said.

“Mark’s got a beautiful place here and when you’ve got good energy like Mark has, you will attract good energy.”