Navin Ramgoolam found his passion for hair at an early age in his home country of Trinidad Tobago. His mother owned a beauty salon and the youngster spent his time in the salon observing his mom cutting hair. He began mimicking his mother’s hair techniques on family and friends. As his cutting skills improved, he had a natural talent for barbering and men’s hair. 

After working alongside some of his country’s best barbers, he moved to New York for a while before settling in Montreal in 2019 and joined Salon Deauville. On April 3rd in Long Beach, CA, Ramgoolan won the North American Hairstylist Awards, Barber of the Year. We congratulated Ramgoolan and asked him about his winning collection on his first time entering the competition.   

Barbering Today: What was the inspiration for your winning collection?

Ramgoolam: Surprisingly, the pandemic. Our world is faced with some dark times, living through quarantines and isolation. While life may appear dark, there is still beauty.  

BT:  How did you select the models?

Ramgoolam: I did not use professional models. My goal was to make an ordinary person look extraordinary.

BT:How did you create the winning looks? 

Ramgoolam: I spent countless hours sketching on paper the look, feel, and tone I was looking for. I always believe in sticking to a plan or vision until it becomes fruitful. Of course my vision would not have been complete without the support of my team of Vanessa (photographer), Karlos (makeup artist), Kim (wardrobe stylist) and my mentor Antoine Vadacchino. Together, we were able to pull off the final look to exactly how I envisioned it on paper. 

BT:  What’s next for you?

Ramgoolam: I’m back at Salon Deauville making my clients look stunning. Down the road, I would love to be an international barber stylist traveling the world. 

Credits:

Photographer: Vanessa Secondino 

Makeup artist: Karlos Christodoulou 

Wardrobe Stylist: Kim Rivka 

Wardrobe: Waxman House