Not a Hair Out of Place: An Interview with Katka Blajchert of ‘Ciach Fryzjer’

ciach_na_jasnej.jpg, default, Katka Blajchert in her salon 'Ciach' on Jasna Street, photo: Katka Blajchert, center, #000000

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CIACH (meaning ‘snip’) Fryzjer (barbershop) is a big idea that has a small budget and many (good) intentions. A meeting place that we can conventionally call a 'barbershop', but we all know there's more to it. A barbershop with a unique philosophy, in which minimalism and simplicity take precedence – a tribute to tradition, naturalness and universal beauty.

This in-depth and emotive interview with the founder of ‘Ciach Fryzjer’, Katka Blajchert, shows us what it means for a person to not only start a business, but also a community. Her rich history takes us on a journey that began over 100 years ago, to explorations around the world, and finally to Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts.

Agnes Dudek: Katka, please tell me a little about yourself – about your background, education, passions, interests, hobbies.

Katka Blajchert: I was born in a time of transformation. In a place where all system changes were taking place, in the Gdańsk port district – New Port – a place where the old world of privileges met the new system of privatization and the loss of jobs in shipyards. Nobody was interested in young people, everyone was trying to survive. I have 4 generations of hairdressers from my mom's side. I grew up in a hairdressing salon, with the music of Dr Alban and Aqua playing in the background. I quickly became independent and went to Warsaw by myself when I was 17 to attend high school. I travelled a lot around Europe and the world before I started studying at the Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 25. It was only during my studies that I found a way to express myself. Actually, I think I am still looking for who I am exactly. I would say I have quite a difficult character: when I focus on something, it is hard for me to stop. I am interested in anthropology, nature, relationships, furniture and all beautiful things – as well as everything needed to make life easier and in being friendlier towards one another.

AD: What inspired you to open ‘Ciach Fryzjer'? What's the story behind it?

KB: I was born in a time when vocational education was for those who could not cope with school. Hairdressing was almost on a par with uneducated people. I have always been a seeker of ambitious activities, everything bored me. I thought that if I went to vocational school, with my sensitivity, I would not be able to do it. The girls in the hairdressing classes were very aggressive and dominant. I was more curious about everything, but very emotionally sensitive. Then, I was looking more for myself than for a specific answer to my life. I tried to transfer the skill that I acquired in my mother's salon to work for someone else several times.

When I was 17 and lived in Warsaw, I tried working at a salon inside the Mirów Market Halls. I stayed there for 2 weeks: the owner asked me to do things that required the sort of experience I simply did not have, difficult things. The stress, even though I was just assisting, of knowing that at any moment someone could come and spoil my work, was too great for me. After a few attempts, I quit. To earn money, instead, I preferred to wash shop windows, be a housekeeper – or after 18 – a barmaid, waitress, or a dishwasher. I preferred this to the constant stress of working in a salon.

All the meanwhile – I was always cutting my hair and dying it. I also worked in some of the best places in Poland – where alternative culture of the early 2000s flourished, such as the Centralny Dom Qultury CDQ in Warsaw or the place that left its deepest imprint in my heart, the LaLaLa Hotel in Sopot, created by the wonderful Zastróżna family and friends. Eventually, I realized that craftsmanship itself is a craft and I began redefining my hair cutting services – looking for a place for myself.

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Katka Blajchert in her salon 'Ciach' on Dobra Street, photo: Katka Blajchert

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AD: Tell me about the process of opening it. Did you have a lot of support? Did you feel it was a sort of grassroots initiative?

KB: Through my work in various places – from pubs to serving at Keith Campbell's birthday dinner, the gentleman who cloned the infamous sheep Dolly – I got to know people who often had less to lose and tried to overcome their weaknesses. From the beginning, I tried to act in a balanced way and I wanted to act legally. I am a formalist and I managed to find AIP (academic business incubators) and thanks to them, I was not forced to remain stationary. For me, everything had a sort of snowball effect: as I started to define what hairdressing services are for me, and started charging a fee, things began rolling. However, I didn't want people to associate Ciach with me, because I thought art would be my ‘real’ job and hairdressing a hobby. It turned out that I was doing something right – my approach to hygiene and minimalism, not creation, turned out to be needed by a large number of people. I have the impression that I am still filling the gap in these services.

The help I have comes from people using the services that support and promote us on social media. If it weren't for them, it wouldn't be Ciach. When I opened my first showroom, I was still a start-up. I did not take a loan or grant to open like most new companies did. Thanks to the 'Odpalprojekt', I collected 7,000 PLN, and with this budget and the help of all the supporters, I was able to open my very first stationary location – and let me add, on the 37th anniversary of the opening of my grandmother's salon it was. Everyone who uses these services actually helps Ciach.

AD: Were you always keen on having your own barbershop? If not, what did you dream of prior?

KB: Maybe the question is not whether I was – but for whom. Arts and crafts were not the goal either. My nature is that if something is not there, you can always do it. It is a bit of my problem and, at the same time, a great power – that my thinking is not one-sided. But the idea of creating a place and community always intersects somewhere. The dreams I have are: I love discovering and getting to know. I am fascinated by the world around us. I fear restrictions the most. The golden cage. Sounds infantile and utopian. But I am glad that there are days when I can make my dreams come true and there are people who are passionate about what I do. I am always hungry for new things and I am not satisfied with where and how things work. Thanks to this, I still have the energy and the opportunity to develop, thanks to which I can still dream.

AD: As you are not the first barber in your family – can you tell me a bit more about this history?

KB: Yes it's true – my great-grandfather, grandfather, grandmother and mum were hairdressers. They were all craftsmen, they had their own salons, they taught others in preparation for exams, that is, they were masters. This means that I have 100 years of tradition behind me, so I continue the profession of my ancestors.

AD: How do you think your education at the Art Academy influenced your way of understanding a barbershop? Of what could be done differently? How to be more innovative?

Thumbnail — Work from the exhibition 'Naked Nerve' by Katka Blajchert, photo: Katka Blajchert

KB: My education was complex, like many things in my life. When I went to the academy, I was 25 years old and most of the people I knew were finishing or already lecturing. I was very secretive, I felt out of tune with my surroundings and I didn't care to be like everyone else. I had coloured hair and very colourful clothes – as if a great armour behind which I was hiding. My master's thesis supervisor, Wojciech Zamiara, saw something in me and he knew how to give me a place for expression. Performance and documentation became my statement. Cutting anywhere gave me strength. In a garage, by the sea, on a bench in the forest, among people at a bazaar, in a sculpture studio at the university, in a gallery. It was my way of releasing myself and finding a way of not getting confused. I have to admit, though, that I still feel this rebellion in me – and a search for different ways of expression than with Ciach.

AD: What makes 'Ciach Fryzjer' unique?

KB: I think that Ciach's uniqueness is largely due to the pursuit of an ideal that is beyond reach. We try to create a place for anyone who likes minimalism and hygiene. Simply, a nice place without judgement. In other words – where I would like to be myself. There are great girls working with me for Ciach. Most of them are artists active in the art market. They learn the basics of hairdressing as well as an understanding of how to work with people.

AD: From what I've observed, 'Ciach Fryzjer' has a bit of a cult following, would you agree?

KB: There is something to it, but I am not good with people and trends. Sometimes, when I find out that we just had a really interesting the person in our salon, I wonder what it is that makes people such amazing persons from culture, media, science and other fields come to us. At the same time, incredibly interesting people come, less recognizable in the media, and we have this impression that really – Poland is the best place to live in the world. I love all of Ciach: the people I work with and the people who visit us. I think creating this sense of security is the secret.

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Grandfather of Katka Blajchert, photo: courtesy of Katka Blajchert

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AD: Would you say that 'Ciach Fryzjer' is a somewhat ‘alternative’ barber? If so – why?

KB: I would not call it alternative, more classic. A bit like an internist. Once upon a time, barbers were doctors, dentists like blacksmiths. We’ve returned a bit to this holistic yet minimalist approach. Not to be confused with esotericism here. We are after trichology courses – study of the hair and scalp. The main problem of hygiene is often size. We try to go after minimalism and functionalism. Water is a cosmetic. In care, less is sometimes more. There is also a fashion for the so-called 'hair-maniac'. In our shop, we have local craftsmen, with an almost 100-year-old tradition, who make products for us. We try not to follow trends, but to instead develop our knowledge over time. In addition, we never had gender divisions – it’s Unisex for all services.

AD: What do people usually ask for?

KB: Simply – cutting. We cut dry. This is a result of many years of experience. I have super straight hair – low porosity hair. And I've never been able to get the perfect cut wet myself. I was able to dry though, without any problem. Over the years, I have learned to cut using my own techniques and methods. I still modify a lot, but the base is still the same.

AD: Do you feel 'Ciach Fryzjer' is setting a trend in hair cutting?

KB: Rather no. I have the impression that people are divided into those who like to come out changed and those who keep the same look for years. I am trying to care for both groups. However, we often leave our clients untouched by modelling. Therefore, we do not give them a specific form. We explain that often the hair has to style itself up to 2 washes. Our job is not to have to think too much about styling your hair on a daily basis or visiting the hairdresser too often. Although sometimes I do smile when something becomes mainstream – something that 12 years ago did not exist universally and I have already practiced it.

AD: How do you think 'Ciach Fryzjer' is adding to the cultural landscape of Warsaw? How is it forming culture? It's own culture, perhaps?

KB: I think it is a creation of modern times. As part of Ciach's activities, I created the first residence by going to Chicago in search of the Polish spirit in the workplace. Interestingly, Polish salons in the oldest districts were minimalist, but had a personal and national element. In addition to traditional equipment for services, there were personal items such as postcards, pictures, photos of Pope John Paul II, Polish thematic newspapers, collections of ships. Today, there are not many young places in Poland where there is a private personality or a rawness to a place. Most of them are fancifully created. The summary of the residence was shown during the exhibition 'Collective Capital' at the Museum of the History of the Co-operative Movement in Poland, curated by Alicja Wysocka. Ciach’s very first formal location was in the same building.

AD: If you weren't in this business, what else do you think you would be doing?

KB: A very difficult question – as I am constantly trying to get away from this business in many ways. I think my entire life. Thanks to the fact that I created a community, not a business, it is easier for me to cut myself off from what Ciach is as a barbershop. I create products with local artisans. Also what helps are my activities based on showing the works of artists as part of a monthly exhibition of one artistic work at the Salon on 16/14 Dobra Street in Warsaw and its summary at the turn of February and March 2023 inside the Mazovia Institute of Culture on Elektoralna Street in Warszawa. Ultimately, the audience will choose the winner for the best work. I don't know yet whether there will be a residence award or a cash prize.

I have a few unrealized ideas for sculptures that I plan to do in the near future. For those who know me, I am a restless spirit. I have several groups on Facebook, e.g. 'Beautiful furniture for a song', additionally, in several cities. I am interested in second-hand items. I almost started a furniture upcycling business during the pandemic with my husband. We rented a beautiful studio in the centre of Warsaw and bought equipment, we made prototypes, we have a great logo. We invented the entire production line. We ran out of time. I hope that one day I will come back to this idea. I have chosen two places for cafés, an idea for names and how to function. Unfortunately, the economic and energy instability stemming from the current situation will not allow me to implement projects in the near future. I look at these places every day and can't wait for everything to stabilise.

AD: What does 'Ciach Fryzjer' say about the way barber culture has changed – also taking into consideration your family's past and those traditions?

KB: I am thinking of doing a PhD in order to search for the history of aesthetics, appearance and hygiene, because right now we are living through a transformation actually – we do not know what is part of the global culture and what is part of our region. It is very interesting to consider what is our aesthetics and what is adopted after the partitions and migrations.

AD: Did your family have an unconventional barbershop? Or were they more traditional?

KB: My great-grandfather, Edward Ambrożewicz, was the first to have his salon on Słowackiego Street in Białystok; the economic crisis forced him to go to Mickiewicza Street until 1931 and after the war, nationalization forced him to go to work in the hairdressers' cooperative Jedność. Grandfather Zdzisław Ambrożewicz – I know from the story of him escaping Białystok at the end of the war and coming to Gdańsk to become a sailor. Unfortunately, his health did not allow him to do that and they asked the captain's office what else he could do, and so he got a barbershop in Gdańsk at the New Port on 12 Wolności Street. Mother – Ewa Ambrozewicz – had no choice but to help her grandfather and from the age of 18, she worked full-time with her grandfather.

My grandmother, Wanda Ambrożewicz, was a nurse, dreamer, and an elusive spirit. In her retirement, she adapted the gate next to her grandfather's living room and there, in her retirement, she opened her alternative male and female salon, and my mother worked with her while grandpa stayed only with the male one. Grandma was a go-getter, looking for novelties and curiosities, a bit of nature. And since she was a nurse, she knew how to help people. In the 1980s, she was dying on foil with a razor. I had the stigma of my mother, who didn't want to be a hairdresser – but had to. I remember that she closed the salon at 1:00 p.m., we would go to the sea and return by 3:00 p.m. I remember the sign hanging on our door ‘Zaraz wracam’ (Will be Back Shortly), and I kept thinking, ‘This is a cage, not an opportunity.’ Only when I came up with what I do, in my own way – by falling outside the box – could I experience satisfaction. But still – I think I have more complexes than pride.

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Great-grandfather of Katka Blajchert in the pre-war salon on Slowackiego Street in Białystok, photo: courtesy of Katka Blajchert

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AD: What do you think about tradition – how do you understand it? Are you for or against it?

KB: Tradition is a very difficult word as we are in a turbulent part of our history. I think my approach is very classic, because it comes from need not education. It is natural to long for something we know. I miss the ‘meeting place’, the history of people and the relationships they assign to places. I know that sounds utopian. People need an oasis of what they know. A nice place, naturally nice people – a bit like meeting a friend in the kitchen.

AD: Do you believe the work of a barber is underestimated or underappreciated in our society?

KB: As I wrote about my story, a lot has changed, but I think that it is still just a service, there is nothing special about it until there is a relationship between a hairdresser and a client. Some will go to anyone. But most go to someone they trust. And the profession of a hairdresser is a bit like a doctor, dentist, therapist. Whether we like it or not, we change a person's mood. Sometimes it won't work because it's just not possible, but most of it is cutting off the proverbial tangle and reintroducing it into society.

AD: Why do you think unconventional, more grassroots-like initiative are important?

KB: Where can you feel at home while living in the capital? A café, theatre, cinema, dentist? I personally have panic attacks in large clusters, especially of people I know. 1:1 relationships are perfect for small pleasant conversations. I believe that the creation of small communities gives a lot of opportunities – you do not have to throw yourself into the deep water immediately. It gives a sense of security. Sometimes it can be a couple, like me and Urszula Kozak: we started making ‘Calendar Girls with a Car’, we have the 4th edition, you can see the works at the Warsaw Under Construction exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art on the Vistula River until the end of January.

AD: Do you see working with hair as an art form? Could you explain?

KB: I opened my first salon 6 years ago in Warsaw, in the building ‘House Under Eagles’ on 1 Jasna Street; 14 square meters was enough for me. In the beginning, I had only a washcloth and a chair – I gradually added more elements. To enter inside, which was then on the same floor as the mint and the bank, a porter had to be greeted. There are several hairdressing elements in the decoration. We have Notes na 6 tygodni, there is a calendar of me and Ursula, and the entrance is greeted by a three-dimensional postcard with a sculpture of Venus.

The second location is now on 14/16 Dobra Street. This is a very special place for those who remember 33/35 Dobra Street: Czarny Lew, Aurora, Jadłodajnia filozoficzna, Diuna – combining the functions of a club and a common room. Currently, it is the site of the former ephemeris, today known as Młodsza Siostra – its counterpart. However, Ciach hangs by a thread there: we do not know when a developer will buy the entire locale to build something else. This has some benefits, though, since this impermanence allows only for the temporary use of a place, so instead the focus is on building relationships versus on the place itself. On Dobra Street, there are exhibitions of works by invited artists during the monthly unveiling of the work of 'Kurtynka' (Curtain), the decor changes every month depending on the needs of the artists. The place is without major arrangements, only furniture is added.

AD: Is there something 'Ciach Fryzjer' will not do? Regarding hair – of course.

KB: We cut dry hair without modelling it. We do not have black in the palette. Besides that, we can do everything.

AD: Is it true that you were cutting hair at home before you opened a place?

KB: I delayed the opening of a salon for a long time. I am very glad that I managed to find the perfect one for my preferences. My first salon on 1 Jasna Street was in a beautiful building, an example of early modernism. I recommend going inside – it’s stunning. The lounge was tiny, as I mentioned above, a perfect place in the centre of Warsaw. The current location on Dobra Street in Powiśle I chose because of how unique this spot felt – as if not in the midst of a metropolis, but somewhere off the beaten track.

AD: Do people have unusual requests – for example, to keep the hair you have cut?

KB: Not really, no strange requests. Sometimes we collect larger amounts of hair for training paint samples, which are not suitable for a wig for those in need. We prepare hair for donation, for wigs, which require a minimum of 25 cm, not coloured.

AD: Do you play music in the salon? What's been on the playlist lately?

KB: I grew up listening to ‘Rozgłośni Harcerskiej' (The National Scouts' Radio). I recommend delving into the history of this radio station. In short, the oldest Polish non-public radio station in the bloc of socialist countries, operating outside the state radio and television structures. It died in 1998. In Ciach, we listen to NTS radio, which we love. Also, anyone can support this station too.

AD: Thank you so much!

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