🇲🇹 & 🇩🇪TWO COUNTRIES. ONE CRAFT. — FROM MALTA AND GERMANY TO GHENT
Duncan & Lisa — Two Days of Traditional Barbering at ROMAIN
There's something fascinating about bringing two people from completely different corners of Europe into the same room.
Different countries. Different backgrounds. Different stories.
Yet somehow, they end up standing around the same sharpening stone, discussing the same razor and asking the same questions.
Meet Duncan from Malta and Lisa from Germany.
Two fellow professionals who travelled to Ghent, Belgium, for an intensive two-day traditional barbering workshop at ROMAIN.
They came for the knowledge.
And that's always a good place to start.
Two Days. No Shortcuts.
Our two-day workshop follows much of the educational foundation of Scapicchio Academy Level 1, but takes place in Ghent rather than Bovino, Italy.
The objective is simple.
Understand the craft. Not just the movements.
We spent two demanding days exploring the fundamentals of traditional barbering, combining theory with practical experience.
Razor geometry. Sharpening stones. Steel. Skin preparation. Traditional shaving techniques.
And, naturally, plenty of sharpening and shaving.
Because there's a considerable difference between knowing how to hold a straight razor and understanding what happens when steel meets skin.
Both Duncan and Lisa arrived with a strong professional foundation.
They were attentive, quick to understand and genuinely interested in the details.
The kind of students who make teaching enjoyable.
Not because everything comes easily.
But because they're willing to question what they already know.
And that's where real education begins.
Different Worlds. The Same Passion.
Malta and Germany.
Two very different places.
Different cultures, different professional environments and different approaches to everyday life.
Yet here they were, in our historic barbershop in Ghent, connected by something that has existed for centuries.
The art of traditional barbering.
There's something rather beautiful about that.
A craft built around simple objects.
A razor. A stone. A brush.
Tools that haven't fundamentally changed in generations.
And yet they continue to bring people together from across the world.
Watching Duncan and Lisa work, exchange experiences and develop their understanding reminded me why I enjoy teaching internationally.
Craftsmanship doesn't care where your passport comes from.
What matters is the respect you bring to the work.
And both brought plenty of it.
The Academy Is a Journey, Not an Obligation
One important aspect of our educational philosophy is freedom.
Not everyone who attends a workshop wants to become an Ambassador or Master Barber.
Some simply want to become better at their profession.
And I respect that enormously.
Our international workshops allow barbers to explore traditional techniques, develop their skills and discover whether the Scapicchio Academy is something they wish to pursue further.
For those interested in the official Academy journey, the educational pathway continues through three levels:
Level 1 — Bovino, Italy.
The foundations of traditional barbering, rooted in the heritage of the Scapicchio family.
Level 2 — Ghent, Belgium.
Advanced theory, sharpening, shaving techniques and a deeper understanding of the craft.
Level 3 — Bovino, Italy.
The next step towards earning the official Scapicchio Academy Ambassador title.
From there, further experience, dedication and development may eventually lead towards becoming a Master Barber.
But that journey isn't compulsory.
A barber can attend one workshop, learn something valuable and return home with new knowledge.
No pressure to collect titles.
No obligation to continue.
Because education should open doors, not create obligations.
Duncan's Next Chapter — Bovino and Beyond
For Duncan, these two days were only the beginning.
Following our workshop in Ghent, he decided to continue his education by completing Level 1 in Bovino.
And his ambitions don't stop there.
In 2027, he plans to return for Level 2, continuing his development within the Scapicchio Academy.
It's always rewarding to see someone discover a genuine interest in going further.
Not because they were pushed.
But because the experience convinced them that there was more worth learning.
Lisa, meanwhile, brought the same professionalism and dedication to our workshop.
Whether her journey eventually leads towards further Academy education or simply towards applying this knowledge in her own professional environment, the value remains the same.
Two professionals leaving with a deeper understanding of their craft.
That's already a success.
A Small Barbershop. An International Connection.
Over the years, ROMAIN has welcomed barbers from an increasing number of countries.
Some arrive with decades of experience.
Others are still discovering the possibilities of traditional shaving.
Some want to become Ambassadors.
Others simply want to understand how to sharpen a straight razor properly.
But they all share something.
Curiosity.
And the willingness to invest time in becoming better.
Duncan and Lisa are another wonderful example of that international connection.
Two people who might never have crossed paths otherwise.
Yet traditional barbering brought them together in Ghent.
For two days, nationalities didn't matter.
Experience mattered. Questions mattered. Technique mattered.
And so did the conversations between the lessons.
Because education isn't always about what happens during a demonstration.
Sometimes, it's about the people you meet along the way.
The stories you exchange.
And the connections that remain long after everyone has returned home.
Until Our Paths Cross Again
Duncan and Lisa, thank you for making the journey to Ghent.
Thank you for your dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm throughout these two intensive days.
It was a genuine pleasure sharing my knowledge with you.
And I have a feeling our paths will cross again.
Perhaps in Ghent.
Perhaps in Bovino.
Or somewhere else entirely.
That's the beauty of an international profession.
You never quite know where the next conversation will take place.
But somewhere, in another country, another barber is probably standing in front of a sharpening stone, asking exactly the same questions.
And that's how a tradition survives.
Not by keeping knowledge within four walls.
But by sharing it with people willing to carry it further.
Two countries. Two professionals. One shared passion.
The world is big. The barbering community makes it smaller.
That's the Protocol.
Want to join the Scapicchio Academy at ROMAIN in Ghent, belgium?
Get in touch to plan your 1-on-1 training with Master barber Stijn De Sutter and take your straight razor, honing and shaving services to the next level. Send us a Email
Ready for the real thing?
If you want more than just a good story and you’re ready to sharpen your craft (or your own look), you know where to find us.
From straight razor training and honing on natural stone to classic shaves and serious beard work in the chair, ROMAIN Barbershop & Academy in Ghent is where it actually happens—no noise, no shortcuts.
Book a service in ROMAIN
https://booking.optios.net/6064/select-location
Follow the journey
ROMAIN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romain_ghent
Stijn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desutter_stijn
Stijn on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@desutter_stijn
Academy info, courses or questions
Email: info@romainghent.be and we’ll take it from there.
Website ROMAIN: http://www.romainghent.be
Website Scapicchio Academy: http://www.scapicchioacademy.com
