Rocky Alexander

It was time for a fresh cut and fade and we were on mission to look our best for the weekend ahead. We stumbled upon a local barber shop after doing a mini-photo shoot for LD WEST. When we walked in, we were greeted by a young guy named Rocky. He was just finishing up one cut and we were next. We started talking and to our surprise, he had only been hired at the shop a short month ago. Funny enough, he was sought out and hired by the shop owner who discovered his talent through Instagram. He was quickly recruited. On this particular Saturday, Rocky was the only guy in the shop. He opened up for business alone and had been cutting hair for about an hour and half. In this short window, he has already perfected four cuts & fades! Rocky was already stacking and it was still only early in the morning!

Too often raw talent equates to an arrogant attitude. Our first impression saw nothing of the sort. Rocky is truly a cool dude, really mellow but with the right amounts of swag, hustle, ambition and the brains to succeed in life. More than this, what makes him stand out though is his age and accomplishments. Success found along an unlikely path. Rocky didn't wake up one day and decide suddenly he was going to cut hair for a living, nor was it his childhood dream. Legend has it he was thrown into the hair industry by his mother. He wanted a PS3 in high school for Christmas; his mom got him a hair cutting kit instead. She told him to learn to cut hair and earn the money to buy a PS3. At first he was disappointed, but the desire for the PS3 was very strong because before he knew it, he had the PS3 and his skills and talent grew at an exceptional pace. The unexpected outcome was the discovery of a love for cutting hair. I am sure many of you would agree that it is indeed a fine art to be able to do a proper cut and fade!

Rocky found his calling. Cutting hair has culminated into his true passion in life. He enjoys it and it shows. Pure talent and attention to detail are what make him an exceptional barber. It is the time he takes to be meticulous and the effort he takes to get to know each and every one of his clients that makes the experience in the chair that much more worthwhile. He doesn't just cut your hair and move on to the next appointment. He asks genuine questions to get to know every one of his clients, new and old, to relate and connect with them on a deeper, more personal level, like a close friend. There is a vibe about Rocky that so few people have; one that makes you want to hang around and talk. We felt totally welcome and at ease around him, within the first few minutes of meeting him. That's a rare thing to find with new people you meet. He says for him, getting to know his clients on a deeper level is what creates a strong, lasting bond, as well as trust. He wants his clients to trust him with their hair – after all, when you need to look your best, Rocky can help you do that. He knows that it's important and appreciates it when people trust him and his skills. It's a type of mutual respect that's hard to come by right off the bat. You can relax, you're in good hands with Rocky!

Rocky has accomplished a lot in his one month at the barber shop. He has a new and repeat clientele list (that keeps growing) and the shop owner already trusts him to run the place when no one else is around. This statement alone says a lot about him.

Having a fresh cut and fade is a lifestyle. The trend is perhaps only starting to take off here in Toronto, hell, maybe even in Canada as a whole, but if you ever have the chance to visit L.A. for example , you'll notice the abundance of barber shops around and you will quickly realize how this has become a lifestyle rather than routine grooming. 

Once we looked on point again, Rocky couldn't wait to try on the LD WEST Holster. Needless to say, he loved it. It was love at first sight! Feel free to check the images out to get whole story. 

LD WEST is a lifestyle brand and Rocky is just another proud example of the type of person who embraces the LD WEST lifestyle.

Welcome to the future.
Welcome to the LD WEST family.

If you're ever in Mississauga and need a cut and/or fade, check out our homie Rocky at GQ Hair Studio.
Make sure to follow Rocky on Instagram @rockyalexvnder