Matrix Australia's Uros Mikic is Inspired By Urban Nature in His Latest Collection

Growth Factor

When Uros Mikic, creative director for Matrix Australia, visited New York for the first time recently, he was so inspired by the urban nature of the city that he created a collection of men’s looks that reflects the mix of cultures from Harlem to the East Village. “I love the variety of cultures, fashion and people roaming the streets, and in the same sense loved the individuality of each person I met,” he says. In both cutting and styling, he worked with texture and form, creating sharp geometrical shapes to achieve clean looks, and introduced intriguing details like braids and sharp lines in the fading to make the cuts unique and bespoke for the individual. In The Village, the look shown here, he decided to play with perfect fading and disconnection with a beard. —Marianne Dougherty, editor in chief

Like this classic clipper cut from MITCH by Paul Mitchell? We thought you would, so we’ve provided the step-by-steps:

1. Brush all the hair forward using a soft bristle barber’s brush.

2. Apply a clipper guard #1 with an open blade to achieve the desired length on top. Start at the front hairline and work your way to the crown using small back-and-forth strokes with the clipper.

sides

1. Begin using a trimmer to create a foundational baseline around the entire perimeter. Start at the sideburn and then move around the ear. Move the trimmer from side to side to make the surface completely clean.

2. Etch in the line behind the ear.

3. Go to the nape and use the trimmer to fade to the lower occipital bone.

4. Do the same technique on the opposite side.

5. Fade to the clipper guard 1 and fade up to the temporal area. Continue to use short back-and-forth motions with the clipper to ensure all the hair is cut evenly.

6. Hold the ear back to fade above the ear.

7. Use your other hand to help hold the scalp tight to get an
even cut.

8. Edge the front hairline using the trimmer to create a very sharp, defined outline.

Follow these steps for a successful fade, starting from the bottom and working your way to the top.

 

Using a trimmer

1. Size 000 blade open

2. Size 000 blade open

3. Size 000 blade closed

4. Size 000 blade with clipper guard

THE BIG FINISH Apply MITCH Barber’s Classic Moderate Hold/High Shine Pomade to dry hair, using the palms of your hands to create shine. —M.D.

Photography: Simon Cecere