[Giveaway] Blazon: The Male Style Redefined

A man who is well groomed is often viewed as confident, an inspiration and a great example of what a man should be. There have been many products that have come on the market to assist in your grooming techniques. We were recently introduced to Blazon, the brush for the modern man. We had the chance to speak with the founder Airason Heard.

Who is Airason Heard? What Inspires and Motivates You?

Good design for the culture inspires Airason. In a nutshell, Airason is an architect and designer at heart, that’s grounded in making products and building spaces that address how people live. For Airason, the design has been a lifelong journey to find meaning in how we (the culture and community) live vis-a-vis everyday products and spaces. For Airason and his partners — the inspiration and motivation behind Blazon is grounded in filling a design gap for hairbrushes and everyday products— a market position that’s been overlooked for far too long. Blazon is committed to designing and developing hairbrushes that are connected to the culture in a meaningful way that addresses everyday use. That is, utility and quality is the driver. Hairbrushes are the first step in our design portfolio to address the needs of the culture and community.

How do you feel Blazon will continue to empower black men?

Blazon will continue to empower black men and the community as a whole by designing and producing products that address our everyday needs. We deserve better! We deserve products that meet, as well as, exceed our needs. We are committed to providing what the market has ignored for far too long. Blazon understands the needs of the culture and our community. As a result, we will produce and deliver high-quality, well-designed products that address the overlooked needs of the culture and community.

In today’s social climate, how important is self-value to you? Self-value is everything. We see ourselves not only through our family and community but also how we show up in person. That is, how do you communicate who you are, and what matters to you in world flooding in commercial images and physical cultural self-expression. For Blazon, all we have is our voice, and design is a universal language that communicates not only style but a point of view and position. Design and fashion is a medium, as well as, a lens to communicate a foundational view. Who are you, and what’s your position? For example, just look at the power of the du-rag as a form of self-expression. Blazon Co-founder Aaron Henry knows this very well, as his TSU-Rag products have inspired a movement for scores of black men and women to express their blackness and cultural relevancy.

What sort of research went into the creation of Blazon? Design discovery and research is the foundation of Blazon design. By strategically interviewing, surveying, and facilitating focus groups, the team leveraged key information that informed not only the design for the Blazon Hairbrush — but the need to develop a fashionable hairbrush that’s aligned to the culture and addresses everyday functional needs. In sum, our research revealed that not only do black men and women carry a brush religiously, but there’s a long overdue need to design a fashionable hairbrush piece that complements their style and provides a means to get their hair right on the go.

As we know, the hairbrush has been a staple for African American man for decades. What made you decided to take it to the next level? For black men, your hairbrush is no different than your wallet. Why? Your hairbrush is on your person at all times. We noticed this! It’s hard not to acknowledge black men brushing while walking, waiting for the train, conversing with friends, or prepping for a class in homeroom. We acknowledged the market gap. In turn, we designed and developed a high-quality, high-performance, fashionable, top-shelf hairbrush for the culture. No more overextending your back to grab a garbage hairbrush from the bottom shelf or brushing your crown with a hairbrush designed for economy of scale — not you.

What’s next for you? We plan to design a family of hairbrushes that addresses “detangling” for diverse hair types and variety of hair lengths. Our current hairbrush is designed for styling, finishing and developing deep pronounced waves patterns. We acknowledge that a portfolio of hairbrushes is required to fulfill the needs of diverse hair types.

Moving forward, we are also committed to designing a portfolio of products that addresses and responds to the needs of our community and culture in an intelligent and relevant way. That means engaging barbers, beauticians, stylists, and customers to understand relevant hairbrush requirements that address the needs of the culture and community.

For more information on Blazon and to purchase yours, click here. Register to win one today!

Photo Credit: Airason Heard, co-founder of Blazon

#Blazon #Grooming