Team GIBS welcomes Steve Vilot to the family!
“Write and draw your dreams on paper in details. My dreams have appeared. Over and over and over.” ~ Steve Vilot
Steve Vilot, owner of Sims Barbershops and director of Barber Authority is old school. So old school he’s been a master barber more than half his life. So old school he penned this interview on paper. So old school his small-town barber skills land him on tour with some of music’s biggest names. This husband and father of two sons turned a one chair shop into an 11 seater and we just had to have him on Team GIBS. Meet Steve Vilot, and grab a pen.
Describe yourself in five words: Dad, husband, barber, friend and sex symbol.
You made it to Team GIBS. What’s your secret? I’m a 26 year, overnight success story. Write and draw your dreams on paper in details. My dreams have appeared. over and over and over.
What are you known for? I grew up in a small town; I had to take care of everybody. Age, race, short, long, beards and shaves. I have found my hair tricks cross over; the real depth comes through.
What do you want us to know about you? I love to cut hair. I’m constantly visualizing to the flow. It’s a live instant art project. I was in the business for 13+ yrs when I was featured in Milady Textbook. Then I started working for the Art of Shaving doing popup shaves in store. Working in New York and Boston regularly changed my world. I was hired to teach P!nk how to do a fake shave for a movie in which she plays a barber. Next thing I know I’m on tour with Eminem... then Dave Mathews. It’s been fun.
Favorite GIBS combo? Hitman Texturizing Spray and Outlaw Hair Spackle. I do three to four sprays of Hitman and blow-dry… another three to four sprays, more blow dry. Then light with Outlaw. It rocks. Every time.
Tips for aspiring barbers/stylists coming up in the game? I have been gifted the ability to take my tools across the world because I put in 110%. Don’t treat this profession as a side hustle.
How you enjoying Team GIBS? The GIBS family is something I didn’t see until it happened. It’s Merry Christmas, Happy New Year AND Thanksgiving with 20plus like-minded hair professionals. It’s powerful.
Eminem, Dave Matthews… You do a lot of big names. Surprisingly, they have a hard time finding a barber to take care of the whole crew. That’s why the small town barber is a great fit to take care of them all. With Dave Mathews, I do 62 people, from Dave to the bus driver. With Eminem, I do 16 people and my favorite is shaving Paul Rosenberg’s head. Paul is Em’s manager and CEO of Def Jam Records. They take me around the world to do it.
What makes a great barber/stylist? Passion to cut, shave and style your friends. Everyone that sits in my chair is an instant friend.
You bring more to the table: I tour as a barber and I love it. I have two shops in my hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and started my new chapter in October 2017, with Barber Authority Nashville. Stay tuned!!!
Find Steve all over Instagram at @simsbarbershop and @barberauthority, a collective of top name barbers offering premium, pop-up services throughout the music, action and motor sports and entertainment industries. Steve brought Team GIBS to the X Games in Aspen this January, catch it on our Instagram feed highlights.
