Vintage hairdresser remembered as industry pioneer after death – The Irish News

Tributes have been paid to an influential Belfast hairdresser and entrepreneur who was among the pioneers of vintage style in Ireland following her death.

Clare Afshar, who founded the Vintage Rocks salon in south Belfast, died last Friday. She was around 40 years old.

The mother-of-two opened the business in 2009 in the Newtownbreda area, and is believed to have been the first in Ireland to specialize in the vintage rock and roll style that would explode in popularity in the following years.

Clare honed her skills in Los Angeles, where she moved with her family when she was nine.

She returned to Ireland as a teenager and became one of the North’s most inspiring designers, being nominated for NI industry awards and recognized elsewhere for her distinctive work.

During the Covid lockdown, Clare worked on an NI Opera short film, Old Friends and Other Days, which won several awards, including at the London International Short Film Festival and the Madrid Art Film Festival.

In recent years she has opened another vintage salon in south Belfast, The Cactus Cottage.

Her family described her in a statement as a “loving wife and mother, as well as a passionate and creative hairdresser and entrepreneur.”

“Clare’s dedication to the hair industry has transformed the local hair scene, pushing industry standards forward in terms of creativity,” they said.

“In addition to her innovative and creative hairstyles, which were the reason customers were drawn to her hair salon, it was her caring nature, bubbly personality and lust for life that kept customers coming back. She had a magical spark that was contagious.

They added that their loved ones are “truly devastated by your loss and would appreciate time to grieve in private.”

Tributes to Clare have flooded social media since her death.

Former colleague Sophie Watson said in a post: “Clare’s passion for hairdressing was unlike anything I had ever seen and inspired me so much.”

Shauna O’Loan, owner of Purely Hair in Magherafelt, wrote: “Clare was one of the most talented women I have had the pleasure of working with.”

Jolene Ritchie, of Little Hair Haven salon in Glasdrumman, Co Down, said the northern hair industry has “lost one of its most talented people”.

A GoFundMe campaign for Clare’s family to cover funeral costs and support her children has so far raised more than £16,000.

Friend and organizer Clare Gillen wrote: “There really are no words to describe the raw pain we all felt, especially Clare’s incredible husband and her two daughters, who were her absolute world.”

Clare’s daughter is a member of GAA club Loughinisland GAC.

A spokesperson said the club was “shocked and saddened”, adding: “Our hearts are very much with her husband Ciaran, her two daughters Lucy and Leila, and the wider Gibney family circle. We will keep them all in our thoughts and prayers as they navigate this difficult loss.”