Meet Springs’ knight
He had many opportunities to leave Springs, but choose to stay here.
His school teacher predicted by becoming a hairdresser will land him in prison, but his years this profession took Frikkie de Jager around the world.
De Jager has been teaching hairdressers in 80 cities, around the world and is part of the elite group that determines the fashion and hairstyles of the world for each season.
For his contribution to the hair dressing fraternity De Jager received several awards.
The knight and officer commander of Intercoiffure Mondial, awards from the French government, are some of the most prestigious awards he received through his years of teaching.
He is also hair hero and received several awards of recognition.
He says he began teaching hairdressers many years ago when a friend asked him to help him out.
He was spotted by a hair product manufacturer and then conducted his teaching career, while he still has his hair salon in Springs.
The first hair show he participated in was in Berlin and the most recent in Perth, during last year.
He had workshops where some of the big names in the world of hair dressing was present.
De Jager has also trained a lot of famous hair dressers through the years.
He was president of the South African Intercoiffure, the organisation for hairdressers for several years before retiring from the position.
Currently he is the representative for the Oceania region of the world at the international Intercoiffure-organization that includes South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, Reunion and Singapore.
He is the first hairdresser from South Africa to be come part of a central European committee for hairdressers.
This representation makes De Jager part of the group in the world that determines the fashion trends of the world.
The group works two-and-a-half seasons in advance to determine what hairstyles, clothing and jewelery will be in fashion.
He lifted the lid on the next season – short back and sides and heavy on the top.
He also is a qualified juror to judge at any hair competition in the world.
De Jager says he has all the ideas for new and different hairstyles as pictures in his head.
“I am not a good sleeper, so I lay awake thinking out new hairstyles,” says de Jager.
He grew up in Nigel and always wished he could fly somewhere with the aeroplanes he saw passing in the sky, never knowing that he will fly around the world for hairdressing.
De Jager, who grew up in a home of hairdressers has his hair salon in Springs for 32 years.
His dad, Louis, mom Nossie and sister Elize Alison were all in the hair dressing business.
His wife, Charmaine and daughter Billy-Jéan (20) joined him in his business and the younger one, Daniela shows potential of becoming a hairdresser.
De Jager says they had many opportunities to leave Springs, but choose to stay here.
