Bötschi asks Starfigaro Martin Dürrenmatt: "I don't know if Donald Trump's hairdresser is making a mistake"

Martin Dürrenmatt is one of the most sought-after hairdressers in Switzerland - and knows the secrets of numerous celebrities. In this interview, he talks about crying customers, Donald Trump's hairstyle, Roger Federer's look and reveals why he thinks grey is the most beautiful hair color of all.

Martin Dürrenmatt, we're playing a question-and-answer game today: I'm going to ask you as many questions as possible over the next 45 minutes. And please answer as briefly and quickly as possible. If you don't like a question, you can also say "Next" once.

All right.

Short or long?

It depends on what it's about (laughs).

Let's start with the hair.

I really like long hair because it gives me more scope to be creative as a hairdresser.

Mountain or valley?

Definitely valley - I'm a city person.

Basel or Zurich?

Although I grew up in Baselland, I've lived in Zurich for over 15 years - so the answer is clear: Zurich. My hair studio is here, my friends are here and my whole life takes place here. That's why Zurich just feels right to me.

What was your most revolutionary thought as a teenager?

I knew from an early age: I want to be a hairdresser (laughs).

Is it really true that you were already doing your parents' hair as a toddler?

There's a video of me trying to cut my parents' and sister's hair at the age of two and a half - with plastic scissors, of course.

Many people rebel about their hair at a young age. What was it like for you?

I was a sociable teenager and never really felt the need to dye my hair green or blue.

About the author: Bruno Bötschi

blue News

blue News editor Bruno Bötschi regularly talks to well-known personalities from Switzerland and abroad for the question-and-answer game "Bötschi fragt". He asks them lots of questions - always direct, often funny and sometimes profound. It always remains open until the very last question as to where the fast-paced ping-pong will lead.

Would your mother agree with you?

Yes (laughs).

Where does your soft spot for hair come from?

To be honest, I would be very interested to know myself. Nobody in my family is a hairdresser.

What fascinates you about hair?

I'm always fascinated by how different hair feels and how versatile it is to move and change. This versatility is what makes working with hair so exciting.

What do you say to people who claim that the hairdressing profession only consists of cutting hair and is not particularly demanding?

Unfortunately, such prejudices don't disappear overnight. Nevertheless, I believe I have shown time and again in recent years how much more there is to the hairdressing profession. It requires creativity, precision and constant development.

What is beauty?

For me, beauty has little to do with perfection. A person is truly beautiful when they radiate contentment and love.

Is unkempt hair with a cut that has grown out something like worn and unshined shoes?

For me, well-groomed hair is an absolute must.

What do you look at first in a person?

Their ass (laughs).

Spontaneously: Two role models when it comes to hairstyle?

When it comes to women, the first thing that comes to mind is podcaster and content creator Emma Chamberlain. Her appearance at this year's Met Gala totally wowed me: the hand-painted couture dress by Mugler combined with the short, heavily textured blonde hair - an incredibly cool look. For men, I particularly like the tousled short hair style of Australian actor Jacob Elordi at the moment. The look is both casual and modern at the same time.

What does the mirror at the hairdresser's do to customers?

Looking in the mirror unsettles many people.

What do you do in such a moment?

Empathy is extremely important in moments like this. I try to show my customers that they are just right the way they are. Today, we often talk about diversity and individuality - but in my opinion, this is still not really practiced enough. It's important to me that people feel seen, understood and empowered in my salon.

What is the biggest mishap that has happened to you while cutting hair?

Fortunately, I've never had a really bad mishap. But of course I'm not on top form every day either.

What do you do if a customer isn't happy with her new hairstyle?

I'm not telling anyone a secret when I say that this has happened before. Transformations in particular - such as the transition from dyed hair to natural gray - are about much more than just a new hairstyle. There is often an extremely emotional process behind it. Just recently, a customer started crying just before looking in the mirror and at one point said, sobbing, that she thought she had made a mistake.

How did the woman react when she saw herself in the mirror for the first time with her new hairstyle?

The tears had not yet dried and she was on the verge of saying that she wanted to dye her hair again. In moments like that - as I've already said - it takes a lot of empathy on my part. But for me, that's part of being a hairdresser: It's not just about giving someone a new look, but accompanying the person on this journey over a longer period of time.

Statistics say that around 70 percent of women dye their hair. Why is that?

I think it has to do with the prejudice that gray hair automatically makes a woman look older. But gray hair offers almost the same possibilities as dyed hair - you can create depth, dimension and exciting looks just as well with it.

Udo Walz, the late Berlin star hairdresser, told me in an interview: "If you have gray hair, you need a crazy haircut."

I don't see it that way. But it's also clear that if you want to be well styled, you should go to the hairdresser regularly.

Is there a rule of thumb for women on how often they should go to the hairdresser?

For short hair, I would recommend about every six weeks; for long hair, an appointment every three months is usually enough.

And for men?

That's very individual. Some go once a week, others every six weeks.

Who cuts your hair?

I've been getting my hair cut by the same barber once a week for years. It's a moment of complete relaxation every time - half an hour where I can just sit quietly and switch off.

Can you tell me the name of your barber?

Go on, please.

Why again is gray the most beautiful hair color for you?

There's something incredibly modern and elegant about gray. In fashion, silver has long been synonymous with coolness and high quality - so why not use it on your head?

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Customers like to confide their problems and worries to their hairdresser of many years. Do you have to keep a lot of secrets?

Yes, I know quite a few secrets - enough for a book. But in the end it would only be exciting to a limited extent, because of course I wouldn't be allowed to reveal the names of the celebrities.

Why do you prefer to work in silence?

Quite simply because I have to concentrate on my work. If you want to do your job really well, you need focus - and it's no different for me. When I'm cutting or coloring hair, I can't make small talk and talk about dogs, children or vacations at the same time.

Does it annoy you when customers come to you with photos of stars and want to look like Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence?

Not at all. Such pictures actually help me to better understand the desired look. The only time it gets difficult is when a customer expects to look exactly like Jennifer Lawrence.

Who was the very first celebrity you had the pleasure of styling?

Off the top of my head, I would say Christa Rigozzi. But to be honest, I'm not one hundred percent sure (laughs).

Is it something special to be able to do a celebrity's hair?

Definitely at the beginning. You only know these people from television or magazines and have no personal connection to them at all. When someone you only knew from the media suddenly sits in front of you, it is of course special. But now I style so many well-known personalities that a certain normality has developed - and I think that's nice. At the end of the day, they're just people.

When can you call yourself a star hairdresser?

I have no idea. I think I was called that in the media for the first time when I was 21. Sure, I styled the hair of many famous people early on. But does that automatically make you a star hairdresser? That's for others to judge. The simple fact is that I now work with many celebrities.

You regularly talk in the media about your celebrity clients such as Sandra Boner, Hazel Brugger, Beatrice Egli, Stefanie Heinzmann and Sandra Studer. Why is it important to these women that their hairstyles are mentioned in the media - or are you the driving force behind it?

It's not important for any of us in terms of planned marketing - not for my customers and not for me either.

Sorry, I don't believe you.

Let's put it this way: we don't consciously create a new hairstyle and think about how we're going to market it publicly at the same time. But social media is simply part of everyday life these days - many people share pictures of their work and their lives there. It's completely normal in my profession. And because I often work with well-known personalities, this automatically results in content that then appears in the media.

In March, you flew to Germany and dyed comedian Hazel Brugger 's hair platinum blonde just a few hours before the German ESC preliminary round. Was she afraid to look in the mirror?

No, not at all (laughs). Probably also because I radiate calm and confidence at work. Hazel realized that she could trust me - that's why she was completely relaxed in the chair the whole time.

What's a hairdressing appointment with a celebrity like?

(Laughs out loud) Like a normal appointment with a hairdresser. People often imagine it to be much more spectacular than it actually is. No matter who comes to me: the person comes to my hair studio in Opfikon near Zurich, we greet each other, talk about what we want to do - and then we get started in a very relaxed manner.

Is there someone you would definitely like to do the hair of?

Cameron Diaz and Miley Cyrus. I love their looks and their courage to change.

Which famous Swiss woman would you like to give a new look?

(Thinking) I can't think of anyone at the moment ...

... because you've already done everyone's hair at least once?

Probably (laughs).

You're known as a charming and witty entertainer. Did you pick that up with your mother's milk, or who taught you that?

I certainly picked up a lot of it at home - from my parents. The values you learn as a child shape you enormously, such as treating other people with respect and kindness.

There are almost 100 cooking shows on German television alone, and TV chefs are celebrated like pop stars. Why can't hairdressers do the same?

You're knocking on my door - I also think it's a real shame that there are hardly any TV formats for hairdressers. For me, such a format is long overdue. And you know what, I've already had discussions with TV station managers and made specific suggestions - but for reasons unknown to me, they've never been implemented.

How have customers' expectations changed in recent years?

I think everything has become more complex and demanding - both for customers and for us hairdressers. Many people today are more insecure and stressed, but at the same time have higher expectations of life. Haircutting techniques have also developed enormously. That's why I always say: hairdressing is an extremely demanding profession that requires brains, creativity and a lot of sensitivity.

Zurich star hairdresser Charles Aellen answered this question two years ago in an interview with the NZZ: "Let's just say that people in general have become a little more ill-mannered and non-committal."

There is a lot of truth in this sentence.

You are considered one of the most expensive hairdressers in the Zurich region. Why should a woman pay you 230 francs for a haircut?

Nobody has to, of course - in the end, every woman decides for herself where and by whom she gets her hair done. But when you come to us, you get much more than just a haircut. For us, it's about the whole experience: we take our time, welcome our customers personally, serve a nice cappuccino or a glass of Prosecco and create an atmosphere in which you feel comfortable. But the most important thing is: I am completely there for the customer during the entire appointment - without rushing and without any other distractions. And yes, all this comes at a price, of course.

At the beginning of the year, you introduced gender-neutral prices in your hairdressing salon. Since then, a haircut has cost the same for men and women. How have your customers reacted to this change?

I have to say: on the whole, the price change has been met with understanding. But of course there are one or two gentlemen for whom our prices are now too high and who therefore no longer come to us.

In your specific case, gender-neutral prices mean that the prices for women have remained unchanged, while those for men have been increased by around 80 percent. You told "20 Minuten" that you wanted to "stop women being taken for a ride" with this price adjustment. Did people understand your argument?

Men understood it less than women. After I made the statement in the newspaper, I received a lot of negative messages on social media.

What was criticized?

The criticism quickly became personal and often even vicious. Some accused me of ripping people off, others wrote that I would soon go bankrupt anyway. The extent and nature of these comments really shocked me. But at the end of the day, I still decide for myself how much a haircut costs in my salon.

What mistake is Donald Trump's hairdresser making?

I don't even know if his hairdresser is making a mistake - maybe he's just doing the best he can.

Roger Federer was once the biggest tennis star in the world: is his hairstyle also world class?

Is there such a thing as a world-class hairstyle? For me, a hairstyle is world-class if someone feels comfortable with it, it suits their style and also works well in everyday life.

Is Federer's hairstyle suited to his type?

Yes - I think Roger Federer's look is very cool overall.

"The most beautiful piece of clothing a woman can wear is the embrace of a man she loves," Yves Saint Laurent once said. What is the most beautiful hairstyle a woman can wear?

For me, the most beautiful hairstyle a woman can wear is one that was created with love.

A beautiful final word.

Period. Merci. Goodbye (laughs).

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