Why Mumbai men love the fade haircut, and here's your complete guide to get it

March temperatures are already hitting a record high and maintaining your hair in this humidity is the biggest challenge The solution mdash a fade cut Be it with a short crop on top bleached platinum or even with a bunOne of the most popular cuts in the city according to local barbershops the fade even has musician John Mayerrsquos stamp of approval At his recent concert in the city Mayer gave a shoutout to Mumbai men who he feels have the best fade cuts ldquoMen your haircuts are fantastic I have never seen more care talent and skill put into the fade I want to run my hand through all of your hairrdquoAt his recent concert in the city John Mayer gave a shoutout to Mumbai men who he feels have the best fade cuts ldquoMen your haircuts are fantastic I want to run my hand through all of your hairrdquo PicGetty ImagesAnd most men donrsquot spend more than Rs 200 at the local barbershop which also serves as a destress hub to get the news of the neighbourhood Very much like Ice Cubersquos 2002 movie BarbershoplsquoI missed Mumbairsquos barbershops when studying outsidersquoMulund resident Jay Solanki 23 has just completed his MBA from ICFAI Business School Pune and one of the things he missed most about aamchi Mumbai was his local barbershopHairstylist Shubham Bhatiya gives a fade to his client Jay SolankildquoEvery three months I would come home and get a cut first thing I tried local barbershops in Pune but they didnrsquot really workrdquo says Solanki who frequents Thanersquos Samrat Hair Parlour for his fade cuts ldquoI have been sporting a fade for five years now as it is so easy to maintain I didnrsquot even know it was called a fade at first but I havenrsquot gotten another cut since Irsquom glad itrsquos still trendingrdquo he addsHis hairstylist Shubham Bhatiya 39 has been cutting hair since the age of 18 Bhatiya has diplomas and certificates in hairstyling and cutting but his first lessons came from spending summer holidays at his unclersquos barbershop in Dungarpur RajasthanAfter honing his experience at salon chains in the city Bhatiya joined Samrat started by his father Geharilalji Bhatiya in 1991 ldquoItrsquos my fatherrsquos legacy And mujhe bhi mazza aata hai sabki stories sunn ne ko My goal is not money but to make people look good and to give them a good experience When a guy walks on the road people should notice he has a good cutrdquo says BhatiyaMost men however donrsquot cut their hair for style but need mdash unless itrsquos for festivals or birthdays mdash he says But GenZ is regular with cuts Fades remain the most common cuts men go for he says ldquoever since David Villa David Beckham and Ronaldo made them popular more than a decade agordquo For 2026 summer he says taper fades mullet fades are trending in Mumbai Most people donrsquot think about what cut will suit the Indian hair type or their face shape Luckily it works because ldquoIt is easy to maintain and you just need a little wax no expensive products to style So many Mumbaikars use two wheelers a fade will look good even when you take off the helmetrdquoNot just a cut a grounded cultural experienceMalad resident Siddharth Bhatia has been sporting a fade for a decade now ldquoBack when I first got it I didnrsquot know what it was called I finally overheard someone call it a fade and got one I still sport one as I do not know what else to ask for But I like how it looks especially after I let my hair grow out a bit It helps me look sharperrdquo says the 30yearold graphic designerSiddharth BhatiaBhatia is also a football fan and he says back when he used to play every second person playing football at the turf had the same cut as did pro players ldquoEven manga and comics depict similar hairstyles It helps keep sweat and hair away from the facerdquo he saysBhatia goes to Kohinoor near Orlem Church ldquoa barbershop my dad goes to toordquoldquoEveryone in the area goes to Kohinoor and they like to talk about whatrsquos happening in the neighbourhoodrdquo mdash from redevelopment to what happened at church or who had the best rain dance and DJ in their society for Holi he addsldquoItrsquos not just about the value for money the experience is grounded and more authentic Big chains can be overwhelming and therersquos a pressure to dress well I like the ease of the local shoprdquo says BhatialsquoLong hair doesnrsquot last in humidityrsquoAd film director Brian Saldanha says having short hair and a military style fade comes naturally to him as he has grown up playing a lot of sports ldquoI also had to keep my hair short growing up as my mum was a teacher in the same school I studied inrdquoBrian SaldanhaldquoAs a teenager my coaches benched me for not having a disciplined haircutrdquo says the 32yearold A fade with different lengths on top was a natural progression for Saldanha who was looking for a cool cut post school ldquoI stick to fade because itrsquos easy to maintain groom and look after I had a phase for long hair But that didnrsquot last long with Mumbairsquos humidityrdquoSaldanha has a fixed barberRohit Anand salon in Chembur When his regular is shut he visits other small barbershops close to his home ldquoI get my hair cut the same way every time You will spend less than Rs 500 at any local barbershop for a shave and a haircut and a champi thrown in toordquoFade guideMid Fade A versatile option that starts at the middle of the sidesLow Taper Fade Keeps sides subtle blending just above the ears and neck for a balanced lookDrop Fade The fade dips behind the ear maintaining a dark area to contrast with longer curly hairStyling Use a diffuser on low heat to minimize frizz and add volume For curly hair apply curlenhancing cream amp gel to define locks Mousse and sea salt to add volumeMaintenance Regularly trim the sides to keep the fade sharp and prevent it from looking unkempt as curls grow outTips to get the right fadeAvani YashwinBy Avani Yashwin Founder Happy In The Headgtgt thinspOval face Most fades work but mid fade has a perfect balancegtgt thinspRound face Sides tight volume on topgtgt thinspHeart or diamond face Low fade or drop fade avoids the forehead looking wider and softens the chingtgt thinspSquare face High fade or skin fade highlights jawline and maximises contrastgtgt thinspLong rectangular face Lowmaintenance low fade with no unnecessary height on top