Zebina Risidi has spent her career cutting it in a man’s world.

Zebi, as she prefers to be known, was eight when she joined her family in their Bradford hairdressing empire – Marios – and became one of only a few female barbers.

“I started in the business very early. We used to go in on Saturdays, make tea, coffee and sweep up,” she recalls, referring to her cousin Tony, whom she trained with in those early days.

Back then, the salon was in Bradford’s Wool Exchange. It is still based in the building but located on Market Street. It is now managed by Tony, who works there with his brother, Enzo, and son, Robert.

Zebi was 12 when she began training to become a barber.

“I did my first hair cut when I was 14. There were about 15 men there and only me, so it was very unusual. It was very much a man’s job.”

While her clients are predominantly male, she does cut women’s hair, but prefers working on men. “I always preferred doing the barbering, and still do,” she says.

After completing her education, Zebi joined the salon full-time. She moved into the Kirkgate salon, where she is now manager, in 1979.

In between styling her own clients, Zebi is involved in running the business and developing the new training academy.

She looks after the company’s website and recently organised a photoshoot to showcase the talents of the salon’s creative team, led by 20-year-old Luciana (Lucy) Corridini – the third generation of the De Luca family who set up this hairdressing dynasty in Bradford more than half a century ago.

Lucy’s grandfather, Ugo – known as Mario – opened the first salon in the old Forster Square railway station in 1952. His family ran a salon in their native Naples, but eventually his brothers, Mario and Guido, came over, enabling the expansion of Mario’s in Bradford.

Zebi and the rest of the family are carrying on that legacy, and the launch of the training academy is indicative of the foresight the company has when planning its future.

The aim is to deliver courses for hairdressers to expand their skills. Zebi says they want to give something back to the city and the community for the support they have had since Mario’s opened in Bradford.

Zebi is passionate about the academy and raising the profile of the staff working in the company – hence the recent photoshoot.

“I love a challenge. I need to have something to aim at. I need to have a goal and something to achieve, and then I work at it,” she says.

Zebi loves everything about the trade. “I love cutting hair. When you get somebody in the chair who hasn’t a clue what they want, and you can create something totally suited to them – tailor-made for them – they go out feeling like a million dollars.

“For anybody who wants to come into hairdressing in whatever capacity, it is a fantastic job. The job satisfaction is amazing.”

She says qualities candidates need to do the job are commitment and a creative flair.

For more information about training, contact Marios on (01274) 732042 or go to marioshairandbeauty.com.