Anita opens a new hair salon at the age of 71: “We are no longer allowed to work, but I am having fun” (Antwerp)

“Elderly people are no longer allowed to work, but I am having fun.” With those cheerful words, Anita De Bie immediately dispels all prejudices. The cheerful lady cuts and brushes her customers’ hair with youthful flexibility in her new hair salon Anita’s Hair & Color Studio.

“I wanted to live closer to my sons in Antwerp. But they knew all too well that I would not move if I had to stop my business in Kapellen,” says Anita. “My sons knew through a friend who lives in the Groen Kwartier that this studio would become available. Everything immediately accelerated. I made the decision in January and then my sons and ‘daughters-in-law’ spent every spare moment organizing everything down to the last detail.”

Fifty years

Anita has been in the business for fifty years and has been self-employed all her life. Her regular customers follow her everywhere. “There are also many who already live in Antwerp. My youngest customer is one and a half years old and my oldest is 87. It is wonderful to put a smile on the faces of four generations.”

Anita got into the hairdressing world through her ex-husband. “I didn’t know anything about it, but I was immediately sold. My husband then arranged for me to train as a colorist at L’Oreal.”

As one of the first colorists in Antwerp, Anita started working with silver paper to create a beautiful balayage. “In the past, a kind of bathing cap was used, through which you pull the strands you want to color with a crochet hook. When I saw a hairdresser using silver paper at a workshop in Germany, I started using that method too. And I haven’t touched a swimming cap for 49 years, it disappeared into my children’s craft corner. (laughs)”

Ecological

Anita: “I think we all have to do our part to create an ecological world. And no, it’s not just young people who think that. I want to leave a beautiful world, not only for my beautiful children, but also for my beautiful grandchildren.”

“By moving to Antwerp I can do everything on foot or by bike and I am going to sell my car. Wonderful, all that movement.”

Anita also tries to work with ecological products in her hairdressing salon. “The aprons are made of biodegradable plastic and the black towels are made of wood pulp, so they can go in the green container. People always use cotton because you can wash it. But the large amount of water, soap and then the energy for the dryer is more damaging to the environment.”

Anita just wants to get rid of the silver paper for the balayage. “I’ve tried everything, but baking paper and ecological plastic don’t fold properly or let the color pass through to the other hair. So if anyone ever comes up with a good solution, please let me know.”

Because Anita has no plans to stop immediately. “As long as I am fit, I will continue. See you in fifteen years, when you can write that I have finally stopped.”