St Petersburg, Russia - June 17, 2017
1. Various of hairdresser spraying flame on client's hair
2. hairdresser styling client's hair
3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Kirill, client (no full name given):
"Hair styled with flame is fashionable and beautiful. I like it very much."
4. Various of hairdresser spraying flame on client's hair
5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Alexander Menshikov, hairstylist:
"It's not merely styling hair with a flame. It's a process of creation. I'm a sculptor and fire is used to cut the unnecessary hairs."
6. Various of hairdresser spraying flame on client's hair
7. Hairdresser spraying agent on client's hair
8. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Alexander Menshikov, hairstylist:
"Customers come not only for pretty hair styles, but also for an interesting experience. Many of my customers took selfies with their mobile phones when they had their hairs styled, and many of them sent the pictures to their family and friends."
9. Various of hairdressers serving clients in barbershop
10. Hairstyle posters on wall

Hair styling with an open flame has recently become a massive hit on the streets of Russia's St Petersburg and also gone viral on social media networks.

Fashion icons in St Petersburg swarmed to a local barbershop to experience the unique hair styling. Hairdressers spray flames onto the clients' hair and shape it into a fashionable look.

"Hair styled with flame is fashionable and beautiful. I like it very much," said Kirill, a model who received the special hair styling service.

Alexander Menshikov, a hairstylist who invented the new hairdressing technique, said he could use flames to control every detail in the hair styling process and create a unique hair style for each client.

"It's not merely styling hair with a flame. It's a process of creation. I'm a sculptor and fire is used to cut the unnecessary hairs," said Menshikov.

Menshikov was a law professional before switching to hairdressing. He said the new job stimulates his creativity.

Menshikov has tested this many times on hairpieces before offering the service to his clients. He said the technique is safe as he has never set clients' hair alight for more than two seconds.

"Customers come not only for pretty hair styles, but also for an interesting experience. Many of my customers took selfies with their mobile phones when they had their hairs styled, and many of them sent the pictures to their family and friends," said Menshikov.