Eighties cliché is given the chop

Designers’ job prospects might be hairy if they conform to their clichéd images. Happily, they don’t.

The Court of Appeal recently ruled that it was “not unlawful” to sack a man because he wore a ponytail. One unfortunate who worked at a Safeway delicatessen counter got the chop as a result.

But the majority of designers are likely to be safe. A Diary survey of six random consultancies produced only one designer with a ponytail – 20/20’s Bruce Rae, who says the only reason he’d cut his off would be if his hairline receded any further.

Not one man at Elmwood has a ponytail. “We’re fairly well-groomed actually,” says a ponytailed spokeswoman.

“I would never have a ponytail. It’s so Eighties, it’s just for advertising people,” says a long-haired male C&FD designer in shocked tones.

Michael Johnson, creative director at Johnson Banks, has long hair but “never” wears it in a ponytail, according to a colleague.

“No ponytails here, we’re not that sort of company,” says Din Associates director Rasshied Din.

And not a single designer at Lewis Moberly has one.

Our photo shows the back view of Neil Thomas, director at structural engineering firm Atelier 1.

And, taken some seven years ago, it is out of date. Thomas, one of the pioneers of the ponytail trend, was also one of the first to anticipate its demise. He cut it off years ago.