Hair Direction: Grooming Groove

  By Gary Kelly & Marie Scarano

Streetwise Strong: “Even short men’s cuts can offer flexibility if you know how to craft a smart cut so that the wearer has multiple style options. To create this confident and modern take on the Caesar, HERO Firm Hold Gel was worked through clean, dry hair, then combed through to shape and define the waves, providing super shine without crunch.” – Dana Caschetta (USA)

 

Classic Modern: “This image is timeless, representing a trend that never goes out of style – the ‘buzz cut’- but this time with a twist. Opting for an all over cut, my vision was to create something a little more unique, adding a slight lift at the front section, which recalls a vision of a ‘ledge’. This slight addition gives the hair so much more depth and allows the individual to bring their classic look into the modern day, with something a little different.” – Tracey Ann Smith (UK)

Wet Look: “The wet look is still in for both men and women. These looks may appear wash and wear but require some specific products to achieve, such as Pomades, gels and light hold sprays.” – Luigi Martini (USA)

Experimental Texture: “We are very fortunate to be in an era where the male grooming market is progressing at such an exceptional rate, trends are continuously being unveiled and clients are becoming much more experimental. This image created by the 2023 Project Men team is a true representation of the market currently. Whilst different textures, lengths and volumes are becoming much more on trend, the classic barbering techniques are still very much present. This image showcases the partnership of old and new – the close head shave and blend, with the longer length and texture used throughout.” – Simon Shaw (UK)

Experimental Texture: “We are very fortunate to be in an era where the male grooming market is progressing at such an exceptional rate, trends are continuously being unveiled and clients are becoming much more experimental. This image created by the 2023 Project Men team is a true representation of the market currently. Whilst different textures, lengths and volumes are becoming much more on trend, the classic barbering techniques are still very much present. This image showcases the partnership of old and new – the close head shave and blend, with the longer length and texture used throughout.” – Simon Shaw (UK)

Curl Enhancement: “I went for a very low taper keeping the length in the rest of the hair so I could really use product to enhance the curls. My inspiration for this look was having a strong shape. Making a shape in a hairstyle by keeping the hair long and tapered in the edges. I love this image because of the way the hair sits around the head in perfect fashion.” – Charles Rose (UK)

Style Contrasts: “Contrasting lengths and textures make this look perfect for any occasion, from casual to black tie. Easy to maintain for guys with curly hair. Why fight it when it can look so good?” – Cherry Petenbrink (USA)

Statement Look: “This image was part of our Lustre collection, inspired by 70s disco vibes! We wanted to showcase a variety of creative hair looks, using materials and wigs that would create incredibly unique, statement hair looks. This men’s look was created using a wig made from rubber. I spray painted it with silver paint and then by stretching it, created a really distressed effect and the illusion of textures and tones.” – Suzie McGill, Rainbow Room International Artistic Team (UK)

Skinfaded Quiff: “The skinfaded quiff is a combination of two classic elements: the fade, where the back of the head and sides are cut extremely short or shaved. The characteristic quiff on top instead consists of longer hair styled boldly.” – Jürgen Niederl (USA)

Rockabilly Ted: “I love my take on the Rockabilly haircut. I was inspired by a mix of the New Romantics and the Teddy Boys. Guys during both eras took pride in the way they dressed and would take a lot of time and effort to make their hair follow suit. Bauhaus and The Stray Cats were also an inspiration for this haircut. I wanted to embrace that classic ‘elephant trunk’ styling, leaving a slight disconnection through the top and sides to keep it modern with a retrospective twist.” – Ryan Chessman (UK)

Skullet/Mullet Hybrid: “This image shows my skillset of razor work, precision cutting, point cutting, fade work and even a little pattern work. My model Luke was the inspiration for this cut. I have been cutting his hair for a number of years now, so I am very aware that his poker straight hair makes shorted styles difficult to style, so because of this he’s sported a buzz cut for most of that time. But he wanted to try something new that would give him something to play about with and the skullet/mullet hybrid was the perfect style!” – Ryan Lewis (UK)

 Zeitgeist: “This look is a celebration of modernity because it captures the zeitgeist – individuals that are never afraid to be who they are and never follow the crowd.” – Mike Taylor (USA)