What’s next in grooming

CUTS TO KEEP YOUR

Throughout the decades, the male grooming industry has seen the rise and fall of countless hairstyles and trends. From the return of the notorious ’80s mullet to the classic crew cut of the ’20s, when it comes to the next big hair trend, barbers are always first on the style scene.

STEPHANIE PFALZGRAF: KINGS DOMAIN BARBERSHOP, MELBOURNE

According to the 2021 American Crew All-Star winner and barber Stephanie Pfalzgraf, it’s time to dial the clock back a decade or two because, in her words, “the 2000s are back, baby.” As seen on the runways of Paris Fashion Week, Stephanie predicts that the mod haircut, in various lengths, is back in a big way this year. And on the return of long, lustrous locks, she predicts that sweeping curtain fringes and trending K-pop hairstyles will dominate in 2022. Fret not, if your mane is lacking in length, Stephanie assures us that the clean buzz cut is still very much in style. LUKE MUNN: HAVACHAT BARBERSHOP, ADELAIDE

Crowned Men’s Hairdresser Of The Year in AHFA21, we can trust in the illustrious Luke Munn to let us in on the top hair trends of 2022. Luke confirms that buzzcut season is upon us, predicting that we will see an abundance of men opt for a tight-fade buzz cut. If that’s not your thing, many men are opting to let their mane flourish, with a boom in heavily textured locks and length on the horizon. Last, but certainly not least, Luke reminds us that the mullet remains a trend that lives to see another year.

EYE ON IN 2022

With a new year upon us, we chatted with three renowned barbers and the god of grooming himself, American Crew’s Founder David Raccuglia, to get the scoop on their predictions for the top malegrooming trends to watch out for in 2022.

DAVID WIESELMANN: WIESELMANN SALON, MELBOURNE

A true veteran of the Australian hairdressing industry, David Wieselmann has been trend-spotting since his salon’s opening in the early ’70s. In 2022, he predicts that men will indeed be embracing shoulder-length looks and relive the ’80s with shaggy styling and natural textures. When it comes to the colour of the moment, David forecasts a year dominated by every shade of blonde under the sun. DAVID RACCUGLIA: FOUNDER OF AMERICAN CREW

Being the founder of American Crew, a grooming pioneer, a salon owner and a renowned photographer, David understands the ever-evolving category of men’s hair better than most. His trend predictions for 2022? David predicts that long, loose styles with unstructured, naturally-textured and looser-looking shapes that are effortless but still aesthetically pleasing are on the horizon. In his own words, he says “The men’s category has reached a place where there’s so much diversity. This is really the first time that we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate many different looks because for once, it’s not about trends, it’s about style and adapting to one that defines you.”