An interview w/ Stephanie Pfalzgraf

THE FIRST FEMALE ALL-STAR ON CUTS AND CREATIVITY

W/ 2021 ALL-STAR WINNER STEPHANIE PFALZGRAF

It was just over a year ago that American Crew, for the first time in history, crowned a female barber to be the 2021 All-Star Competition winner. Melbourne-based Stephanie Pfalzgraf is a true creative force whose unique outlook and artistic certainty saw her create a flawless, yet edgy cut that left the judges speechless.

STEPH’S CREATIVITY HOT-TIPS

The vision behind her cut was to challenge gender status quo, and celebrate diversity. Despite making waves in the world of barbering, men’s hair is one of many mediums Stephanie uses to let her creativity flow.

Not always a barber, the young star who hails from Germany, started out in graphic design and has always used a variety of mediums to explore topics that are meaningful to her.

Having first fallen for the barber scene in 2016, these days you will find her crafting cuts at Melbourne’s Kings Domain Barbershop. We had a coffee with Stephanie to talk about her winning look, masculinity, and what lays behind the multifaceted artist’s creative process.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

You are an artist who has worn many hats, how do you know where to go next in your creative journey? What are some of your biggest learnings? What stands out to me in my life so far is that when you get lost for a little bit you just have to trust the process and, if you do, you’ll end up right where you’re meant to be. In the past three years, I’ve learnt that loss and uncertainty bring a lot of clarity and that it’s good to get uncomfortable - that’s where personal growth starts. I’ve also realised that you shouldn’t wait for the right time. Pretty much every day brings new opportunities for all of us. We get handed twentyfour hours on a silver platter every day and there is no perfect moment - all you have is now. Where or who do you look to for inspiration? I don’t look particularly to certain sources of inspiration to fuel my creativity, instead my inspiration is pretty much a reflection of my own life, of our society and the world I experience. I do have big names in the industry I look up to, like Eugene Souleiman, but I would say I get the most inspiration from my friends and everyone I’ve worked with. I’m really grateful for everyone in the industry I’ve crossed paths with and for everyone who shared their knowledge with me.

1. Get lost a little and trust the process 2. The perfect moment is now 3. With a solid foundation, there is no limit

THE WINNING LOOK

Tell us about your All-star look, what made your cut so unique? I wanted to create an effortless look, that showcased the individual without the limitation of gender and bias. My model William has beautiful natural curls, strong but also more delicate facial features which I wanted to highlight. How has American Crew supported you? How did their products help you create your look? American Crew has helped me to trust my visions even more. When you create, what you need is a solid foundation, which American Crew provides. The products are very versatile and I enjoy playing around and mixing different products together and pushing them further than what they are typically used or made for. You’ve mentioned exploring a greater diversity in men’s hair, tell us why this topic is important? Do you think men are more open to experimenting with different looks and pushing boundaries of ‘manliness’ or masculinity? Yes indeed which is beautiful to see. I think people of my generation and younger are starting to free themselves from society’s norms and expectations. Masculinity is something we got taught when we were really young but it’s simply a concept and I call it a two-dimensional way of thinking. I believe right now we are at a point where we are letting go of old beliefs, the lines are starting to slowly blur and this is really exciting to see.

WHERE TO NEXT

What are your big goals or ambitions for the year ahead?

My big ambition for 2022 is to keep creating, not just hair. I know that this is just the start of something great and I can’t wait for what is to come. What’s meant to be will always be, and I’m going for it. Do you have any last tips for your fellow creatives? There are no limits when it comes to creating. All you need is a solid foundation and to not wait for the perfect moment.

STEPH’S CRAFT