UPDATE 5.19.14:  Out of 1100 entries to the American Crew All-Star Challenge, a men’s styling and photo shoot competition, only 14 stylists were chosen to compete for the global title.  They came to Lisbon, Portugal for two days of photo shoots with American Crew founder and photographer, David Raccuglia to realize their vision. Jerome Kantner of Germany was crowned the All-Star Global Champion on April 28, 2014.

The final photo that was created in Lisbon is the first displayed here while the second photo was the winning country entry and the image that secured the stylists a place in the global challenge.  Brief interviews were conducted at the photo studio.

Meet Hungary's Country Winner and competitor, Atilla Molnar:

His winning country entry was/is unforgettable: the model is wearing a military style jacket, the mood is somber, his face severe, the hair immaculate.  The inspiration was World War II and Atilla Mullnar arrived the morning of his shoot looking like he had been through a war. He had flown through the night and was operating on a few minutes of sleep.  While weary, Atilla creativity was fired-up by his model pick.   When the stylists drew lots to determine the order in which they would pull a model from the lineup, Atilla drew “#1” so was the first to choose.

“The character of the model was absolutely what I like to see,” he said. “It was the kind of model that immediately gave you inspiration. He also had thick, full, strong hair which is easy to cut and style and is the dream of all stylists.”

He used scissors on the top section and the back and sides were shaped with scissor-over-comb.

“I wanted to do something absolutely different from original entry, which was unique and maybe not 100% American Crew. So, I wanted to show a very classic look still a bit casual, and have it really show American Crew life.”

His resume is loaded with editorial shoots, many high fashion, and he shoots his own collections, regularly, so is at ease on set.  The majority of the models hired in Lisbon were professional but some were fairly new to the work. 

 “It was a big thing that he was a professional model because it was easy to communicate with him in front of the camera. Also, having David there was so great because I had created this masculine, strong look and David knew how to get the right angles to show the hair.”

HAIR STORY:
I started my career with two years of hair dressing school in Debrecen, Hungary,
and then worked at two different salons from 1993 – 2003. From 2003 – 2006,
I had the opportunity to work backstage as a hair artistic director, and in 2011, I
won the title of the Style Masters Hungarian National Winner, chosen from eight
European finalists. I currently work at Marosfalvi Hair in Budapest, Hungary, where
I’ve been since 2012.

GROOMING MUST-HAVE:
Scissors and American Crew Pomade.

FAVORITE MALE CELEBRITY HAIRSTYLE:
I like the rockabilly styles of 1950s American looks, like Elvis.

AMERICAN CREW & MEN’S GROOMING?
I share the same aesthetic vision with American Crew, and American Crew taught
me the importance of using tools, such as a razor, to create better service for my
male clients. 

WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN CREW ALL-STAR CHALLENGE MEAN TO YOU?
I followed Face Off in the past, and when the competition went global, it was
obvious that I wanted to enter the Challenge. It’s an opportunity to show my visions.

YOUR REACTION TO WINNING YOUR COUNTRY’S HONORS:
#yeswedidit

Products Used: Power Cleanser Style Remover,  Daily Conditioner,  Molding Clay

Technique: I used clipper cut on the sides and back. On the top section cut with scissor, the length grows from back to front.

Inspiration:  Muscular look inspired by World War II.

Why: Muscular, strong, a real man

One Word to Describe Your Look: D-Day

www.americancrew.com