The American Crew All-Star Challenge highlights the outstanding world class talents in men’s grooming. The competition combines the art and science of men’s grooming and creating authentic style – the cut, the model and the photograph – to deliver the ultimate interpretation of the American Crew man.

Fifteen finalists recently competed in Brussels with two days of competition photo shoots on May 4 and 5, during which each cut and styled their model, then worked with American Crew Founder David Raccuglia to shoot and select the photo that would represent their final look. Adam Mir of the UK was announced as the American Crew 2016-2017 All-Star Challenge Global Winner on May 8th in a joint event with Revlon Style Masters.

Meet the Norwegian finalist, Jorgen Bech:

Describe your professional career path.

In 2007 while in junior high, I was approached by the local hair salon in my tiny coastal fishing home town located as far up in northern Norway as you can go. They wanted to use me as a model to try out new hair ideas they had, and naturally I said yes. This was where my passion for hair started sparking. After finishing high school in 2013, I moved to a bigger city to complete my apprenticeship and get my license. After almost three years there, I sought out new challenges and moved to Oslo in 2016, where my real journey would begin. In the year I’ve been there I’ve grown tremendously as a stylist, and Bel Etage, the salon I’m at, has given me a lot of freedom to chase the things I want. In February 2017, I had the honor of styling hair with Bumble and bumble on a big stage at a bi-annual hair and beauty fair in Oslo, which was an amazingly cool experience, and it made me hunger for more. I’ve also had the opportunity of doing fashion shoots, which I’ve always dreamt of, and definitely want to do more of to evolve even further as a stylist.

What do you love most about being a stylist?

My favorite thing about doing hair is that it’s not just about hair – it’s so much more. When you start to think about why you’re doing hair, a lot of questions arise. Who are you doing hair for, really? Who is sitting in front of you? When someone gets a sense of belonging to you and you’re able to bring forth something unique within them, you’re building quite a strong bond. It creates a pretty good feeling, and it makes being a hair stylist truly amazing.

How has the American Crew™ brand influenced the way you view men’s grooming?

It has definitely made me more refined. My boss is an American Crew All-Star, and working with him has given me a lot more in-depth knowledge about men’s hair. I’ve learned more “why?” instead of just “how?”, and I’m learning more each day.

What does the American Crew™ All-Star Challenge mean to you?

It is definitely a challenge, and a way to really push myself and see how far I can come and what I’m able to create. When entering competitions, and doing photos like this, it forces you to think different and out of the box to create something unique — while still staying true to yourself and what you believe in.

Tell us in a #hashtag how you felt when you learned you won.

#FLAILINGARMSANDALOTOFHUGSWHILESCREAMING

What advice would you give to anyone looking to pursue a career as a stylist?

First off, know that this career is not for everyone. It’s tough, but you’ll quickly find out if it’s for you or not. If it is, keep on going and never stop! Practice, practice, practice! It requires a lot of hard work, but oh man does it pay off. Always believe in yourself and what you do, and never be afraid to get in contact with people whose work inspire you. Work with them and learn, never stagnate. Be open minded, because the world of hair is chock full of inspiration.