American Crew, the global leader in men’s grooming, just announced Emma Jankowski (USA) and Blade Pullman (Australia) as the Global Winners of the 2018-2019 All-Star Challenge, the annual global competition to recognize the best men’s hair stylists in the world!

The American Crew All-Star Challenge is widely considered one of the top men’s grooming competitions in the world and this is the first time that two winners share the biggest honor. The challenge focuses on the art of men’s grooming – creativity, technique and one’s interpretation of masculinity in the modern world. Fourteen international finalists received an all-expense-paid trip to the competition finals in New York City, where they were challenged to combine their expertise in art, style, and technique to deliver their ultimate interpretation of the American Crew man during an intense working session at the renowned Milk Studios. Then their creations were photographed by legendary hairstylist/photographer and founder of American Crew, David Raccuglia.

Thousands of stylists from all over the world entered the competition, with the following country finalists chosen to represent on the global stage in New York: Blade Pullman, Australia; Maria Ivanova, Bulgaria; Sandra Perovic, Canada; Fabien Tonicello, France; Desiree Hammer, Germany; Chris O’Riordan, Ireland; Giuseppe Messina, Italy; Pieter-Theo Zuurbier, Netherlands; Gamal Abdel Galvez Gonzales, Peru; Tiago Pinto, Portugal; Mark Markov, Russia; Pablo Perez, Spain; Gemma Willock-Smith, UK; Bohdan Vasylevskiy, Ukraine; Emma Jankowski, USA.

The All-Star Challenge award presentation has taken place tonight during American Crew’s 25th Anniversary celebration at the famous Altman Building in New York City, an elegant, memorable and exciting venue. The program included a fantastic look & learn session and an awe-inspiring runway show led by American Crew’s Artistic Team. Founded in 1994, American Crew is the brainchild of barber and photographer David Raccuglia, who brought his expertise behind both the barber chair and the camera to developing a collection of grooming products specifically for men and the stylists they trust.

The global judging panel for the competition was: Sandra Nygaard, Stylist & Men’s Fashion Journalist; Sergi Bancells, International Editorial Director, ESTETICA MAGAZINE; Vitaly Pimenov, 2017-2018 All-Star Challenge Global Champion; Paul Wilson, Global Artistic Director, American Crew; and Phoenix Thomson, Senior Education Manager, American Crew.

The level of talent that showcases their skill in The All-Star Challenge each year continuously elevates the standard of men’s grooming to an exciting new level of artistry,” said David Raccuglia, founder of American Crew. “With American Crew celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2019, it’s refreshing to see these finalists bring their individual cultures, creativity, and vision to an industry that continues to thrive. As clients’ expectations evolve, these stylists are leading the charge in the future of grooming by upholding brilliance in their craft and an understanding of connection behind the chair.”