It’s an eclectic fashion scene out there for Spring-Summer 2021 Men’s Hair. With the men’s designer collections running so diverse, it’s no wonder that this season’s extra hair styles vary so much in support of what we’re all seeing from the neck down!

Designers like Kuon featured male models wearing shorter, lighter top hair with deeper sideburns and hair down on forehead. Tokyo 2021 showed fades and texture on top. The Saint Lauren collection was all about diversity, from longer waves to short Afros to simply way long straight hair. Designer Stan went with the windblown, beach tousled surfer looks, worn with upcycled vintage remnants with patchwork jackets in his collection.

I think there are three main influences that are driving men’s hair fashion this season.   I call them Euro-Centric, African Embraced and West Coast Surfer influences on men of all ages.

I interpret the Euro-Centric trends from my industry friends in London and Europe, who I reach out to regularly to learn ‘what’s hot’ and ‘what’s not’. We all know that the European trends, especially in London’ always travel immediately across the pond.

Going ‘more Euro’ this season means lots of short texture looks with high top fades … tons of texture at the top and really high and tight on the sides. The overall look is more matte versus shine – no more wet looks anymore. Preferred styling and shaping products include texture powders and more clay for the matte finish and high hold … light on the pomade!

Curls are also huge, with lots of mid-length combovers. Also, longer hair is making a comeback, growing out to neck and shoulder length. Many of my students at Hair Lab Detroit Barbering School like the longer cuts.

The African community-inspired looks include the high top fade variations with pop color added for accent –and comb twists. I recommend using a curl sponge to add product to Afro-textured hair – it’s a fantastic urban ethnic market tool for you. To color or lighten hair – or to put fun vivids inside or on top of hair – just twist your curl sponge into a circular motion. Creating blonde streaks to create light in the hair, or simply white washing the tips, adds kick and dimension to any high top fade.

Finally, like the ebb and flow of the Pacific tide, the U.S. West Coast Surfer looks never stop influencing the global and the national men’s hair fashion scene. Watch for those soft wavy beachy looks … more beach wave than curl this season. The sun-kissed blonde highlights make any guy look like he’s just been surfing, diving, pooling, or beachcombing no matter where you live … a desired look no matter what the season.

One thing’s for sure … men always want to look authentic in the way they dress or wear their hair. Finally, men care just as much about the hair as they do their clothes.  Men’s grooming overall is now high on the pedestal … more men are taking better care of themselves which I think is great.

As a barber, the cutting tools I use is so important to achieve the most current hair trends. For more piecey textures, the Feather® Razors work best for me. I also do lots of shear work for classic shear over comb techniques. For this season’s looks, I am definitely using more blends, razors, shears for point cutting, and minimal use of clippers except for those tight fades.