American Salon 0512 : Page 111
INSIDE SCOOP David Raccuglia First and foremost a hairdresser, David Raccuglia recognized the potential of men’s grooming for salons more than a decade ago when he founded American Crew. Now he’s channeling his energy and passion into a new endeavor called MENSDEPT. that he says is “going to drive the men’s business in salons where it needs to be.” Editor in Chief/Beauty Director Kelley Donahue recently sat down with Raccuglia to get the full story about his new business, which encompasses a top-notch product line, technical education and a truly profitable opportunity for MENSDEPT.’s salon partners. Q: How did you get your start in the business? A: Much of the credit for my entering the business actually goes to my hometown barber, Bob DeAngelo. He clearly loved his job and the creativity it afforded him, and he always had a huge smile on his face whenever I sat in his chair. My father, on the other hand, was an attorney who worked long, hard hours and never looked like he enjoyed his career quite as much as Bob. For me, the decision to go to barber and beauty school was a no-brainer. Hair suited my personality. I loved the community aspect of the industry and relished what it had to offer from an intellectual and creative standpoint. From there, I joined Jingles as an educator before heading to Chicago to partner with Laurence Hegarty on the Art + Science Salons, where I immersed myself in working behind the chair. Simultaneously, I did some work for Aveda as a session stylist and it was about the same time that I began to see a shift happening in the industry: Men were coming into the salon and classic grooming was becoming a ritual. That resonated with me, but I wasn’t able to find good products. I decided to create a product line and a culture called American Crew, a small but ambitious men’s line that became my entrée into the manufacturing arena. It was a great fit for me because I loved birthing a product from a sketch and an idea, then watching it work its way into a consumer’s bathroom. By 2009, I was ready for a change and new challenge so I opened MENSDEPT. in Minneapolis with my longtime friend and collaborator, Kurt Kueffner. Q: Can you tell us a little more about MENSDEPT. and what makes the concept unique? A: MENSDEPT. is a salon that simultaneously serves as a laboratory and a learning center. Its third key component is a modern, relevant, tightly focused professional men’s grooming line with no diversion problems. The MENSDEPT. mission is simple: Wewant to reinvent the men’s grooming category by offering relevant services, products and marketing support to salons. To accomplish that objective, Kurt and I began experimenting with the way in which we could recruit and retain a male clientele. That kind of knowledge positions us as real experts in grooming, as well as in the men’s hair business. Wewant to help salon owners get excited about and understand that the men’s business is a lucrative category— one that can be just as big as haircolor. Owners who are willing to devote a portion of their real estate to a MENSDEPT. in their salons and staff it with dedicated groomers can expect to see double-digit growth. Our focus is to make sure that the men’s grooming industry is moving forward with a product line, an education system and a career path. Q: Who are some of the key players on the MENSDEPT. team? A: In addition to Kurt, my partners are Rob Wilcox, who handles marketing and runs the day-to-day; Jim Morrison, who oversees distribution; and Rosalie Benassi, who heads up sales. Q: Tell us about some of the innovative marketing strategies MENSDEPT. will bring to salons. A: In a nutshell, we want to get men to commit to their salons by buying into grooming packages. For example, a salon with a 90 percent female clientele can mine that base to build an army of dedicated groomers. It only takes a couple of hundred customers to fill a book, so if a salon with 2,200 clients sells a full year of grooming packages, product three-packs and other grooming offers, it could immediately fill the book of a men’s grooming stylist. That’s the beauty of having a MENSDEPT. In essence, what we’re bringing to the table are templates, marketing ideas, e-mail blasts—the essential nuts and bolts of what it takes to build a men’s clientele and train a dedicated staff in the art of men’s grooming. Q: Will educational opportunities be a part of the mix, too? A: Men’s hair has changed—it isn’t just about clipper cuts anymore. There’s a mid-century modern aesthetic to it now, which is why education is key. At the MENSDEPT. Academy, we teach the craft of barbering, but we’ve integrated a modern twist. Course offerings range from the Architecture of Hair and Modern Men’s Barbering to the Business of Men. We feature a full curriculum that includes business classes, cutting courses, booklets, templates and DVDs. Q: Tell us about the products in the MENSDEPT. collection. A: We’ve got eight products in the brand that cover all textures of men’s hairstyling. Some are ideal for creating classic looks, while others are hybrid products that take the concept of classic and throw it on its ear. Microtech is one of them, and it’s enhanced with unique elastic fibers that add texture, definition and control to crops. Q: You’re renowned for your artistic sensibility and great photography. What’s planned for the brand in terms of imagery? A: I plan to do all of the photography for MENSDEPT. myself. For the new campaign, I want to talk to hairdressers through hairdressers—it’s something I’ve never done before. Essentially, I want my customers to have a voice to their customers through my photography. I want to travel to different cities and photograph hairdressers and their customers. It’s going to be done like it’s never been done before. I want the people featured in my photography to tell the MENSDEPT. story. DAVID RACCUGLIA May 2012 American Salon 111 PHOTOGRAPHY: JORDAN C. HOLLOWAY
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