As global artist and education manager for Depot Male Tools, Luca Malnati has spent the last decade reshaping how barbers think about hair, product, and education.
His latest project, the Seasons of Identity collection, captures that philosophy in vivid color, earning a place on the cover of BarberEVO 51.
Four Seasons, Four Statements
The collection drew inspiration from the changing seasons. Luca explained that he designed four distinct looks reflecting a different time of year through color and texture.
He selected a blonde, a copper, pink, and a dark-haired model, each symbolizing a unique season. While the blonde suggested spring, and the pink stood in for summer, the dark hair represented winter, and the copper perfectly embodied fall.
Luca said he wanted to “mix the elements of nature and translate them into hair,” using tone, shine, and movement to echo the natural world.
This was also a conscious break from the hyper-masculine aesthetic that has dominated barbering collections in recent years.
Luca noted that a lot of imagery in the industry still centered on “super sharp, super strong, super masculine” looks that do not always feel relatable for every client.
Instead, he drew inspiration from the fashion and salon worlds, where color and texture are used more freely and with greater nuance. “I wanted to step out a little and get inspiration from the salon world to bring it into the barber world,” he said.
The goal was to create something both artistic and accessible, a collection that felt aspirational but still wearable.
Styling the Seasons
Depot’s product range played a central role in bringing Luca’s concept to life. Although Depot is a male brand, he was clear that it’s not confined to a narrow, hypermasculine image. For him, Depot is about male beauty and self-expression, not stereotypes.
He described his vision of the Depot client as “a person that wants to take care of themselves and wants to express their personality through the hair and be confident with the beauty that nature gives to them.”
Each look in Seasons of Identity was anchored by a specific product story. For the autumn-inspired copper, Luca reached for 316 Styling Cream. The product offered a natural shine and a slightly wet, moldable finish that reminded him of leaves resting on the ground, touched with dew.
For the springlike blonde, he chose 310 Curl Designer, one of his personal favorites as a curly haired artist himself. The product’s volume and movement made him think of “when you start to see flowers bloom in the spring, and feel the breeze move through the grass.”
Winter was interpreted with 312 Charcoal Paste, a moldable clay with charcoal that delivered a darker, matte satin effect and strong structure. It echoed the muted tones and solidity of colder months.
Summer came through in the pink look, styled with 302 Play Pomade, a soft, workable pomade that allowed for restyling throughout the day. Luca pointed out that this flexibility felt perfect for hot weather, when clients are more likely to touch and refresh their hair.
Big Vision, Small Production
Behind the scenes, the production of Seasons of Identity was intimate and resourceful. Luca completed the entire project in a single day using friends, colleagues, and personal contacts instead of professional models.
A close friend handled makeup, and the photographer and videographer were also part of his circle. Even the wardrobe came from his own closet. By doing the color, cuts, and styling himself, he demonstrated that a strong collection does not have to rely on a huge budget.
He wanted other barbers to see that “you don’t need to invest a lot of money to get a good collection, you just need to collect the right people that help you with a good vision and just spread your creativity and your art.”
That spirit of resourcefulness and community runs through Luca’s role at Depot. As global artist and education manager, he is responsible not only for his own creative work but also for shaping the brand’s worldwide education strategy and supporting the growth of its educator network.
He described his job as having “the creativity and the responsibility” to design new seminars, introduce fresh concepts, and encourage barbers to think differently about hair and service.
His approach to education goes far beyond teaching how a product works. In North America, Depot is building a community of educators who can share the brand’s method, vision, and tools while also helping barbers expand their service menus and business potential.
“The Depot products are tools that allow you to work better, but also to perform in a different way,” said Luca.
Central to this educational philosophy is consultation. Luca believes that proper consultation is “key for planning the journey with the customers and building trust and loyalty.”
He teaches barbers to understand not only how to execute a technique, but why they are choosing it, and how it solves a specific client problem. That, in turn, makes retail recommendations feel personalized and credible rather than transactional. He described it as a “tailor made approach” focused on understanding the client deeply and giving the best possible advice.
Over his nearly ten years with Depot, Luca has come back to one guiding principle: trust in the process.
“I think if you truly believe in your brand, your skills, and yourself, and you trust the process, you can reach results you never expected. Not everything happens in an instant.”