Luca Mencarini: Hairstyles and Photography

International hair stylist and photographer Luca Mencarini started styling hair when he was 20 years old, moving between Rome and London as he gained experience. The Italian has since traveled the globe, opening hair salons in such far-flung places as Bogotá and Mexico City. 

In 1994, he moved to Miami and began opening salons, the first of which was in Coconut Grove in 1996 and the second in Coral Gables in 2000, which he describes as “the artist’s salon in Miami.” Seven years ago, he moved to a more private studio space in the Gables at 145 Madeira Ave #101, and has never looked back.

Mencarini has created his own specialized hair and skincare product line, worked with celebrities, and recently taken up photography. About six months ago, he partnered with his wife, Lola Green, to open a photography business — Green specializes in food imagery, while Mencarini focuses more on portraits.

Latest Achievement

Mencarini has been styling hair for decades, often working with celebrities like soccer star Diego Maradona and fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi. In 2016, however, he discovered a new passion for photography, and a few months ago, when he and Green decided to have a baby, the inspiration to work together struck.

The couple now often collaborate on shoots where Mencarini styles the model’s hair and then the two of them take the photographs together. Currently, they are working on a series called “Food Obsession,” which draws on Green’s expertise in food photography and Mencarini’s talents in hair styling and portraiture. 

What He Says

“I used to live in Rome and I decided to come to the U.S. on vacation. At the time, I had an academy in Rome where I used to teach and a beauty salon. I [ended up moving] to Coral Gables, got a work visa, and then everything started. I opened salons in Bogotá and Mexico City, I did commercials, I traveled all over. My clients were all these famous people…. [But] I like Coral Gables because you can find professional people, elegant people, and I really like the neighborhood. There is a place in Rome that is very similar.”