Antje Kastner-Panya

Antje Kastner-Panya is the owner, master stylist, founder and educator behind AKS Chicago. She became a hairdresser after the fall of the Berlin Wall, following the family trade, and trained at the Professional School of Trade + Commerce in Rostock, Germany, completing it in 1999. She worked in Rostock at Kastner's Beauty Studio from 1993 to 2000 as master stylist, owner and educator.

Her Chicago career began at Friendz Salon & Spa as master stylist from 2000 to 2005, followed by Tigerlilie Salon from 2005 to 2010, and then her own Antje Kastner Studio from 2010 onward. She has served as lead up-style educator for Fuel USA and as an educator for Schwarzkopf USA, and has styled the hair of over 100 brides.

Her work for stage, screen and photo shoots includes head styling on a seven-year run of Million Dollar Quartet at the Apollo Theater in Chicago. Her work also includes theater with Timeline Theatre Company, Drury Lane Theatre and Northlight Theater, editorial shoots in Berlin and Chicago, print ads and album covers, and cutting Morrissey's hair for the Are You the Quarry? U.S. Tour in 2004. She has over 30 years of experience in theater, film and photography styling, and project models are often clients.