All the gossip from the awards night:
It really was all glitz and glamour for the Australian Hair Fashion Awards. Michelle Sewell from the AHJ and the team from Crush media did a great job of getting the who's who of the media there to cover the event. Fashion TV was there doing a feature, ACA was hoping TT was not and even the innovative DVD magazine Precinct showed up. From the print media all the major glossies were represented like Shop til' you drop and Famous. All this is helping to raise the profile of the hairdressing industry which has numerous benefits for all involved in terms of self respect and increased interest in hairdressing as a career. The crowd was beautifully turned out with thankfully none of the weird and wonderful looks that are often associated with hairdressing events.
James Mathieson of Idol fame was a great host for the second time but his tongue-in-cheek and very sardonic humor was way too much for some of the fashion mag editors up there presenting with him. One looked so shocked as he took the micky out of the winner of the media choice award for fashion designer by accepting it on behalf of the missing designers behalf and proceeding to camp it up with lines like 'it's every boys dream to come up with the ultimate A line' .
As in previous years the only negative of the beautiful Sydney Town Hall setting was the acoustics which left everyone from half way back virtually unable to hear the presentations. So what do hairdressers do but chat! Sean Dawson to his great credit did finally tell the back of the room to 'shut up but I'm not sure that they even heard that! Sean was my favorite on the night presenting a passionate and down to earth image for UK hairdressing and the British Fellowship for which he is president. He stepped in at the last minute to cover for the unfortunate illness that prevented Vidal Sassoon attending and for a man that had just stepped off one plane and was planning to be on another for Finland within 24hours, you would never have known. Thankfully he was awarded the honour of UK Master for his inspiring hairdressing work which we will feature soon.
It was however the team at Heading Out Hair & Beauty that will be partying on and on and on with wins in 3 categories including the main title of the night AHFA Hairdresser of the Year going to Caterina DiBiase. It was great to see her colourist (Maria Legudi) take out the title in her own area for the same collection and solidify the team win.
But to the gossip behind the awards themselves. If you were lucky enough to find a free moment in Andrew O' Toole's schedule to secure his services as photographer for your awards collection, then your chance of winning increased 10 fold. It seemed every other winner was thanking him and his make-up artist wife. Now this is common ground for Andrew who had a similar effect on the British Awards scene.
Over in WA an interesting fact connects all of the finalists in that category in that, they are all from the Lee Preston stable! It really is the mark of a true great to foster the drive and enthusiasm that makes award winners and finalists out of those they currently work with. Lee herself, I think won her first major award as a 19 year old, and used that recognition to start Lee Preston Hairdressing, now one of the biggest names in WA hairdressing.
As many hairdressers and salon owners do, Karen and Robert Bava work together in their TONI&GUY franchise. For a while we have seen Roberts work make the awards finalist list but he decided the keep the peace at home and give his wife a go this time round and she responded by taking out the SA Hairdresser title.
The most shocked and surprised face award went to Sandy Chong when she realised that her team had beaten the likes of Valonz, TONI&GUY and Identity Cut and Colour gaining the title of Artistic salon team of the Year. For many salon owners this is the ultimate accolade and well deserved by a team that work within one of the most organised and systemised businesses out there.
When Shona Cataldo stepped onto the podium to accept her award as NSW/ACT Hairdresser of the Year, the whole Cataldo's team was there to cheer her on, that's all but one of them as her famous Dad, Emiliano, could not be there.
Entertainment from the Frets and Brielle Davis was great and the choice of such up and coming Aussie talent very fitting.
If you were there and have anything juicy to add then all good emails will be published!
email gabrielle@Virtualhaircare.com
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