WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU – AUSTRALASIA’S BEST HAIRDRESSING TALENT SHARE INSIGHTS FOR ENTERING 2017 SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL HAIR EXPO AWARDS

Monday 12 December, Sydney: Submissions for the 2017 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards are now open and Hair Expo Australia asked its 2016 winners to share their insights and advice for those considering entering the hairdressing world’s most coveted and prestigious awards competition in 2017.

2016 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year, Danny Pato, spoke of the opportunity to showcase at Salon International in London as part of his Awards prize: “Winning a Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Award provided a platform for new opportunities and new connections within the industry. A highlight was heading over to London with Hair Expo to do a show at Salon International, the biggest hair trade show in Europe. It’s been a humbling experience, for sure.”

2016 Apprentice/Student of the Year, Kelly Manu, told Hair Expo that her award generated new business for her, as well as boosting her confidence in and out of the salon: “Winning an award at Hair Expo Australia has given me so much confidence and motivation; it was an affirmation for me that I was on the right path… my Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Award helped to expand my client base, as my clients were just as excited about my win as I was…I got a lot of referrals from it.”

Post-awards exposure is another plus, according to Adrian Rotolo, 2016 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards Colour Technician of the Year, who said: “I'm lucky to have had many opportunities to educate and inspire others from the exposure I've gained since winning the Award. My collection was also published in more than 10 international hair and fashion magazines.”

Koh Sataporn, Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards Session Stylist of the Year in 2016, said of new business opportunities: “I got offers from different hair brands to be their exclusive hairstylist.”

Winning a Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Award can have a positive effect on the whole salon team, said Emiliano Vitale, owner of three-time-award-winning é SALON (2016 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards Salon Team of the Year) in Sydney: “It creates a wonderful energy amongst the team, which is then shared with our clients. A growth in business and morale is always a by-product of this award.”

Positivity and support generated from the rest of the industry just for entering is another highlight of the process. 2016 SA-TAS Hairdresser of the Year, Kristy Hodgson, commented: “There is so much support and love in our hair community…no matter if you took a trophy home or not, the support felt from everyone just for giving it a shot is there because we all know how much work goes into not just the shoot, but the submission and the reflection of what you have achieved in the year leading up to it.”

As for advice for future entrants? “Just do it! Take the plunge. It's not even about winning - it's about producing a collection that represents you and that you are proud to share…the written submission can sound and appear very daunting but once you start, it's amazing to reflect on just how much you actually do in a year, putting on paper your growth over the past 12 months and what you intend to do next really makes you stop and think.” said Kristy.

The Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards celebrate the creativity, passion and business acumen of hair industry professionals across Australia and New Zealand – the complete picture of what exceptional hairdressing is. The awards are the longest-standing, most prestigious industry awards in Australasia and have been elevating the hair industry for more than 30 years.

First-round submissions are due by 5pm on Friday 7 April 2017, with the finalists announced at a cocktail party in Sydney on 1 May 2017. A gala celebration announcing the winners will be held at Hair Expo Australia’s new Sydney home at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Darling Harbour, on Monday 12 June 2017.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards categories for 2017 are as follows:

Creative category photographic collections and written entries for business categories are due by 5pm AEST on Friday 7 April 2017 and can be submitted online at www.hairexpoaustralia.com 

Full terms and conditions, including entry criteria, can be found at www.hairexpoaustralia.com/hair-expo-awards/Entrant-Information/Rules--Regulations

A short video with all the latest information is available on Hair Expo Australia’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJG7w_pCCio

Each entry, with the exception of entries to the Apprentice/Student of the Year category, will incur a $50 entry fee.

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For all media enquiries please contact:
Belinda Craigie, PR & News Editor
Belinda.Craigie@reedexhibitions.com.au
+61 (0)2 9422 2986