Finalists for NZ's top hairdressing competition

June 26, 2008

Finalists announced in NZ's top hairdressing competition

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New Zealand's finest stylists are revealed in living colour in August when the country's top 20 hairdressers unmask their visions for the future in hair fashion.

That's when the finalists for the 2008 L'Oréal Colour Trophy Awards come together in Auckland to recreate live in front of the judges their previously-submitted photographic entries.

There are four major individual awards including the Supreme Award: New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year, the Young Colourist Award, the Couleur Pour Hommes Award (men's colour) and the Au Début Award (for first time finalists).

In addition to the 20 individual finalists, six salon teams are vying for the Salon of the Year Award.

And for the first time in 2008, New Zealanders get to have their say on their favourite hair style by voting for the People's Choice Awards. All finalists are eligible for this award.*

The winners are announced at a glittering occasion at Auckland's Aotea Centre on Saturday, August 2 hosted by television personality Petra Bagust and musician and radio personality Peter Urlich. The Awards evening attracts huge interest and is attended by more than 1,000 hairdressers, celebrities and VIPs.

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As the Awards title suggests, hair colour is the deciding factor and the finalists are selected from hundreds of entrants nation-wide. They submit a photographic entry and the pictures are sent to Paris for preliminary judging by six top Haute Coiffure Française stylists.

Haute Coiffure Française is an elite international network, based in France and is made up of 1500 of the world's top hairdressers established to preserve the quality of hairdressing the world over.

An independent adjudicator then determines the finalists in each category and they are brought together in Auckland for live judging in front of a panel of three international judges.

This year's judges are UK-based Guy Kremer, South Africa's Terence Jansen Van Vuuren and Caterina DiBiase of Australia. Their brief is to look for stylists who "create beautiful hair, demonstrate a superb attention-grabbing cut, inspired hair styling and finish and an overall look of fashion and makeup".

Ms DiBiase, a two-time winner of Australia's sister competition, says being a finalist benefits both stylist and salon.

"For the stylist, how wonderful is it to get the magazine covers and the articles! It does wonders for a stylist's profile, and importantly creates a profile that sets you on a path to achieve even more in this great industry.

"The L'Oréal Colour Trophy Awards also benefit the salon, inspiring men and women to challenge the status quo and look to new styles. And that's great for the individual, the business and the industry," she says.

The L'Oréal Colour Trophy Awards are now held every two years and have been previously presented 13 times in New Zealand. Rachel Neill, general manager of L'Oréal Professionnel, says a major strength of the awards lies in the live presentation.

The Supreme Award winner wins a $10,000 trip for two to visit L'Oréal Professionnel in Paris and to London to attend the UK L'Oréal Colour Trophy Awards in 2009. Prizes for the winners include trips to Australia to attend their event and fashion and beauty prizes.

L'Oréal Colour Trophy Awards 2008 Finalists

The Supreme Award: New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year 2008
Ashlee Coombes - Ainsleys Hair Design, Remuera, Auckland
Barbara Hickey - Servilles Academy, CBD, Auckland
Caleb Alex - Servilles Newmarket, Auckland
Diana Beaufort - Reds Hairdressing, Pukerua Bay, Wellington
Jock Robson - Dharma, Mt Eden, Auckland
Kyla Rose - Servilles Chancery, CBD, Auckland
Nader Samadi - Servilles Takapuna, Auckland Sasha Lenski - Bettjemans, Orakei, Auckland

The Au Début Award (for never before finalists)
Gabriella Andersson - Servilles Newmarket, Auckland
Rachel Pope - Me, Ponsonby, Auckland
Sophia Taurae - Buoy Hairdressing, CBD, Wellington
Terri Chin - Servilles Newmarket, Auckland

The Young Colourist Award
Armie Aninion - Servilles Mission Bay, Auckland
Chantelle Kitt - Durham Hair, CBD, Auckland
Maree Thompson - Venom, CBD, Invercargill
Stefany Penney - Servilles Takapuna, Auckland

The Couleur Pour Hommes Award (men's colour)
Aimee Packer - Servilles Albany, Auckland
Jason Davies - Hairworld, Greerton, Tauranga
Jonathan Martin - Balliage Hair, CBD, Wellington
Sarah McMahon - Hairworld, Greerton, Tauranga

The Salon of the Year Award
Ainsleys Hair Design, Remuera, Auckland
Bettjemans, Orakei, Auckland
Hairworld, Greerton, Tauranga
Me, Ponsonby, Auckland
Playle, Newton, Auckland
Vanilla, CBD, Wellington

Special awards
These awards are presented to the winners on the night. There are no finalists.

People's Choice Award
Presented by MiNDFOOD and judged by New Zealanders.

Photographers' Award
Sponsored by Fujifilm NZ and judged by Michael Ng (leading fashion photographer).

Hairdressing Magazine Award
Presented by Headway and judged by Charmaine Guest (editor, Headway).

Fashion Magazine Award
Presented by MiNDFOOD and judged by Michael McHugh (Editor-in-Chief, MiNDFOOD).

*New Zealanders can vote for the People's Choice Award online by visiting mindfood.com.

ENDS

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