2012 is set to be a stellar year for Hair Expo Australia, with some of the greatest brands in the business already planning their stands for the exhibition floor. And with ghd, L’Oréal Professionnel, Redken and Schwarzkopf Professional each sponsoring this year’s gala nights, it’s set to be a visual feast from some of the industry’s hottest talent when the sun goes down. Including both the Australian and New Zealand Hairdressers of the Year, students and apprentices and one of the great international hairdressing stars, these sell-out performances will bring your most creative dreams to life.
Opening Night
Opening this year’s events on Saturday night is the much-anticipated gala performance by three-time Australian Hairdresser of the Year, Jayne Wild. She wowed the crowd in 2009 with her oversized doll’s heads and is known for her amazingly original and imaginative work, so 2012 will be nothing short of electrifying.
Sponsored by ghd, the evening will then see a merging of two worlds, as some of the brand’s collaborative looks from the upcoming SS 2012/13 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are showcased. Fashion and hairdressing have always gone hand in hand and this show will combine some of the best names from each, providing ticket holders with a fashion experience that usually, money can’t buy. Then, for the first time ever, current New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year, Sara Allsop, will take the stage with her own solo show, to end the evening on a high.
GenNext
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one year, GenNext kicks off on the Sunday night, with the spirit of the next generation very much alive and kicking. Beginning with a series of platform shows, some of the hottest talents of tomorrow will be presenting their art, including productions by Pivot Point and The Art of Hair, as well as the GenNext Project. In its second year, the collaboration between Hair Expo and Educator of the Year, Sharon Blain, will once again provide five lucky stylists the chance to be part of one of the greatest events over the weekend.
In a new initiative for 2012, ticket holders will then see another collaborative show from one of the co-sponsors of the evening, L’Oréal Professionnel. The performance will be by a team of its own young hairdressing stars, formed from salons all around Australia and leading into the main act of the night.
Other co-sponsor for the evening, Redken, will be wrapping up the evening with a show by its Education Artistic Director, Chris Baran. An artist in worldwide demand, Chris divides his time between major international shows and hands-on workshops, along with being the brand’s creative vision behind trends, techniques and product development. A multi-award winning Hairdresser of the Year, Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year, Master Hairdresser of the Year and Educator of the Year in both Canada and the U.S., Chris is in Australia exclusively for Hair Expo and will provide a thoroughly creative end to the night.
Awards
Then, Monday night brings the 2012 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards show, providing an exhilarating end to the Hair Expo weekend. The pinnacle of the Australian and New Zealand hairdressing calendar, this is the region’s longest running and most prestigious awards – now in its 27th year. Coinciding with a major milestone from the evening’s main sponsor, Schwarzkopf Professional, the 2012 awards gala will be an international extravaganza with a record crowd of almost 1,500 people.