2023 Australian Hair Industry Awards (Creative) Announce Winners
The 2023 Australian Hair Industry Awards (Creative) winners were announced at a gala awards night on June 12, taking place at The Star, Sydney, and closing out a full weekend dedicated to hair. Partnering with Hair Festival, the AHIAs capped off two stellar days of celebration – with education shows, MarketPlace stalls, parties and more, finished with awards that honoured our industry’s best.
Hosted by Mocha Group, the awards platform is in its 12th year in business, with this being the third year of creative accolades. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal, with emcee Will Fennell facilitating the proceedings.
Kicking off with an immersive hair fashion show inspired by Revlon Professional’s Bloom collection of colours, digital, nature and rebellion were all creative themes. Titled Bloom & Boom, the show aesthetically showcased fascinating flora and fauna with a rock energy facilitated by guitar solos, dance troupes and fashion forward hair at its best, while intermission also treated guests to a musical performance. The show was directed by Adam Williams, with Revlon Professional’s Geoffrey Herberg and Uros Mikic leading the brand’s Artistic Crew and Education Team, as complemented by hair extensions by Amazing Hair.
Across 22 categories, a myriad of talented hairdressers proved big winners on the night. Some salons and hairdressers showed their prominence as multi-award winners, with Danny Pato of D&M Hair Design winning the title of New Zealand Hairdresser for the third straight year – the seventh across previous award platforms – while also being inducted as the latest member of the Dennis Langford Hall of Fame. He spoke touchingly about the power of hairdressing and how his salon work felt like finding his home.
Additionally, Sloans Salons’ members took home awards for Creative Team of the Year, New Creative Talent and a HOTSHOTS nod, Tsiknaris Hair won for People’s Choice and Master Cutter of the Year, Naser of Naser Haircuts was awarded Men’s Hair Specialist and WA/NT Hairdresser of the Year, Nathan Yazbek won for his BTS Dream Team and NSW Hairdresser of the Year and Steve Corthine won as Colour Expert for the third time. Justin Pace won the pinnacle Australian Hairdresser of the Year Award. It was definitely a night for stacking the mantle!
Emerging talent, in the form of the 2023 HOTSHOTS team for hairdressers who are under 31, was also honoured, with judging for this accolade conducted by leading industry members such as Dee Parker Attwood, Jayne Wild, Benni Tognini, Stevie English, Sharon Blain and Brad Ngata.
“The Creative AHIAs continue to go from strength to strength, solidifying them as the premium hair industry awards platform highlighting the quality of the industry’s editorial and trend focused skills,” said Mocha Owner and Publisher Linda Woodhead. “The photographic collections that were presented this year have demonstrated to each of the winner’s clients and communities just how incredibly talented they are. Yet again when in front of some of the biggest icons on the global stage, Australian hairdressers have proven just how competitive they truly are.”
The awards gala was sponsored by Revlon Professional, O&M, Silver Bullet, Wahl Professional, Amazing Hair and Parlux, with an after party courtesy of Rogue Beauty, with these leading brands taking to the stage throughout the night to introduce winners and extend the industry spirit.
The judging panel consisted of 37 international hairdressers, 14 international hair media and six Australian media and industry experts including Sally Brooks, Akin Konizi, Angelo Seminara, Sam McKnight, Hooker and Young, Errol Douglas and Vivienne MacKinder, as well as trade and consumer media including Charlotte Grant West, Editor of HJI, Sergi Bancells, Editor of Esthetica and Christina Butcher of Hair Romance.
Congratulations to all the winners of these prestigious awards!
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Stella Wrigley, Jack Horton Hair
MASTER CUTTER OF THE YEAR
Shae Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris Hair
INDEPENDENT STYLIST OF THE YEAR
Domi Pinalli, Domi Pinalli Hair
AVANT GARDE HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Jude McEwen, TONI&GUY Perth Central
NEW CREATIVE TALENT OF THE YEAR
Anne Russell, Sloans of Lane Cove
CREATIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sloans Creative Team
COLOUR EXPERT OF THE YEAR
Stevie Corthine, Stevie English Hair
MEN’S HAIR SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR
Naser, Naser Haircuts
PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION OF THE YEAR
Bill Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris Hair
BTS DREAM TEAM OF THE YEAR
For Nathan Yazbek, Salon Yazbek
Photography: Andrew O’Toole. Make-up: Chereine Waddell. Styling: Catherine V.
NSW/ACT HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Nathan Yazbek, Salon Yazbek
VIC HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Bernadette Beswick, Beswick Education Services
WA/NT HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Naser, Naser Haircuts
QLD HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Fabian Fuentes, Jack Horton Hair
SA/TAS HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Luke Munn, Havachat Barbershop
INTERNATIONAL HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Mark Leeson
HOT SHOTS TEAM
Anne Russell, Sloans of Lane Cove
Meghan King, Sloans of North Sydney
Mikelah Jayde Riley, Mikelah Jayde Studio
Paige Cameron, Cobelle Creative
NEW ZEALAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Danny Pato, D&M Hair Design
AUSTRALIAN HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Justin Pace, Co and Pace Salons
2023 AHIA DENNIS LANGFORD HALL OF FAME
Danny Pato, D&M Hair Design