Australia’s Hair Expo is the largest hairdressing event in the Southern Hemisphere.  Now in it’s 28th year, Hair Expo took place at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, on June 12-14, 2004. 

Epitomizing all the passion, beauty and talent the hair industry has to offer, the program feaured guest artists from around the globe including Sebastian’s living treasure from the USA Robert Lobetta, Aveda’s fashion diva Antoinette Beenders, and Generation Next, an Australian youthquake of hairdressing talent from 10 of the country’s top salons –  click on the individual images.

Hair Expo 2004 featured more hands-on workshops, including unique and exciting new editorial and session styling programs that gave participants secrets and tips from the experts into the fascinating world of fashion magazines, television and runway styling.  Additionally, there were great educational seminars focusing on hair color, long hair design and the latest developments in cutting as well as a huge business training program. Hair Expo 2004 also gave guests the chance to get up close and personal with the feature artists during lunch and breakfast seminars.

On Monday evening, the grand finale to the weekend was the Australian Hair Expo Hairdressing Awards. The awards, judged by a panel of independent industry experts from Australia and overseas, are the most respected, established and longest running awards in the Australian hair industry. These ‘Oscars’ of the hair world are the industry standard and the pinnacle of hairdressing excellence. The awards take into account all aspects of hairdressing and help to promote consumer awareness of the high standards of excellence in the Australian hairdressing industry.

The judging panel selected 10 finalists in the major category – the Australian Hairdresser of the Year. These were –

• Shane Henning, from Noddy’s On King salon in Newtown (NSW)
• Oscar Cullinan from Oscar Oscar Salon in Brisbane
• Emilio Cataldo from Cataldo’s Salon in Canberra
• Robert Bava from Toni & Guy, Adelaide
• Brett McDonald from Synergy Hair, Sydney
• Brad Ngata from Brad Ngata Hair Direction in Sydney
• Lee Preston from Lee Preston Hairdressing in Perth
• Sharon Blain from The Art of Hair in Sydney
• Caterina Di Biase from Heading Out Hair & Beauty in Melbourne
• Jayne Wild from Wild Life Hairdressing in Sydney
 
And the winner is…. Jayne Wild from Wild Life Hairdressing in Sydney!  The first female winner of Australian Hairdresser of the Year since 1995, Jayne declared herself “gob-smacked” by the award. “I’m still numb. I never dreamed this would come true for me. Even to be nominated amongst these guys who I’ve looked up to for so long would have been enough”.  Jayne commented that the team at her Milsons Point salon were her inspiration. “Everyone says that their team is the best, but mine really is. They push me and inspire me every single day”.

The last female Australian Hairdresser of the Year, Sharon Maher, was this evening inducted into the Hair Expo Hall of Fame.

Susa Wynne-Hoelscher, co-director of Hair Expo, commented, “The Hair Expo Awards are hard to win, but if you do it’s the highest accolade… you’re the best! And Jayne has earned it. We’re delighted to welcome her into this highest level of hairdressing which is recognised internationally as the benchmark for Australian hairdressing.”
 
Winners announced in other categories for the 19th annual Hair Expo Australian Hairdressing Awards included: 
 
New Zealand Hairdresser Of The Year
Bronwyn Illingworth 
Toni&Guy  (Auckland)

Hairdressing Technician Of The Year
Dieter Mersmann  
Wild Life Hairdressing  (Sydney)

Salon Team Of The Year
Brad Ngata
Hair Direction  (Sydney)

Excellence In Hairdressing Education (Part-Time)
Leonard Newton  
Toni & Guy  (Sydney)

Excellence In Hairdressing Education (Full-Time)
Goldwell (Sydney

Excellence In Salon Marketing
Suki  (Newcastle/Sydney)

Best New Salon Design
Visions 24/7  (Mildura)
  
New Creative Force
Wiela Shieh
Tognini’s Hair Skin Body  (Brisbane)

Apprentice/Trainee of The Year
Scott Best  
Togninis Hair Skin Body  (Brisbane)

Photographic Collection of The Year
Wiela Shieh   
Togninis Hair Skin Body (New Creative Force Collection)

Photography (unless otherwise noted) by:  David Lucas & Jamie Carroll