Congratulations to the finalists in the 2025 ANZ Hair Industry Awards (AHIA) Creative Awards, which have been announced ahead of the major event on Monday, June 30. The event is celebrating five years, thanks to Mocha Group, and also marks 20 years of Mocha Group’s media and events. This milestone has been marked by a 40 per cent increase in entries amidst Australia and New Zealand’s talented hair community.

Pinnacle titles include AHIA Australian Hairdresser of the Year and New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year. Congratulations to the Australian finalists – Bernadette Beswick of Beswick Education Services, Bill Tsiknaris of Tsiknaris Hair, Brodie Lee Tsiknaris of Rokstar Salon, Dee Parker Attwood of Wieselmann Salon, Jude McEwen of TONI&GUY Perth, Nathan Yazbek of Salon Yazbek and Paul James Graham of Paul & Paul Salon. Well done as well to the New Zealand nominees, consisting of Ann Marie Young of Jingles Hair Design, Kelly Manu of Una, Kylie Hayes of Moha Hairdressing, Michael Beel of Salute Hair Skin Spa, Sara Allsop of Dharma Salon and Shannon Dowd of Zibido Hair.

New and evolving categories including One Shot Hair Masterpiece, Editorial Hairstylist of the Year, Make Over Artist of the Year and Best Branded Video, the latter two of which debut in a digital-focused group based on content creation and transformation storytelling, continue to build the awards to new heights.

“When we launched the AHIA Creative Awards five years ago, we aimed to inspire the industry to dream big, push boundaries, and be seen. To see how far it’s come now with creative voices from across ANZ and a 40 per cent growth in entries is truly humbling. The standard of work, storytelling, and imagination just keeps getting better. Congratulations to all our incredible finalists,” shared Founder of Mocha Group, Linda Woodhead.

The awards will be held at The Star Sydney Event Centre, becoming the finale event of the Hair Festival weekend over June 29 and 30. Sponsored by Dyson, CPR and Amazing Hair, and supported by Angel Extensions, Cloud Nine, Dateline Imports, Expo4Barbers, Goddess, Goldwell, Hair Candy, Kin, L’Oréal Professionnel, Matrix, Matsui Hair, Redken, Rogue Beauty, Schwarzkopf, Something Beauty House, Hair Festival and Wella, the awards highlight state categories, as well as editorial fields across emerging talents, teams, cut, colour, men’s hair, editorial, AI collections and beyond.

Entries were judged by an international panel of hairdressers consisting of Errol Douglas, Mark Leeson, Hooker & Young, Candy Shaw, and Vivienne Mackinder, as well as international media such as Charlotte Grant West, HJI, UK, Nicky Pope, Tribu.te, UK, and Veronica Boodhan, Salon Magazine, Canada.

Good luck to the finalists!

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Matrix
Alice Howard, Ryder Salon
Caprice De Sanctis, Abracadabra Hair
Franks Hill, Stevie English Hair
Isabella Portaro, SJ Establishment
Jess Wilson, Zibido Hair
Jessika Klein, Safari Room
Shannon Westwood, The Factory Yarraville
Tori Yardley, TONI&GUY Newtown

EMERGING STYLIST OF THE YEAR
Presented by Rogue Beauty
Gemma Koster, The Safari Room
Holly Evans, Respekt Your Hair

NEW CREATIVE TALENT OF THE YEAR
Presented by Dateline Imports
Amelia Joy Winen, SJ Establishment
Emma Boyle, Steph Meyer and Co
Gabrielle Tautava Evaga, Tokunai Hair
Jackson Fifield, Paper Rokk Hair
Jade Veitch, Etcher Salon
Natasha Tsangaris, Rokstar Salon

AI COLLECTION OF THE YEAR
Presented by mocha hair
Domi Cherie
Geoffrey Herberg
Jason Kane Browne
Johnny Georgiou

BRAND CONTENT OF THE YEAR
Presented by Hair Candy
CPR Hair
Evo Hair
O&M
The Factory 3013
Yoshiko Hair

MAKE OVER ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Presented by Cloud Nine
Amanda Lunedei, Almayne Hair Studio
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
Jade Pendergrast, Xin Twenty One
Xin Guo, Xin Twenty One (two entries)

AVANT GARDE HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Amazing Hair
AhKim, AhKim Art of Hair
Bill Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris Hair
Emma Boyle, Steph Meyer and Co
Joshua Congreve, Togninis Hair
Stephanie Bellairs, Cabello by Stephanie Bellairs

MEN’S HAIR SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR
Presented by Expo4Barbers
Jason Weeks, Calibre Workshop
Lexie Shay, Vault Ninety One
Matt Clarke, Esq. Male Grooming
Paul James Graham, Paul & Paul Salon
Sara Allsop, Dharma Salon

COLLECTIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Kin
A & E Creative – Aimee Egan and Emma Merrifield
Breakthrough Team – Jude McEwen, Morgan Weise, Skott Condon and Josh Stewart
Kristie and Dee – Kristie Kesic and Dee Parker-Attwood
NZ Masters Collective – Michael Beel, Sean Mahoney, Kelly Manu, Andrew Cobeldick, Sara Allsop and Brownwyn Kronfeld

SALON TEAM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Schwarzkopf Professional
Bach Hair
Franco of Canberra
SJ Establishment
Tokunai Hair
Tsiknaris Hair

EDITORIAL HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR
Presented by Angel Extensions
Anthony Nader
Carolyn Gahan
Diane Gorgievski
Kelly Manu
Lauren McCowan
Matthew Ashton
Sheridan Rose Shaw

HAIR MASTERPIECE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Goddess
Amanda Magistro, Salon ALM (two entries)
Benjamin Martin, Salon XVI (two entries)
Carl Manderson, Liberté Salon and Spa (three entries)
Carolyn Gahan, Quarry Avenue
Danielle Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair
Dee Parker Attwood, Wieselmann Salon
Geoffrey Herberg
Isabella Portaro, SJ Establishment
Jade Veitch, Etcher Salon
Kelly Manu, Una
Lauren McCowan (four entries)
Mariia Kolchina, Mariia Kolchina Hair Styling
Michael Beel, Salute Hair Skin Spa
Nicole Kae
Sanja Scher, Beatnik Studio
Stephanie Bellairs, Cabello by Stephanie Bellairs (two entries)
Tahlia Stamenkovic, Bach Hair

HOT SHOTS TEAM
Sponsored by Joico, Matsui Hair, EVY Professional, Amazing Hair and DP Exogrow
Alyssia Pearson, TONI&GUY Broadbeach
Amelia Joy Winen, SJ Establishment
Emma Boyle, Steph Meyer and Co
Gabrielle Tautava Evaga, Tokunai Hair
Georgia Maguire, Pierrot’s Hair & Brow Studio
Jackson Fifield, Paper Rokk Hair
Jade Veitch, Etcher Salon
Morgan Weiss, TONI&GUY Bondi Beach
Natasha Tsangaris, Rokstar Salon
Ryan Poole, Esq. Male Grooming

MASTER CUTTER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Matsui Hair
Danielle Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
Harrison Sansom, A.H Salon
Ryan King, Loco London
Sheridan Rose Shaw, Mamawest

MASTER COLOURIST OF THE YEAR
Presented by CPR
Chris Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris hair
Danielle Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
Elly Paynter, Elly Hair Paynter
Holly Breen, Californian Blonde
Kristie Kesic, Cobelle Creative
Krystle Tokunai, Tokunai Hair
Leanne Kay, Stevie English Hair
Stuart Bane, Stuart Bane Colour

NORTH ISLAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Hair Festival
Anthony Bayer, Anthony Bayer Hair
Carla Southan, Rawk Hairdressing
Heidi Christian, Heidi Christian
Tenielle Gillies, Flyger

SOUTH ISLAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Something Beauty House
Marque Morehu, M M Hair Studio
Sarah McGuigan, Savvy Hair

NSW/ACT HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Wella
AhKim, AhKim Art of Hair
Aimee Egan, Aimee Egan hair
Harrison Sansom, A.H Salon
Leanne Kay, Stevie English

QLD HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Redken
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
Holly Breen, Californian Blonde
Krystle Tokunai, Tokunai Hair
Ryan King, Loco London
Shae Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris Hair

VIC/TAS HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by Goldwell
Danielle Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair
Posey Broomhall, Harpo Hair
Sheridan Rose Shaw, Mamawest

WA/SA HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by L’Oreal Professionnel
Delvene Kocman, Delvene Hair Co
Johnny Georgiou, Parlour Hair
Tiffany Decaux, Iris House of Hair
Tina Belham, SJ Establishment
Victoria Shayler, Sir Fletcher

BTS Dream Team of the year
Presented by mocha group
Photographer: Andrew O’Toole. MUA: Kylie O’Toole.  Stylist: Catherine V
For Bernadette Beswick, Australian Hairdresser of the Year Collection
Photographer: Fiona Quinn. MUA: Chanelle Aldridge. Stylist: Brooke Tyson
For Ann Marie Young, New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year Collection
Photographer: Anniss and Barton. MUA: Shev Kelly. Stylist: Dani Blakeley.
For Danielle Blakeley, Master Colourist of the Year Collection
Photographer: Anniss and Barton. MUA: Shev Kelly. Stylist: Dani Blakeley.
For Danielle Blakeley, Victorian Hairdresser of the Year
Photographer: Theresa Hall. MUA: Sarah Smith. Stylist: Ysha Giorno.
For Joshua Congreve, Avant Garde Collection
Photographer: Apela Bell. MUA: Liz Hyun. Stylist: Claudia Li.
For Kelly Manu, New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year Collection
Photographer: Andrew O’Toole. MUA: Kylie O’Toole. Stylist: Catherine V.
For Kristie Kesic, Master Colourist of the Year Collection
Photographer: Lou Hatten. MUA: Micheala McKendry. STYLIST: Sopheak Seng.
For Michael Beel, New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year Collection
Photographer: Liane Hurvitz. MUA: Janice Wu. Stylist: Daniel Paciocco.
For Posey Broomhall, Victorian Hairdresser of the Year
Photographer: Derec Ethan. MUA: Laura Thomas. Stylist: Luke Meakins.
For Stephanie Bellairs, Avant Garde Collection

INTERNATIONAL HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by dyson
Carles Sanchez Congost, Pelsynera, Spain
Casey Coleman, Chair Salons, UK
Elle Foreman, Tribe Salons, UK
Errol Douglas MBE, Errol Douglas, UK
Lukas Press, Lukas Press Hair Studio, Canada
Manuel Mon, Manual Mon Estilistas, Spain
Mark Leeson, Mark Leeson, UK
Marlon Hawkins, Brooks & Brooks, UK
Michelle Summers Davies, Michelle Davies Hair, UK
Rafael Bueno, Rafael Bueno Peluqueros, Spain
Rebecca Jacques, Rebecca Jacques Hair, UK
Tim Scott-Wright, The Hair Surgery, UK

NEW ZEALAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by mocha group
Ann Marie Young, Jingles Hair Design
Kelly Manu, Una
Kylie Hayes, Moha Hairdressing
Michael Beel, Salute Hair Skin Spa
Sara Allsop, Dharma Salon
Shannon Dowd, Zibido Hair

AUSTRALIAN HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR
Presented by mocha group
Bernadette Beswick, Beswick Education Services
Bill Tsiknaris, Tsiknaris Hair
Brodie Lee Tsiknaris, Rokstar Salon
Dee Parker Attwood, Wieselmann Salon
Jude McEwen, TONI&GUY Perth
Nathan Yazbek, Salon Yazbek
Paul James Graham, Paul & Paul Salon

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