Over 2000 hair professionals congregated at the 2023 Kao Salon Global Experience, the company’s flagship event hosted in Chicago for two days of inspiration, education and creativity. Bold presentations, a live competition, artist performances and the Global Creative Awards over September 24 and 25 set the agenda, with Australia’s own Amanda Magistro from Salon Alm winning gold in the Avant Garde category in this global platform.
Celebrating 75 Years of Goldwell, the Global Creative Awards featured a performance showcasing the new collection from Global Goldwell Ambassador Angelo Seminara, titled Hair Everywhere 3.0, as well as collection presentations from Mario Krankl and the Rush Artistic Team. It also announced the medallists in Technical and Editorial Categories across New Talent, Creative Colorist, Creative Hair Cutter, Men’s Hairstylist of the Year, Avant Garde Stylist of the Year, Salon Team of the Year and Editorial Colorist of the Year, while also recognising Leadership in Sustainability.
Amanda’s win showcases Australia’s pioneering talent on the global stage. Further representing Australia as national winners, Laura Edmunds of Ella&Jade competed in Men’s, Sam Shepherd of Headroom Hair Salon was the New Talent pick, Alannah Read of Ella&Jade competed in Creative Color and Anna McNamara also of Ella&Jade was the Creative Haircutter. For New Zealand, Luca Murray Lauko of Vivo competed as Creative Colorist.
“I am on the biggest high right now, I don’t think it has really sunk in. To be named as an international winner for a category you have always admired is the best feeling in the world. To win an international award opens so many doors and opportunities and I can not wait to share with you what’s to come,” Amanda said. “I always wanted to stay true to myself, creating beautiful hair, silhouettes and shapes with soft curves and edges is my passion. My biggest inspiration was the amazing women of the 60s, taking these looks and making them my own on a grand scale but still keeping the styling beautiful and sultry.”
Beyond the awards, global creative artistic teams took the stage to share cutting-edge trends and techniques, while showing off Kao innovations. Lok Chan and Salome de Wet, Zachary Jarid and Ethan King, Daniel Bruns and Sage Kinney, and Steven Picciano and Krysten Ashley Garrod for Kerasilk were among the educators.
Five inspiring Artist Sessions were also a vital facet of the program. ICI JOLIE from the Netherlands, EVOLVE from Singapore, HARE & BONE from the United Kingdom, as led by Creative Director Sam Burnett, The Creatives Of North America, which consists of award-winning Artists from Canada and the United States and Kien Hoang from the US, inspired across cut, style and colour in their varied expertise in editorial, salon, fashion forward and runway work.
“At Kao Salon, creativity isn’t just a buzzword – it’s our DNA,” said Dominic Pratt, President, Kao Salon Division. “Our commitment to innovation, imagination and integrity drives us every day, and the Kao Salon Global Experience is the epitome of this ethos. We use this time to celebrate not only our exceptional products but, more importantly, the remarkable individuals who make up our Kao Salon family.”
“Kao Salon Global Experience is such a unique event,” added Angelo Seminara. “I loved sharing my vision and passion with like-minded professionals and it is amazing to see the special connection between the artists that work in this industry. The Global Creative Awards Evening is the greatest evening event of its kind worldwide!”
The event was centred on sustainability, including innovative and sustainable packaging ideas, tips to reduce your carbon footprint and an interactive quiz, as well as the sustainability components of the awards.
The Kao Salon Global Experience has evolved over twenty years from its genesis in Europe as Trend Zoom to Color Zoom, then Global Zoom, and now the Kao Salon Global Experience. The event continues to evolve, pausing the event in 2024 for a 2025 relaunch, in an experience that will be created specifically with a modern live program designed for a new generation of salon professionals. The Global Creative Awards will still continue in 2024 on a fully virtual platform, with more competitors and greater representation than ever.
“Kao Salon Global Experience is one of the most important ways we demonstrate our commitment to supporting the professional community,” said Dominic. “For this reason, we are taking a year to transform the event and make it available to all existing and potential Kao Salon Division customers in a meaningful way, elevating the hairdressing industry and salon businesses worldwide. We are here to support, educate and inspire as one global Kao Salon Division family!”
Congratulations to the Global Creative Awards winner, listed below.
Technical Categories
New Talent Colorist of the Year
GOLD: Samantha Dixon, Canada
SILVER: Winnie Wong, Singapore
BRONZE: Frank Wong, Hong Kong
Creative Colorist of the Year
GOLD: Cheng Jian Yang, China
SILVER: Alo Lo, Hong Kong
BRONZE: Tina Casciato, Canada
Creative Hair Cutter of the Year:
GOLD: Desiré van den Ende, Benelux
SILVER: Sabrina Grossenbacher, Switzerland
BRONZE: Marilyn Vendittelli, Canada
Editorial Categories
Men’s Hairstylist of the Year
GOLD: Marilyn Vendittelli, Canada
SILVER: Christian Ríos, Spain
BRONZE: Laurens van Essen, Netherlands
Avant Garde Stylist of the Year
GOLD: Amanda Magistro, Australia
SILVER: Zoe O’Day, United States
BRONZE: Tom Yek Teng Siong, Malaysia
Salon Team of the Year
GOLD: Industry Hair & Esthetics, Canada
SILVER: Salon Cyan, Canada
BRONZE: Renaissance Salon & Estetica, Canada
Editorial Colorist of the Year
GOLD: Stevan Dulay, United Kingdom
SILVER: Caroline Brand, United Kingdom
BRONZE: Stacey Smoker, United States
LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY RECOGNITION
Representing Europe, UnisexFriseure
Representing America, Fringe, ABoutique Salon
Representing Asia, Roots – Where Hair Begins
For more information visit www.kao.com
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