The Mane Event: Total Image Colour and Styling Awards by CPR Hair and The Circle have announced their 2024 winner, with Paul James Graham, co-owner of Paul & Paul Salon on the Gold Coast, taking home the title at the Mane Gala evening, held at The Ivy Sunroom in Sydney.
The CPR celebration took place the night before Hair Festival, featuring a taco station, canapes, creative cocktails, a live band and a spin pod for a night full of celebrations. The evening announced Paul amidst three finalists and celebrated the work of the top ten with their imagery displayed around the venue. Congratulations as well to Aimee Egan and Kristin Gillies, who took to the stage as part of the final three.
The 2024 Mane Event competition, now in its second year, garnered 190 entries, with the top three decided by a professional judging panel before a public voting system to decide the ultimate winner, thanks to the CPR community. Paul accepted the trophy and flowers on stage from last year’s winner Chloe Taylor, as the competition passed through its second iteration.
Paul is a prolific and award-winning hairdresser who has been featured editorially for his hair fashion work and has partnered with various fashion designers, having worked on a multitude of hair fashion shoots and shows, including Australian Fashion Week. He has also been a finalist for the title of Australian Hairdresser of the Year and in categories ranging from Avant Garde to Men’s Hair Specialist and more, and was a Mane Event finalist last year, before taking home 2024’s top prize.
“It’s a great feeling to win The Mane Event,” Paul shared. “It’s satisfying, it’s exciting. It’s the cherry on the cake of all the hard work I’ve put in and the creative process, so it’s a validating end to an exciting creative process. I really love competition work; it’s been really great for my business and it’s an important creative outlet and it’s a space where I can explore creative ideas and bring them to life.”
Paul’s look was inspired by clean lines and bold, dynamic contrasting colours, with a creative, modern approach that was anchored in artistic wig work. Ultimately, he was driven by the idea of pushing boundaries.
“I look at hair as a construct, not what it literally is, and ask what I can and can’t do with it,” Paul shared. “I like to work with wigs to give me flexibility in creating a great shot. When a model can put on a persona, it lends itself to creating a better shot and the confidence of the person wearing it.”
As the 2024 Mane Event winner, Paul has won a $1,000 cash prize, a $2,000 CPR Colour and Haircare package and editorial coverage. Paul has already partnered further with CPR through this venture, in his Awakening Autumn/Winter campaign collection and his new ‘Style Revolution Masterclass’, which shows salons how to create an award-winning look from concept to completion in a photographic studio environment. He lauds the brand for the support, access and functionality they offer salons with a familiar, personalised touch.
“I love CPR, I’m proud to be a CPR ambassador and I love any opportunity to put the skills and knowledge I have to the test and be creative with it. I hope to inspire others through the process,” he shared.
For more information visit www.cprhair.com
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