Fourth Annual Franck Provost Artistic Awards Name Winners

Another year of artistic development has ensued with the quintessential French hairdressing brand Franck Provost celebrating a year of creative achievement across their 15 salons Australia-wide with a culture of luxury and leadership.

Entering the Rydges Sydney rooftop guests were greeted with French flair and finesse – a floral media wall and Christmas style celebratory cheer. It was little wonder the Awards have become the most anticipated event on the calendar for not just the Franck Provost network, but also industry leaders covering coaching, training and personal and professional development with the Franck Provost hairdressing fold. The chic rooftop soiree marked a dual celebration, also celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the brand in Australia.

This year’s photographic entries were at an all-time high. Working on entries over a series of months as far as 6 months prior – each entrant was shot by the same photographer to ensure a level playing field and consistency in quality – key brand values of the Franck Provost network. Ben Scott ensured all 30 entries were well represented across a two-day photoshoot, instilling a great level of confidence in entrants to truly appreciate their artistic skill.

The impressive images spanned five main categories including Artistic Hairdresser of the Year, Artistic Colourist of the Year, Artistic Team of the Year, Artistic Men’s Hairdresser of the Year and Artistic Apprentice of the Year. Two additional categories, Coup de Coeur, as voted by Franck Provost himself, who attended the night in spirit via a video dedicated to the Australian Franck Provost franchise, and the People’s Choice, as decided by the event attendees, were also in play.

Each of the entrants’ work was proudly displayed gallery style at the expansive Rooftop to the 100 plus guests who collectively voted on the night to represented a true interpretation of the most impactful ‘as voted by’ image.

A new Avant Garde category ‘Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year’ also joined the fold, enabling entrants to truly celebrate their creative expression via a boundless array of both technical and artistic vision.

Franck Provost Co-Founder Jean-François Carré, General Manager Raphaél Vëron and Head of Education and Talent Manager Virginie Gayssot welcomed guests and kicked off the formal ceremonies to the spirited crowd of stylists, salon owners, media and VIP guests.

“This November is a very special month for us, as it was on 17 November 2008 that we opened our very first salon in Macquarie Street, Sydney,” Jean-François revealed. “So tonight we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Franck Provost Paris brand in Australia, now with 15 salons across the country. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this exciting journey and we look forward to continuing the expansion of our brand around the country over the next 10 years.”

To encourage and support the Franck Provost Artistic Award entrants with confidence on their photographic journey, the Franck Provost team conducted some complimentary creative and technical workshops over the months leading up to the photoshoot, conducted by some of the industry’s most respected experts, including Sharon Blain and Paula Hibbard. Covering all aspects of photographic and competition work, the team was given valuable insight on areas such as choosing models, creating mood boards and working with other creatives such as photographers and makeup artists to get the best result for their image.

The jury to decide on the winners included an esteemed panel of industry creatives and leaders. Eponymous brand founder Mr Franck Provost, Australian Hairdressing INSTYLE Managing Editor Cameron Pine, L’Orèal Professionnel Brand Coach James Kavanagh, Shaun McGrath from Sustainable Salons Australia and award-winning hairdresser and industry leader Kobi Bokshish had the difficult job of anonymously selecting their first and second preferences for each category. Afterwards, the scores were collectively tallied so that the photograph with the most points was allocated first prize within the six sections.

Each winner took home a bevy of prizes and tools to expand themselves as an artist – the true philosophy of the awards that continues to welcome new entrants each year. Education, photographic shoots, champagne, crystal trophies, French delicacies, professional tools and products, collectively valued at more than $28,000 joined the total prize pool.

Once the formalities were over, it was time to get the celebrations in full swing… and the French can party with the best of them! As soon as he awards wrapped guests were straight into party mode, hitting the dance floor and reveling in the success of their team mates (particularly the talented Carolyn Gahan, who scored a hat trick with three awards on the night) while already contemplating their creative ideas for the fifth edition of the Franck Provost Artistic Awards in 2019.

With access to the industry’s best, an ongoing education calendar and a luxury salon ethos, 2019 looks just as bright for Franck Provost both creatively and in business.

The winners:

Artistic Hairdresser of the Year – Amy Barton, Franck Provost Sydney CBD