These days, our energy goes into something we believe matters even more- training our team to be the best they can be and delivering exception service to every client who walks through our doors. Will we compete one day? Maybe. We still love the creativity, the challenge, and the artistry that competitions bring. But if and when we return, it will be for the right reasons.

For now, our greatest achievement is seeing our team grow and our clients leave feeling amazing. And that’s a win we’ll take every day.

GALLERY 

2019 Gaia

In Greek mythology, Gaia is the ancestral Mother of Life—the primal Earth Goddess. To me, she represents something universal: a force of nature that transcends colour, politics, and belief. She speaks a language we all share, reminding us that we are deeply connected to the world we live in.

My Gaia collection is a reflection of that connection. It is inspired by my childhood spent in the garden—bare feet in the grass, surrounded by trees, roses, and succulents. Climbing the old fig tree, gripping its bark, and sitting among its branches, I would watch the world from above and wonder what the future might hold. Those moments felt grounding, peaceful, and safe—like being held by Mother Nature herself. That feeling is what I wanted to capture.

Gaia is a reminder to slow down and reconnect. To be kinder to ourselves, and more conscious of the world around us. Our planet has given us everything for billions of years, yet in the pace of modern life, we often forget to give anything back. We are now at a point where awareness and responsibility matter more than ever. Every small action contributes to the bigger picture. While it may feel like individual choices don’t make a difference, real change has always begun with individuals deciding to act.

This is not about blame—it is about responsibility. If we want a future worth passing on, we must choose to care for it together. Because when Mother Nature suffers, we all do. Gaia is both a tribute and a reminder: to protect what is precious, to respect the environment that sustains us, and to never forget that we are part of it—not separate from it.

Hairdresser:Selina Chhaur

Photographer:Weronika Mamot

Makeup:Kristina Sarah Persichini

Stylist:Connie Manos

Models: Taydam Knowles, Rose Bradley, Winter Marshall, Saydy Van Den Munckhof, Brittany Smale, Bianca Hatton

2018 Fluidity

These works explore the fluid and constructed nature of gender, and how hair can be used as a tool to challenge and expand ideas of identity. Rather than seeing gender as something fixed or determined by biology, this collection approaches it as something we perform—shaped through expression, behaviour, and presentation. In this way, identity is not a static truth, but something continuously created and recreated.

As Judith Butler suggests in Gender Trouble, gender is not an internal essence we simply express outwardly, but a series of repeated acts that form the illusion of a stable identity. In other words, we come to understand gender through what we do, not what we inherently are.

These hairstyles reflect that idea by questioning traditional boundaries and embracing androgyny, both as an aesthetic and as a lived experience. Many of the models themselves embody this fluidity in their everyday lives, extending the concept beyond the runway and into reality. Ultimately, this collection uses hair as a medium to explore freedom—the freedom to define identity beyond rigid categories, and to exist in a way that feels authentic to the individual.

2018 Woodland Deity

This collection explores raw, natural texture and the delicate balance between beauty and imperfection. Set within an imagined woodland world, each character is portrayed as a unique creature shaped by their environment—untamed, instinctive, and unapologetically natural. Their beauty is not defined by polish or perfection, but by individuality, texture, and presence.

In this world, there is no reliance on heat styling, no influence of trend, and no pressure to conform to modern ideals of “finished” beauty. Instead, hair exists in its most honest form—organic, expressive, and free.

Each image reflects a woodland deity whose personality influences their appearance, blurring the line between character and creation. What emerges is a visual study of beauty outside of restriction: where texture is celebrated, disorder is intentional, and nature sets the standard. We invite you to experience beauty without rules.

Team Leaders: Dion La Bella & Hung Tran

Hair: Vee Nguyen / Emma Tooth / Mario Fioravanti / Selina Chhaur / Alison Edge / Ingrid Wolff

Stylist: Connie Manos

Makeup: Kristina Persichini

Photographer: Weronika Mamot

2017 Oho Harahe

In a world where humility is often forgotten, this collection draws inspiration from the Japanese Shinto tradition of Ōharae—a sacred purification ritual performed to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit of impurities, misfortune, and imbalance. Practiced at key points throughout the year, Ōharae represents renewal: a moment to reflect, release, and begin again. This idea of cleansing—both personal and collective—feels deeply relevant not only to the world today, but also to our individual lives and the way we move through them.

The collection presents four figures inspired by different tiers of historical social structure: a Geisha, a Peasant, a Samurai, and an Empress. Each represents a different place within society, yet all are unified through a shared human truth—no one is above reflection, accountability, or imperfection.

Through this, the work challenges ideas of status and hierarchy, reminding us that regardless of position, background, or power, we all experience fault, growth, and renewal. At its core, Humility is a meditation on equality and self-awareness. It invites us to reflect on our actions, release what no longer serves us, and return to a more grounded sense of humanity.

NATIONAL FINALIST

HAIR EXPO APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

HAIR: Mario Fioravanti

Assistance: Dion La Bella/Ingrid Wolff/Hung Tran

MUA: Matt Love

Styling: Victoria Carbone

Photography: Josh Geelen

Model: Taydam Knowles/Karylle Banez/Gabirelle Greenhalgh/Mimi Le

2017 Shiver

This collection marks a transition from vibrant, traditional colour into a muted palette inspired by autumn and winter tones.

It explores the idea of beauty frozen in time—where softness and stillness meet raw, elemental texture. Set against a backdrop of ice, frost, and thawing forms, the work captures a sense of impermanence and transformation.

Drawing on primitive and nomadic influences, the collection fuses raw, unrefined structure with modern, androgynous styling. The result is something both provocative and restrained—dramatic in feeling, yet grounded in simplicity. It is a study of contrast: warmth and cold, movement and stillness, fragility and strength—all existing within the same moment.

cUT/cOLOR: hUNG tRAN

sTYLIST: hENRY wOLFF

mAKEUP: mATT lOVE

mODEL: cATHERINE dEAN/mADELEINE kATIE nEVILLE/aSHLEIGH lAURITSEN/aISLYNN mARY/mIKAELA sTEWART/lYDIA mIKEALA nICOLIS/iNGRID wOLFF/cEYLAN aSLAN

pHOTOGRAPHER: oZ sPINIELLO

2017 Cyber Punk

This collection was strategically photographed at the South Australian Aviation Museum, inside the Westland Wessex HAS31B Helicopter (N7-224). The exposed wiring, mechanical structure, and dense interior created an immersive, sci-fi environment that evokes an otherworldly, futuristic atmosphere.

At its core, Cyber Punk represents a step outside creative comfort zones—an exploration of transformation, structure, and limitless possibility within hair. What I love most about hairdressing is its ability to be reshaped, reimagined, and redefined without restriction. In this collection, hair becomes sculptural—moulded into unexpected forms, layered with texture, and pushed beyond traditional silhouettes.

Accessories are reinterpreted through a utilitarian lens, replacing conventional embellishment with man-made materials such as gold metal rings, zip ties, and wooden elements. These choices reflect a speculative future where beauty is shaped by necessity, resourcefulness, and innovation rather than excess. Cyber Punk challenges traditional notions of beauty, merging raw industrial influence with futuristic styling to create something bold, functional, and experimental.

Hair/concept: Vee nguyen

Makeup: Carmela Malapira

Models: Britny Worthington/Isabella Canale/Alana Priest/Katie Mortimer/Lois Byrne/Zoe Heidenreich

photographer: Jackie Tran

2017 Aquarel

This collection explores technical styling skills through the use of diverse textures, combined with modern art influences drawn from watercolour painting. Inspired by the study of subcultural trends and contemporary fashion movements, the work presents a series of looks that reflect both current hair direction and a forecast of future styling.

Watercolour acts as the unifying visual language throughout the collection—subtle, fluid, and expressive. This influence informs both tone and composition, giving rise to the title Aquarel, derived from the French word for watercolour. Each image represents a distinct skill set and textural approach. Through the combination of heat styling, technical control, and natural movement, six forward-focused hair concepts were created, each offering a vision of where hair fashion may evolve next.

NATIONAL FINALIST

AHFA SA/TAS Hairdresser of The Year

COMPETITION: 2017 AHFA Awards

MUA: KRISTINA PERSICHINI

PHOTOGRAPHER: OZ SPINIELLO

Agency: FTm model management

2017 Gritt

Tough yet pretty. Gritt is inspired by contemporary trends that embrace a tougher, more undone approach to hair. The collection draws on the evolution of retro influences, with strong references to 1980s aesthetics, reinterpreted through a modern lens.

It combines the rawness of organic, untamed texture with the structure of sport-luxe styling and grunge-inspired detailing, creating an eclectic fusion of ideas. Cuts such as mullets and bobs are reimagined with jagged lines, layered shapes, and intentionally imperfect finishes. These are contrasted with soft, messy curls and lived-in texture, highlighting the tension between control and chaos.

The result is a collection that celebrates contradiction—feminine yet fierce, refined yet rebellious, structured yet free.

NATIONAL FINALIST

AHFA Apprentice of The Year

COMPETITION: 2017 AHFA Awards

HAIRSTYLIST: Ingrid Wolff

MUA: Sophia Cardone

PHOTOGRAPHER: OZ SPINIELLO

Agency: FTm model management

2017 Dark Parables

COMPETITION: 2016 Schwarzkopf Salon Team of the Year

HAIRSTYLIST: Selina Chhaur / Ingrid Wolff / Vee Nguyen / Hayley Mcgregor

MUA: Kristina Persichini

PHOTOGRAPHER: OZ SPINIELLO

STYLIST: Lily Lou

2016 Galactic Beings

This collection is an interpretation of pure white particles suspended within the vast centre of the galaxy—floating, shifting, and existing in constant motion.

Each look represents a unique fragment of matter, acknowledging that life exists in infinite forms and structures. Subtle variations in colour and texture reflect the chemical and energetic diversity of space, where light, gas, and matter collide to form ever-changing visual patterns.

Within this cosmic core, colour becomes unstable yet essential—bright hues merging and separating to create moments of unexpected beauty and transformation. Beyond this centre lies the outer edge of the galaxy: darker, more fragmented, and emotionally charged. Here, shadowed forms represent particles altered by distance and pressure, their purity no longer intact, shaped instead by the void that surrounds them.

The collection moves between these two states—light and shadow, creation and distortion—exploring the tension between harmony and chaos within an infinite universe.

COMPETITION: 2016 AHFA Awards

HAIRSTYLIST/COLORIST: HUNG TRAN

MUA: KRISTINA PERSICHINI

PHOTOGRAPHER: OZ SPINIELLO

LABEL: SIMMONE STANDING

2016 Bio Futura

This collection presents a vision of the future of hair colour—one that moves away from the artificial and manufactured, and instead draws inspiration from the richness of natural biodiversity. It explores the translation of organic forms into hair: feathered textures, floral palettes, and the irregular patterns found throughout biological ecosystems. These influences are reimagined into a cohesive hair direction that celebrates nature as both structure and inspiration.

Envision a utopian earth, untouched and thriving. Birds move freely through expansive skies, while landscapes are dense with overgrown flora, shaped by wind, light, and seasonal change. This world becomes the foundation for the collection’s aesthetic language. Textures are designed to echo this environment—windswept movement, feather-like layering, and flowing forms that mirror grasslands and natural motion. The hair becomes an extension of these elements, capturing the rhythm of nature in motion.

The colour palette is drawn directly from the earth’s diversity: deep volcanic ash, onyx, and grounded earth tones form the base, while vibrant floral, avian, and botanical hues emerge as focal points within each look.

Each composition is carefully constructed to guide the eye—first drawn to bursts of vivid colour, then դեպի the deeper complexity of shadow, contrast, and form. This interplay creates a balance between bold expression and natural harmony. Ultimately, the collection reflects a symbiosis between flora and fauna, where colour, texture, and movement exist in unity—shaped by nature, and inspired by its infinite variation.

NATIONAL FINALIST

Schwarzkopf HAIREXPO New Creative Force & Color Technician of The Year

COMPETITION: 2016 Schwarzkopf AWARDS

HAIRSTYLIST/COLORIST: HUNG TRAN

MUA: KRISTINA PERSICHINI

PHOTOGRAPHER: OZ SPINIELLO

STYLIST: Lily Lou

2014 Movement of Expression

COMPETITION: 2014 Schwarzkopf AWARDS

Hairstylist: HUNG TRAN

MUA: KRISTINA PERSICHINI

PHOTOGRAPHER: David Smoler

2013 BOHEMIAN

JUDGES RECOGNITION

Schwarzkopf HAIREXPO Apprentice of The Year