Celebrating the Best of British – the 2009 British Hairdressing Awards Finalists Announced

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The waiting is over for hairdressers throughout the UK as Hairdressers Journal International has announced the finalists for the nine regional and six specialist categories in the British Hairdressing Awards 2009.

The British Hairdressing Awards are celebrating their 25th Anniversary in 2009. Launched in 1984 by Hairdressers Journal International and sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, the awards have celebrated and rewarded the best of British hairdressing creativity, and have become the ‘Oscars’ of the hairdressing world.

To enter the competition, hairdressers working in salons throughout the United Kingdom have to submit four images, which fulfil the criteria set. Depending on the hairdresser’s location, they can enter their regional category – Eastern, London, Midlands, North Eastern, North Western, Northern Ireland, Scottish, Southern or Wales & South West. If their talents lie within a particular discipline, they are also able to enter one of the six specialist categories – Afro Hairdresser of the Year, Artistic Team of the Year, Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year, Men’s Hairdresser of the Year, Newcomer of the Year or Schwarzkopf Professional British Colour Technician of the Year.

The first round judging takes place to establish the six finalists in the regional and specialist categories. Members of the British Hairdressing Awards Hall of Fame, along with previous British Hairdressing Awards winners are invited to judge the work submitted. Judges cannot confer during the judging process, and each mark all entries independently. The points are handed to a team of auditors, who then process the results to find the six finalists in each category.

In addition to the 15 regional and specialist categories, the most hotly contested award is for the British Hairdresser of the Year title. Entry to this award is by nomination only, and in 2009 there are eight nominees for the title – Andrew Barton, Errol Douglas, Mark Hayes, Akin Konizi, Angelo Seminara, Lisa Shepherd, , Phil Smith and Gary Hooker & Michael Young,

“Each year the standard of entries in all categories becomes more creative and inspirational,” comments Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Hairdressers Journal International, Jayne Lewis-Orr. “British hairdressing is perceived throughout the world as being the best, and the British Hairdressing Awards recognise and reward creativity and excellence in all hairdressing skills.”

To go forward to the second round, the six finalists in each category have to produce a second set of four images, which will then be judged as a complete set of eight. The same guidelines are adhered to as before, with the winner being announced at the biggest event in the hairdressing industry’s calendar, a glittering awards dinner presented by a leading media personality – the British Hairdressing Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel, a JW Marriot Hotel, London on Monday 23rd November 2009.