2007 hair news review of the year

A look back at all the news and gossip from the world of hair in 2007. January | February | March | April | May | June July | August | September | October | November | December

JANUARY

• Scottish salons and training providers were in a militant mood this month in response to "devastating cuts" to the industry's training budget. Habia estimated that up to 60% of training places for SNVQ Level 2 and 3 had been lost.
• Wella Professionals launched its Trend Vision Award - which entered its fourth year in 2007.
• Eva and Steve Proudman completed a management buyout to become the new owners of Racoon International.

FEBRUARY

• More than 1,200 hairdressers, technicians, managers and franchisees attended the Saks National Awards. HJ's 2006 British Hairdresser of the Year Andrew Barton opened the show to rapturous applause.
• HM Revenue & Customs warned salon owners it could not include tips as part of the national minimum wage unless it operated a tronc system like restaurants, and disseminated tips through the till roll.
• The Hair & Beauty Benevolent Ball took place at London's Park Lane Hilton, where guests were welcomed by president Jayne Lewis-Orr and treated to some spectacular hair shows by top industry names.
• The Redken Global Symposium rocked Las Vegas, followed by a UK Business Forum in Los Angeles.
• Matrix pulled out all the stops for its annual conference, flying delegates to the Middle Eastern city of Muscat in Oman. Matrix treated delegates to a mix of education and entertainment.

MARCH

• Posh set the tabloids and salons across the country buzzing with her now famous blonde pob. The low maintenance look was considered ideal for Victoria's new LA lifestyle.
• HJ's 2007 British Hairdressing Business Awards was officially launched, marking its ninth year.
• A survey revealed that hairdressers were more anxious about getting old than Brits in any other career - 29% of hairdressers worry about celebrating their birthday, the survey by life assistance company CPP revealed.

APRIL

• Lee Stafford announced that he would be franchising his salons in Norway through the Vita Group of haircare retail outlets.
• Aveda Masterjam took place in Milan, with presentations by star hairdressers including Antoinette Beenders.
• HJ held its first HJ Business Live event. Speakers, including former Red Arrows pilot Justin Hughes, who entertained and inspired delegates at the Cumberland Hotel in London.

MAY

• L'Oréal Professionnel launched its annual Talent Spotting competition, calling for under 25s to enter one of six regional heats across the UK and Ireland, to be in with a chance to win a place on the iD Artists programme.
• BBC 2 documentary Hair Wars caused outrage in the industry for its portrayal of hairdressing. Following the programme's airing, Keith Broughton resigned as general manager of the National Hairdressers' Federation's Team GB.
• The Schwarzkopf Professional PH Conference took place at the Belfry Hotel in the Midlands, featuring presentations from Lisa Shepherd and UK technical manager Mark Todd.
• The L'Oréal Colour Trophy saw Earls Court Two transformed into a glamorous evening venue, filled by some 1,200 guests. Sanrizz, London, took top honours, with Toni & Guy Guildford scooping the Men's Image Award.

JUNE

• The Wella Professionals Business Network Event 2007 saw a fascinating mix of speakers educate and inspire delegates over the two-day event.
• Salons across the UK battled to keep trading while record rainfall created flood chaos. Severely hit areas included Hull and Gloucestershire.

JULY

• The Francesco Group was celebrating after seeing off competition from major blue chip companies to win a prestigious Business in the Community Award for Excellence. The salon group was recognised for excellence in training at a glittering reception at the Royal Albert Hall.
• Beverly C joined Goldwell to oversee artistic development of the brand in the UK and represent the business on an international level.
• Jemella, the company behind ghd, sold for £160m in a management buyout led by CEO Martin Penny.
• First round judging for HJ's British Hairdressing Awards took place, with judges impressed by the high standard of the entries.

AUGUST

• Lisa Shepherd officially opened her first franchise salon in Sutton Coldfield. The salon is managed by HJ's 2006 Newcomer of the Year, Emma Steven.
• Goldwell announced the winners of the three categories in its Trend Zoom Colour Challenge - they were Creative Colourist, Tamara Doncova from Lexingtons, London; Elumen Colourist, Mubasher Qureshi, of Hoopers, Bedfordshire; and Partner Colourist, Andy Kyriacou, also of Lexingtons.

SEPTEMBER

• The business brains of the industry were recognised at HJ's British Hairdressing Business Awards, with Alan and Linda Stewart of Rainbow Room International named Business Directors of the Year.
• Martyn Gayle was appointed creative director of salon group lookfantastic and its online division lookfantastic.com.
• Charlie Taylor, founder of Perth's hair and beauty group Charlie Taylor Hair Health & Beauty, was named Scottish Woman of Achievement 2007 at the Association of Scottish Businesswomen's Annual Awards.
• Hairdressers from around the world flocked to Marbella for the KMS California annual education event.

OCTOBER

• HJ published its biggest-ever issue with 156 pages packed with the usual mix of news, features, fashion and business advice.
• A record number of exhibitors at Salon International drew tens of thousands of visitors to ExCeL, London.
• Battersea Park was the venue for Redken's spectacular Tribe 07 event, which included the finals of its Urban Talent competition. Angelo Vallillo from Zullo & Holland, Nottingham, won the Style Genius category, while Gail Taylor of Wallace Hairdressing in Solihull scooped the prize for Color Genius.
• TIGI stunned a crowd of 4,000 hairdressers with its World Release event at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. The theme was illusion and the show mixed commercial looks with avant garde.
• The first Kérastase Business Forum featured presentations from a variety of speakers, including author of Hug Your Customers, Jack Mitchell, and chairman of Superbrands, Stephen Cheliotis.
• Berlin played host to the international final of Goldwell's Trend Zoom Colour Challenge.
• Toni & Guy's Mainstage event saw more than 2,500 hairdressers flock to Kensington Olympia to celebrate the group's success, with stunning catwalk presentations and awards.

NOVEMBER

• The fifth international Wella Professionals Trend Vision Award stunned visitors in Barcelona, with the UK represented by UK winner, Emma Hodgkins from Toni & Guy, Sloane Square, London.
• HJ's British Hairdressing Awards sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional proved itself, once again, to be the major event in the hairdressing calendar, with Angelo Seminara named HJ's 2007 British Hairdresser of the Year.
• The second HJ Business Live event took place in Manchester, with speakers including Olympian Roger Black, Red or Dead founder, Wayne Hemingway and Jon MacLeod of Edinburgh salon group Paterson SA.

DECEMBER

• The Fellowship For British Hairdressing's Luncheon and Awards once again attracted guests from across the nation - and as far afield as Australia. Angelo Seminara was named Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year.