Fantasy and photography at trevor sorbie assistants' competition

The standard of work was as high as ever at this year's Trevor Sorbie Assistants' Competition. Trainees from all four salons converged on the L'Oréal Academy in Hammersmith, London, to present their models and talk about the inspiration behind them.

This year all assistants were asked to create looks inspired by a photographer of their choice - and entrants certainly let their imaginations run wild, generating some inspirational creations and demonstrating just how much research they had conducted into their chosen photographer.

Said Trevor Sorbie: "The standard of work was incredible. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It is essential to give our youngsters a chance to shine."

Teams were given 10 minutes to present their moodboards and models to the judges, and an audience of colleagues, friends and families - and every team impressed with their professionalism and creative vision.

The winners were announced as Maya Sokolova, Charlotte Attwood and Chelsea Silburn from the Brighton salon for their interpretation of Tim Walker's fantasy shoots. The trio made all the outfits for their presentation - which featured a mermaid and a ballerina. They also created a three-dimensional mood board designed to look like a backdrop from one of Tim Walker's shoots.