Hj reports: l'oréal professionnel portfolio event october 2021

Held at the prestigious Corinthia Hotel, in London the L'Oréal Professionnel Portfolio salons day brought together L'Oréal salons from across the UK and Ireland. HJ was lucky enough to attend the day's event and bear witness to some incredible speakers both within and outside of the industry. The event kicked off with an introduction from general manager UKI, L'Oréal Professionnel Paris, Tom Rolt, who outlined the brand's key focus for the months ahead. The guest speaker for the event was Mary Portas, who is one of the UK's most high-profile and innovative businesswomen. Mary rose to fame after turning Harvey Nichols into a premium fashion destination. Author of Work Like A Woman and Shop Girl, Mary's new book focuses on the kindness economy, a consumer culture movement that focuses on sustainability, work/life balance and above all, kindness. It's a bold departure from a 24/7 always on working culture. Mary offered some fascinating insights into how she's harnessed this movement – and she revealed ways that the hairdressing industry can too. Mary then interviewed hairdressers Guy Kremer and Josh Miller, of Charlie Miller salons to find out what business has been like for them throughout the past 18 months. Both guests were honest and open about the struggles, but concluded that there have also been surprising positives to take away from 2020-21. Next, Monica Teodoro, general manager education and professional development PPD UKI took to the stage to enlighten the room about the changing trends in hairdressing and the brand's focus on sustainability. Following on from Monica, director of digital engagement and communications strategy, Lucie Seffens, chaired a panel talk which included guests Fry Taylor of Green Salon Collective, Richard Philipart and Marcello Moccia. The event closed with a speech by Béatrice Dautzenberg, managing director UK and Ireland L'Oréal Professionnel Paris talking about the important role hairdressers play in society and the exciting plans in store for 2022 and beyond. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal in the beautiful setting of the Corinthia Hotel, and enjoyed the chance to catch up and network in person. It was a triumphant return to live events.