Kao Salon Division proudly hosted the 2023 Kao Salon Global Experience – celebrating a sensational burst of creativity, innovation and inspiration – on 24-25 September in Chicago.
The two-day event welcomed more than 2,000 stylists from around the globe for a showcase of presentations, live shows and the crowning of the Global Creative Award winners. Check out the national winners here and keep scrolling to see how they fared in the global competiton.
Attendees enjoyed a display of the latest trends, techniques and products that have become synonymous with the Kao Salon family. "At Kao Salon, creativity isn't just a buzzword – it's our DNA," says Dominic Pratt, President, Kao Salon Division. "Our commitment to innovation, imagination and integrity drives us every day, and Kao Salon Global Experience is the epitome of this ethos. We use this time to celebrate not only our exceptional products but also the remarkable individuals who make up our Kao Salon family."
This year the event was made even more special by the 75th anniversary celebration of Kao Salon’s stylist-centric brand, Goldwell. Other highlights of the weekend included the Global Creative Awards with the announcement of the new winners, the premiere of the new 'Hair Every Wear 3.0' collection from Global Goldwell Ambassador Angelo Seminara, as well as the 'Eras of Anarchy' collection from the Rush Artistic Team, which was inspired by and paying homage to the exemplars of British fashion. Discussing the latter collection, Andy Heasman, Rush International Artistic Director, shared: "We wanted to take the audience on an eclectic journey, a visual feast that inspires in an inimitable Rush style.”
Reflecting on the event, Angelo Seminara shared his excitement, explaning: “Kao Salon Global Experience is such a unique event. I loved sharing my vision and passion with like-minded professionals and it was amazing to see the special connection between the artists that work in this industry. The Global Creative Awards is the greatest evening event of its kind worldwide!”
The Global Creative Awards 2023 Evening
The Global Creative Awards started with a show and impressive presentations; stylists and salon owners from all over the world were excited to discover the newest collections from Angelo Seminara, Mario Krankl and RUSH.
A big congratulations to the KAO Global Creative 2023 winners, which included the UK's Stevan Dulay, POMO Hair.
Technical Categories
● New Talent Colorist of the Year:
○ GOLD: Samantha Dixon, Canada
○ SILVER: Winnie Wong, Singapore
○ BRONZE: Frank Wong, Hong Kong
● Creative Colorist of the Year:
○ GOLD: Cheng Jian Yang, China
○ SILVER: Alo Lo, Hong Kong
○ BRONZE: Tina Casciato, Canada
● Creative Hair Cutter of the Year:
○ GOLD: Desiré van den Ende, Benelux
○ SILVER: Sabrina Grossenbacher, Switzerland
○ BRONZE: Marilyn Vendittelli, Canada
Editorial Categories
● Men’s Hairstylist of the Year:
○ GOLD: Marilyn Vendittelli, Canada
○ SILVER: Christian Ríos, Spain
○ BRONZE: Laurens van Essen, Netherlands
● Avant Garde Stylist of the Year:
○ GOLD: Amanda Magistro, Australia
○ SILVER: Zoe O’Day, United States
○ BRONZE: Tom Yek Teng siong, Malaysia
● Salon Team of the Year:
○ GOLD: Industry Hair & Esthetics, Canada
○ SILVER: Salon Cyan, Canada
○ BRONZE: Renaissance Salon & Estetica, Canada
● Editorial Colorist of the Year:
○ GOLD: Stevan Dulay, United Kingdom
○ SILVER: Caroline Brand, United Kingdom
○ BRONZE: Stacey Smoker, United States
