A Successful Debut in Melbourne
The inaugural Hair Expo POP UP left Victorian hair professionals inspired by a weekend of independent education, networking, and access to some of the industry’s newest innovations.
Held for the first time alongside Beauty Expo Melbourne (formerly known as Salon Melbourne), the education-driven, pop-up-style event was designed to provide a taste of Hair Expo Australia for those who cannot make the main event in Sydney this year. Over the course of the weekend, there were more than 5,000 visits by hair and beauty professionals to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) for the event, which provided an opportunity for Victorian professionals to connect face-to-face with suppliers and learn about the latest product trends and technologies in the hair and beauty industries.
“It was a great event… people want education and Main Stage was really good," said Lorna Evans, a prominent educator in the Australian hair industry who demonstrated and exhibited at Hair Expo POP UP.
“I really liked the [Hair Expo] POP UP…everybody felt comfortable to come around the pod. For us, it was about bringing them back to the stand to see what we do up close, and having that extra space around the stand was awesome," Evans concluded.
Among the highlights was luxury brand Balmain Hair Couture, which showed curious hairdressers its range of professional hair care ahead of its official Australian market launch in June; and Trichovedic, which showed the new Natural Application of its Keratin Smoothing Treatment. Hairdressers could also see and shop from brands like Excellent Edges, Revlon Professional, American Crew, Oolaboo Australia, Mizutani scissors, Lorna Evans Education, Dessata detangling brushes, Y.S. Park Professional, Janeke Brushes, UniqOne, and Sharon Blain’s Big Towel Company.
Event highlights of Hair Expo POP UP included:
- Creative education from the likes Caterina Di Biase, Kobi Bokshish, Uros Mikic, and Joey Scandizzo and Marie Uva, which gave visitors a chance to learn new skills from some of the most recognized names in Australian hair.
- Business education from some of Australia’s leading mentors and business advisors, including Julia Piantadosi, Justin Herald and Kate Engler.
- A schedule of free education on the Hair Expo POP UP Main Stage, which included a warmly received demonstration from Melbourne’s Wieselmann Art Team, who were delighted to have a hair event on home soil. Kobi Bokshish had a packed Main Stage with his Intershape salon team, who performed a styling demonstration on eight models. And the Kings Domain Barbershop team and American Crew proved barbering is more popular than ever, with two free shows demonstrating a range of men’s haircutting and styling skills to a full audience.
- The first heat of Australia’s Live Hair Challenge – a national competition where hairdressers were invited to show their ‘shear’ skills, by demonstrating a range of cutting styles in real-time in front of the Expo crowds. Following the results of the second heat in Sydney on 1 May, the winners of both heats will be invited to battle it out in front of the crowds at Hair Expo in June for the national title. The competition is powered by Hair Expo and the Hair and Beauty Industry Association (HBIA).
- Access to Beauty Expo Melbourne with the same tickets, providing visitors with even more to see, sample and learn about under one roof.
- A Hair & Beauty Welcome Party – hair and beauty professionals had the opportunity to celebrate, network and socialize with their industry peers at an exclusive party on Saturday night, held at Crown Metropol’s 28 Skybar Lounge with beautiful views of the Melbourne skyline.
- The American Crew All-Star Challenge Awards Party celebrated the finalists of this prestigious competition, held at Cargo Hall in South Wharf.
Those who weren’t able to make it to Hair Expo POP UP and Beauty Expo Melbourne 2017 can instead look ahead to Hair Expo Australia, the hair industry’s leading annual event, which will return to its Darling Harbour home over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (10-12 June) at the new International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney; and Beauty Expo Australia, which will connect and inspire beauty professionals from around the country from 26-27 August, also returning to Darling Harbour at the ICC Sydney.
