The inspiration lives on. One of the highlights of this past spring was the ORIBE BACKSTAGE event held in April in Las Vegas. To keep the magic alive, the Oribe team invited all that attended to return to their salons and use the inspiration to enter the BACKSTAGE LAS VEGAS STYLE-OFF photo competition. More than 330 took up the challenge and have been submitting photos using the “Grotesque Glamour” theme as a launching point. The prize is more than just bragging rights: there is a trip to The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and a $500 American Express gift card at top prize!I have been honored to be invited as a guest judge. Each and every entry is incredibly special, making any decision difficult. However, the entry from the Sorella Salon & Spa (there are three outside Seattle) really went above and beyond.
“We were so inspired by the event,” said China Wilson, an educator at Sorella. “Oribe Backstage was an amazing program and we were thrilled at the opportunity to enter a competition based on those fantastic three days. We knew we didn’t want to duplicate our Las Vegas look, but to use what we learned and interpret for what was right for us. 28 designers from our salons decided to enter as a group and came up with our theme ‘circus freaks with beautiful hair'. We each had our own vision and ran with it.”
Thirty models later, the team produced hundreds of images covering the entire circus clan from the ring master to the strong man. “It was a real cast of characters,” says China. “We went black and white to keep the finishes true to that era. We wanted to keep it authentic.”
Jamie Reasy-Khalili, co- owner of Sorella, felt that the photoshoot and collaboration was a turning point for the staff. “We turned it in to a team building experience,” she says. “It inspired us all to be involved. We all got so passionate about the results, pushing our creativity and making us feel that much closer.”
For the Sorella team, the results are offering more than a great experience. “We took the images to use in our portfolios and also made coffee table books,” says Jamie. “It’s elevated the level of service we give to our clients. It allows our guests to expect more and allows us to deliver more. This whole process, from the event in Las Vegas to the photo shoot, has taken us out of our box and is keeping everyone inspired."
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Maggie Mulhern is the Beauty & Fashion Director at Modern Salon magazine.
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