14th Aveda Congress Festival

     The 14th Aveda Congress Festival, held October 16-18, welcomed, showcased and honored the diverse talents and creative drive that give the company its unique position in the world of beauty and fashion.
    The auditorium of the Minneapolis Convention Center was packed for two days of presentations. Congress opened with company President Dominique Conseil's introduction of some of Aveda's indigenous partners whose contributions to Aveda products include the harvesting of Australian Sandalwood, Bulgarian Lavender and South African Rose Geranium.
    Aveda guest artist Dennis Clendennen used techniques from the Aveda Fall/Winter collection, based on parabola shapes to complement a runway show featuring selections from Duffty's latest collection.
    Comedienne and television personality Lizz Winstead hosted a mock talk show on stage and was joined by Aveda Technical Artistic Director David Adams and colorists Nancy Rao, Yuji Okawa and Ana Karzis who performed "real people" make-overs on local women, including a women who had relocated to Minnesota from New Orleans following the hurricane.
    The afternoon concluded with a presentation by Aveda Founder Horst Rechelbacher who discussed his new book, Alivlihood, and the concepts of eco-responsibility. In an operatic show of style, fashion, music and stage production, Rechelbacher used a clipper, waving techniques and a classic French twist to demonstrate why, after 50 years, he is still a master of styling innovation.
    Special guest speaker William Lauder, grandson of Estee Lauder and president and CEO of Estee Lauder Companies, Inc., (parent company of Aveda) addressed the Congress, highlighting his grandmother's career, which began in salon sales, and the role of Aveda in Estee Lauder.
    The afternoon session featured Antoinette Beenders, 2004 British Hairdresser of the Year and newly named Aveda global style director, who used root curling, back combing, cornrows and wefts to create fantastical looks enhanced with crystals to suggest rhinestones on fabric.

Aveda Founder Horst Rechelbacher has not lost his creative edge after 50 years as a hairdresser.