Kao Salon Division proudly presented the eagerly awaited 2023 Kao Salon Global Experience, celebrating a sensational burst of creativity, innovation, and inspiration. This two-day extravaganza welcomed more than 2000 stylists from around the globe for an unforgettable showcase of extraordinary presentations, a thrilling live competition and engaging artist performances in the vibrant city of Chicago on September 24 and 25, 2023. Attendees enjoyed a mesmerizing 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, more importantly, the remarkable individuals who make up our Kao Salon family."

More than just an event, Kao Salon Global Experience serves as a celebration of creativity, a testament to innovation, and a gathering of like-minded individuals who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of the beauty and hair industry. It was also the 75th anniversary celebration of Kao Salon’s stylist-centric brand Goldwell, marking the culmination of decades of industry-breaking innovation, leading-edge technology, relentless research and development and deep relationships between Goldwell and its stylists.

Some of the many highlights of the event include the Global Creative Awards evening with the announcement of the new winners, the premiere of the new “Hair Every Wear 3.0” collection of Goldwell Global Ambassador Angelo Seminara, as well as the “Eras of Anarchy” collection of the Rush Artistic Team, which is inspired by and paying homage to the exemplars of British fashion.

“We want to take the audience on an eclectic journey, a visual feast that inspires in an inimitable Rush style,” says Any Heasman, Rush International Artistic Director.

Angelo Seminara shares his excitement for the event: “Kao Salon Global Experience is such a unique event. I loved sharing my vision and passion with like-minded professionals and it is amazing to see the special connection between the artists that work in this industry. The Global Creative Awards Evening is the greatest evening event of its kind worldwide!”

Mario Krankl's show was a hymn to creativity. The collection video "Frankenstein's Beauties" takes up a theme that is more relevant than ever in a sombre mood. In his "hair smith," Krankl expressed his extended understanding of hair: “Besides the salon business, hair is my playground and an expression of infinite creativity,” says Krankl.

BEST OF EDUCATION

Throughout the event, the world's most creative artistic teams took the stage to share cutting-edge trends and techniques, featuring the remarkable products of the Kao Salon Division. The best educators and artists were among them live on stage: Lok Chan and Salome de Wet, Zachary Jarid and Ethan King, Daniel Bruns and Sage Kinney, and for Kerasilk, Steven Picciano and Krysten Ashley Garrod.

BEST OF INSPIRATION

Five inspiring Artist Sessions gave guests from all over the world the opportunity to experience excellent mastery of their craftsmanship:

ICI JOLIE (Netherlands) is a group of passionate hair stylists who specialize in innovative color and cutting techniques. Known for their teamwork, creativity, quality and professionalism, ICI JOLIE has long been a part of the Kao Salon family. Besides working regularly for photo shoots and collections, Agnes and Gea have a Boutique salon in the Netherlands with education programs.

EVOLVE (Singapore) is an award-winning salon based in Singapore, well-known in the fashion and hairdressing industries. Frequently featured on TV and in magazines and fashion shows, Evolve sets an industry benchmark for the skill, knowledge and professionalism of its creative team and stylists. From stylish haircuts to beautiful color treatments, Evolve provides memorable and distinctive experiences for consumers, allowing them to look and feel their best.

HARE & BONE (United Kingdom) was founded on individuality, self-expression, openness and creativity. The collective of talents is a line-up of inspiring stylists that showcase the HARE & BONE ethos in everything they do. Creative Director, Sam Burnett has inspired international campaigns and global brands and as a result the HARE & BONE Art Team is an instinctive fashion-focused and trend conscious team of experts.

THE CREATIVES OF NORTH AMERICA (United States) feature a fusion of established National and International Artists from Canada and the United States. This team features award winning stylists that work across Goldwell, Kerasilk, KMS and Varis. They share trends featuring beautiful color, fabulous cuts and stunning finishes that every salon client wants when they visit a salon.

KIEN HOANG (United States) continues to work behind-the-scenes at Fashion Week internationally, styling the runways of brands including Balenciaga, Armani, Moschino, and FENTYXPUMA. Over the past several years, Kien has established himself as an in-demand lead stylist at New York and Paris Fashion Week. Kien shares his passion for education with stylists around the world. He is known as much for his artistry and technical skill as he is for his passion, warmth and generosity. His creative approach to hairstyling inspires stylists to go above and beyond their daily salon work.

GLOBAL CREATIVE AWARDS

On the show floor, excitement stirred as the live competition began. MODERN got an exclusive take on how the contestants prepare for the Global Creative Awards competition from the award-winning official coach of Canadian team and the unofficial mentor of the US team, Michelle Pargee:

The Global Creative Awards evening started with an amazing 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. The announcement of the Global Creative Awards winners in the Technical and Editorial Categories was one of the most outstanding moments of the evening.

And the winners are…

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

Congratulations to all winners of the Global Creative Awards!

LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY RECOGNITION

Sustainability played an important role at the event with an experience area including innovative and sustainable packaging ideas, tips to reduce the carbon footprint and an interactive quiz. The highlight was the recognition of salons from three regions for their leadership in salon sustainability:

• Representing Europe: Unisex Friseure

• Representing America: Fringe, A Boutique Salon

• Representing Asia: Roots – Where Hair Begins

REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF KAO SALON GLOBAL EXPERIENCE

After its first regional gathering for community and inspiration twenty years ago in Europe, the event evolved over the next two decades from Trend Zoom into Color Zoom, then Global Zoom, and into Kao Salon Global Experience it is today: A clear demonstration of commitment to supporting the professional community at all levels – from younger talents to seasoned professionals.

The hairdressing industry has never been sitting still, but the scale with which this industry has changed in the past few years has been unprecedented. To reflect this change and to make this unique educational opportunity available to even more stylists, it is time for the next evolution of the event.

Kao Salon Division will pause the live event in 2024 to reimagine the experience with the full creative input of their professional community and will relaunch in 2025 with a live program designed for a new generation of salon professionals - transforming into a new, modern and sustainable experience.

“Kao Salon Global Experience is one of the most important ways we demonstrate our commitment to supporting the professional community,” says Dominic Pratt, President, Kao Salon Division. “For this reason, we are taking a year to transform the event and make it available to all existing and potential Kao Salon Division customers in a meaningful way, elevating the hairdressing industry and salon businesses worldwide. We are here to support, educate and inspire as one global Kao Salon Division family!”

THE 2024 GLOBAL CREATIVE AWARDS ARE STILL ON!

The Global Creative Awards will continue in 2024, and Kao Salon Division will not neglect to offer this creative platform and exposure for existing and emerging talents. The competition will be fierce and fully virtual in 2024, with more competitors, more global representation, and more creativity than ever.