“Seasons” was the theme of the 19th annual Contessa Awards held recently.
by Jan Hillenmeyer
July 11, 2011
1 min to read
Seasons' Best
"Seasons" was the theme of the 19th annual Contessa Awards held recently in Toronto. The gala event, which drew 1,200 salon professionals from around Canada, celebrated the changing nature of the beauty industry as it honored the best of Canadian talent in 21 regional and national styling categories as well as in interior design.
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Edwin Johnston of The Cutting Room in Nanaimo, British Columbia, received both Canadian Hairstylist of the Year and British Columbia Hairstylist of the Year Awards.
A portion of the Contessa Awards ticket sale proceeds benefitted Canada's Look Good, Feel Better program for cancer patients.
ELITE STYLIST
Canadian Elite Master Hairstylist of the Year:
John Graham,
Vault Salon & Spa, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Photography: Rhello Yorobe
STYLIST OF THE YEAR
Canadian Hairstylist of the Year:
Edwin Johnston of The Cutting Room,
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Photography: Babak
SESSION STYLIST
Canadian Session Hairstylist of the Year:
Melanie Belanger,
Character Salon, Ottawa, Ontario.
Photography: Donat
SALON TEAM
Canadian Salon Team of the Year:
Pure Salon,
Montreal, Quebec.
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As part of our ongoing commitment to sharing resources that help beauty professionals stay informed, we thought it was worth introducing our audience to The Chatter and the unique perspective it brings to industry conversations.
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Covet & Mane has expanded its Pro Color System with the launch of Color Boost Drops, completing what the company says is the first professional color system engineered specifically for hair extensions.
The 2026 Beauty Changes Lives Legacy Award has been awarded to Sam Villa for his trailblazing contribution, advocacy and mentorship that has profoundly transformed and elevated the professional beauty industry.
Curl Cult founder Janine Jarman, a hairstylist, salon owner, educator, and product creator, is opening a community investment round that gives hairdressers and clients the opportunity to own a stake in the company they helped grow.
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SalonCentric has announced its expansion into Alaska, marking the distributor’s presence across all 50 states and bringing additional access to professional beauty products, education and business support to licensed salon professionals in the region.
Though their Astronaut of Hope collection of brushes and clips, ERGO Styling Tools raises $33,000 to support HairToStay, the first and only national nonprofit dedicated to making scalp cooling treatments affordable for cancer patients.
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A full day of education for hairstylists and salon pros focused on pricing, personal branding, client experience, social media, and long-term career growth.