No styling competition will determine the recipient of the Kevin Murphy Icon Award. For this new award, presented every two years, there’s more to it than that. Inspired by the Kevin Murphy brand’s “The Choices We Make” philosophy, the award offers the industry a vehicle for telling the unique stories of beauty professionals who go the extra mile to work toward a better tomorrow through choices they make every day.

“We know that each and every stylist in our salon network is great at doing hair,” the company statement explains, “so we want to focus on those stylists who are also positively and actively impacting the environment, people’s lives and/or communities.” The 2021 nominees are currently under review by a jury of beauty pros who will announce the winner soon.

“The Choices We Make involves the choices that are related to environment, philanthropy, diversity, and humanity,” says Kevin Murphy. “Our choices are expressed through the ingredients we choose for our products, whom we partner with, and how we can make a difference, for the environment and for the people around us. Now we want to shift the focus from The Choices that We Make to The Choices that You Make.”

The Jury

Three industry leaders sit on the jury to select the winner of the Kevin Murphy Icon Award 2021:

• Kyle Krieger, men’s fashion and grooming expert. Born in Virginia and now based in Los Angeles, Kyle Krieger is known for his style and fitness tips and tricks. First becoming a celebrity hairdresser and then moving to the digital side of the business, Krieger currently has more than 2 million combined followers across his social platforms. His advice on styling for men comes with humor and messages of self-love. Krieger is an advocate for LGBTQ+ causes and organizations, where he has dedicated time to fundraising for the AIDS/LifeCycle Fundraiser, The Audre Lorde Project, The Center South, and GLAAD.

• Marita Burke, Creative Director of Mecca Brands. Marita Burke informs key brand acquisitions, large scale creative initiatives such as MECCALAND, and brand direction for the largest beauty retailer in Australia and New Zealand. The creative architect behind Mecca Brands’ signature makeup collections, Mecca Cosmetica and MECCA MAX, Burke travels extensively to source the world’s most desirable brands and uses her deep insights into the shifting demands of consumers to deliver a truly unique shopping experience.

• Kevin Murphy, Founder of KEVIN.MURPHY. A master of his profession, Kevin Murphy has had his work grace the covers of all the major global print publications, and he has directed hair teams for countless high profile fashion houses. Murphy remains at the forefront of an industry that he is deeply committed to and passionate about. From leading the trends with innovative hair designs to developing groundbreaking products that are kind to the environment and to the hair, Kevin Murphy is recognized as a visionary in the creation of modern, hairdressing products and tools,while also deeply invested in philanthropy through the Choices We Make and Heart of KM.