In late May, René Furtererwelcomed 250 top hairstylists from Gene Juarez Salons + Spas at The Showbox, one of Seattle’s entertainment hot spots since 1939, for an exclusive event to celebrate the two brands’ exciting new partnership. The partnership is especially notable as it comes during a milestone year for René Furterer — 2017 marks the brand’s 60th Anniversary.

In the storied ballroom, which has featured shows by icons such as Duke Ellington, the Ramones, and Prince, guests enjoyed the extraordinary work of celebrity and editorial hairstylists Alessandro Mangerini and Adrien Flammier. In a dramatic showcase, both  hairstylists artfully executed innovative techniques that represented their own interpretations of movement, and deftly created show-stopping hair looks with René Furterer products. Creative support came from some of Gene Juarez’s top hairstylists, who lent their talents to assist both Alessandro and Adrien backstage.

Entitled “The Art of Movement,” the evening began with the hairstylists excitedly arriving to the venue where they were greeted by members of both the Gene Juarez and René Furterer teams. Guests could stop for a photo at the branded step and repeat while holding a sign with the event’s preferred hashtag (#GJxReneFurterer) before taking their seats. Surrounded by a brightly-lit René Furterer green dome, impressive product visuals and a neon 60th anniversary logo, the crowd fell silent as the show was about to start.

With the crowd eagerly awaiting the talents on stage, Scott Missad, CEO of Gene Juarez Salons + Spas welcomed the audience, saying how blown away he was to be a part of tonight’s show and for the partnership with René Furterer. He then gave accolades to both his hairstylists in attendance and the René Furterer team, before introducing Jacqueline Flam, Vice President Retail + Salon, for the René Furterer brand.

Flam welcomed the Gene Juarez Salons on behalf of the René Furterer team, and thanked Scott and his hairstylists for having them. “We have a spectacular evening planned for you,” said Jacqueline. “We’re thrilled for the partnership and look forward to celebrating sixty years of exquisite hair with you tonight.” Sharing a bit of the René Furterer history and the foundation of the brand (“Healthy beautiful hair comes from a healthy beautiful scalp”), Flam then set the stage for the evening by telling the attendees to interpret what movement means to them as they watched the presentations to come. And with that, the emcee for the evening, Chuck Hezekiah, National Educator and Brand Ambassador for René Furterer, took the stage to introduce the night’s main attractions, Mangerini and Flammier.

Mangerini took the stage first. Kneeling down, he intimately shared with the crowd that what he finds beautiful is what lies in the balance of motion, and how modernity to him, lies within natural looks. Kicking off the section of the evening in which more wearable hair looks were featured, he began his presentation by precisely cutting the hair of his first two models right on stage. To “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd no less! The next three looks showcased waves, a look Mangerini noted that he loves to create and one that he finds can be easily applied right in the salon. His third demo,  highlighted one of René Furterer’s hottest new launches of the year, the Sublime Curl Curl Nutri-Activating Cream.

After Mangerini’s five models waterfall-walked off the stage, Hezekiah was back to introduce Adrien Flammier and a teaser to his signature over-the-top looks. As Flammier took the stage, he began by explaining the inspiration for his artistic presentation: Seattle. With Emerald City’s architectural lines and distinct weather patterns as his muse, the crowd was in for a dramatic treat. Like Mangerini, Flammier started by cutting his first model’s hair on stage in a theatrical razor cut. His remaining four models would showcase vibrant extensions and wigs, more accurately described as works of art, made and prepped by Adrien before the show.

Ending the successful presentations on a high note, Missad returned to the stage to express his appreciation for the artists, the René Furterer team, his Gene Juarez hairstylists and all who made the event a stellar success. Stephanie Harpel, René Furterer’s National Sales Manager, helped Scott surprise his hairstylists by announcing that, by way of raffle, one lucky winner from the audience would be going to Paris to experience the René Furterer Academy. Two more winners would eventually be selected through the selling of René Furterer products in salon, starting that week.

At the festive cocktail reception following the event, the hairstylists were thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Mangerini, Flammier, Pierre Fabre USA President and CEO Laurent-Emmanuel Saffré and the René Furterer team. Attendees were also invited to experience René Furterer at product vignettes throughout the space that showcased the brand’s Complexe 5 as well as their Absolue Keratine, Karité and 5 SENS ranges.

As the sun began to set, the celebration continued on and Scott Missad’s closing remarks echoed within the crowd. “Take the passion that you learned tonight and share it with your clients. What a great time we had!”