Hairs Apparent

25 June 2002

These apprentice hairdressers are making a cutting edge impression.

They're the young guns of the hair industry. Today's apprentices are the trendsetters of tomorrow and the high-profile snippers of the future may be among the finalists in the Hair Apprentice of the Year Award held this month at the 25th annual Hair Expo at Darling Harbour.

Ali Holmes, 22, Wild Life Hairdressing, Milsons Point.

Ali Holmes won the Hair Apprentice of the Year for the second year running. Holmes is eight years into her career, having started as a Saturday casual while she was still at high school. She credits a nurturing work environment as the driving force behind her success.

Her entry for the award, entitled Essence, depicted styles that were delicate, feminine and very simple. "I didn't use any amazing techniques," she says. "I wanted to keep it quite basic, so I used single waves, soft edges and shattered lines to keep the hair soft. I kept the colours subdued and there were a lot of full and half fringes. Always remember, less is more."

Holmes travels to London in October to attend Salon International - the British equivalent of Hair Expo - and is part of this year's Fame team, a group of four apprentices hand-picked by local industry group the Hair Fellowship. The team performs presentations to fellow apprentices and styles hair for various product advertisements.

Luke Reynolds, 25, Tognini's, Brisbane.

From horse riding to hairdressing, it's been quite a leap for Luke Reynolds. In addition to training and competing as a three-day event rider during his high school years, he spent his spare time cutting and styling his classmates' quiffs.

A confessed workaholic who does everything "full-on and not half-heartedly", Reynolds has since left the horses by the wayside. Instead, his time is spent in the salon and styling hair for fashion parades.

He describes his Hair Expo portfolio as "wallpaper* magazine-inspired" featuring glamorous women with even more glamorous locks, including his prediction for "the heavy frontal haircut. Bold through the front with a long, heavy fringe".

Reynolds's aim for the future is to become Australia's leading platform educational stylist - that's hair-speak for teaching on stage. "I love the teaching side of hair," he says. "I think it comes from being a qualified riding instructor, but sharing knowledge and information with other people, well that's a great buzz."

Gabrielle Tobias, 24, Noddy's on King, Newtown.

For Gabrielle Tobias, hair-dressing was never her intended career. In fact, she wanted to be a chef. But while searching the Internet for cooking apprenticeships three years ago, she came across an advertisement for an apprenticeship of another sort - hairdressing at Noddy's on King - and as they say, the rest is history.

Under the mentorship of renowned hair stylist Shane Henning, she soon discovered that cutting hair was the perfect creative outlet. Her entry for Hair Expo was inspired by sci-fi comic books, everything from Japanese manga animation to the X-Men. Tobias prides herself on her precision cutting skills, which are evident in the strong and clean lines of her styles. "I wanted to use hair to portray the women in the comics, how they're sexy and beautiful, but at the same time are very powerful," she says.

Tobias sees education as the most important tool a hairdresser can offer a client, citing a difficult moment with a client who insisted on having her tight curls straightened. "It took two hours and I was almost in tears," she says. "I think it's our responsibility to let the customer know that basically they have to deal with what they have. You have to learn to live with your hair type and not force your hair into something it won't do, because ultimately, it won't look good."

Chris Tsiknaris, 19, Tsiknaris Hair, Brisbane.

Chris Tsikarnis is one ambitious teenager. "I'd like to be known as one of Australia's best colourists," he states bluntly. And he's well on his way. Since starting work at his brother Bill's hair salon four years ago - he was just 15 - Tsikarnis has been short-listed for several awards, including the Australian Fashion Hair Industry Awards in February.

Tsiknaris's entry for the Hair Expo was based on an earthy feel, achieved with warm chocolate-brown and toffee-blonde tones. He believes that hair is heading in a softer direction, with colour fusion being used to create soft tonal variations. He also likes bright colours which seep through from layers underneath.

Apart from his work in the salon, Tsiknaris is involved with the Wella educational team, a position which requires him to travel to different salons and studios around Queensland. Platforming - yes, teaching onstage - is a part of the job he particularly enjoys, "I think it's very important to share ideas with everyone," he says.

Hair tips

"Always put a protective product like Aveda Phomollient, which is a light mousse, in your hair before blow-drying. It will prevent your hair from being damaged by the heat."

Ali Holmes

"A good haircare regimen makes a world of difference. So use a professional brand of shampoo and conditioner. It will make styling your hair a lot easier. Also, a leave-in moisture treatment will protect your hair against the elements."

Luke Reynolds

"I've noticed that many clients have chlorine build-up in their hair from swimming, so I'd suggest using a strong conditioning cream that will form a barrier against the chlorine. And always wear a swim cap."

Gabrielle Tobias

"The condition of your hair is the most important thing, so use the right conditioner to keep it soft and shiny. Don't forget a weekly moisture protein treatment, especially on highlighted hair."

Chris Tsiknaris.


Back to News Index | Back to Home