Fashionistas from a Teesside college have been recognised in a competition designed to unearth the next generation of hairdressing talent.
Hairdressing and beauty therapy students from Redcar & Cleveland College took part in an annual awards competition to test their skills across various challenges and create a dazzling array of spectacular styles.
Level three students competed against each other in the category that celebrated the best quirky avant-garde styles, while level two students battled it out in the mysterious world of fantasy and special occasions categories.
Their performances came under the scrutiny of eagle-eyed industry judges, who included Graham Smith from the renowned Graham Daniels Hair Salon in Billingham.
Prizes were awarded to the winning students from each category, as well as an overall prize for the most dramatic style produced on the day.
The overall winner was Tiffany Roots, who impressed the judges with her eye-catching stylish entry.
Tiffany said: “It was a fun competition with a serious edge! For me, it was the perfect opportunity to put into practice the skills I’ve acquired from my course. It gave everybody a platform to demonstrate their creativity and knowledge of fashion.”
Tiffany and the other category winners will now go forward to test their skills in the North East heat of the high-profile Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) competition, which takes place in 2017.
Emma Fletcher, course leader at Redcar & Cleveland College, said: “Congratulations must go to all of the candidates, who produced work of a very high standard, and the winning entries, in particular, were exceptional. It’s clear that several students look set for a highly rewarding career in the hair and beauty industry.
“Through our programme of study, we try to replicate what it’s like to work in the real world – and this competition is a great example of that. It gives students a chance to showcase their skills under time constraints that they would encounter if they were to get a job in the profession.”
Aside from the competition, hair and beauty students have already been given exposure to the world of work through Mosaic, a commercial salon based at Redcar & Cleveland College’s Corporation Road site. Open to the public, the salon allows students to trade in the same way a business would and hundreds of customers have passed through its doors.
For further information about Mosaic please call 01642 777184 or visit www.mosaic-redcar.co.uk. For further information about Redcar & Cleveland College please call 01642 473 132 or visit http://www.cleveland.ac.uk.