Two entrepreneurs from the North East have launched a national competition and assembled an internationally-famous judging panel to find the stylists from across the UK who have continued to excel in their work during lockdown.
While the Coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of salons across the country, leaving hairdressers and barbers without work since March, the Lockdown Stylist 2020 search seeks to find those who have honed their skills during the period.
The competition invites barbers and hairdressers from junior and apprentice level upwards to submit examples of work on members of their household, themselves or even mannequin heads, to showcase their creativity and styling talent to an array of household names.
Judges are Lee Stafford, internationally-known hairdresser and creator of one of the UK’s biggest product ranges, multi award-winning stylist Kevin Luchmun and Adam Sloan, chairman of vocational education and apprenticeship provider City and Guilds.
Lockdown Stylist 2020 is the brainchild of Sam Wall – an international award-winning barber based at the Hidden Heights Creative Studio in Gateshead, whose client base includes celebrities and sports stars from around the world – and Rob Wood, a North East salon owner.
The closing date has been set for July 4, to coincide with the expected return to work for stylists across the UK, but will be extended if the timescale for salons re-opening is delayed.
“This has been a really difficult time for the industry and not being able to work has impacted on stylists right across the country, myself included, who have not been able to do what we love. Through launching Lockdown Stylist, we want to get hairdressers and barbers of all levels of experience to show us what they’ve been doing over the past few weeks and the creative work they’ve continued to do,” said Sam.
“We’ve got a fantastic panel of judges, some of the leading names in the hairdressing world, who all loved the concept of Lockdown Stylist and were really keen to get on board. By entering this competition, there is the chance to get your work in front of some of the leading names in this business, and we’re as keen to hear from juniors as we are stylists who’ve been doing this for years.
“By doing this, as well as helping to showcase the huge creativity of stylists across the UK, we want to help hairdressers and barbers to get back into the zone, in preparation for us being able to return to work, and have a bit of fun at the same time.”
* Entry costs £5 and the Lockdown Stylist 2020 winner will receive a prize including an editorial photoshoot with Sam Wall and an array of his global-selling product range. To enter or for more information, contact lockdownstylist2020@gmail.com