29 March 2024

Breaking News! Meet the Winners of Sebastian Professional What’s Next Awards 2018

Sebastian Professional bleeds black, and their artists proudly displayed their fervor for #sebastianculture in the latest annual celebration of What’s Next Awards 2018, the hair styling competition for Student and Professional talent who dare to take their creativity and Sebastian-vision to the next level.

With a total attendance of 600 stylists, the WNA competition was a wild display of talent and avant-garde passion for the craft of editorial hairdressing. There were elevated manes sculptured in dramatic silhouettes, while others chose the sleek and wet route, but it was undeniable that inspiration was in the air as the finalists competed LIVE at the Cooper Design Space in Los Angeles.

Click Here to Watch What’s Next Awards 2018 one-minute Video Recap!

The event was presented by Carole Protat, Coty Professional Beauty, North America Creative Director, and Salvatore Mauceri, Senior VP North America Professional Beauty and Global OPI at Coty Professional Beauty, who brilliantly opened the event. The 14 finalists, with a LIVE webcast directly through @sebastianwna Instagram page, were placed on a pedestal in front of an exclusive panel of judges including: Sebastian Professional Creative Visionary Robert Lobetta; Celebrity Stylist Dominick Serna; Stylist and Salon Owner Erik Gutierrez; Sebastian Professional International Artist Latoya Velberg; and Modern Salon’s Editor in Chief Alison Alhamed.

The 14 finalists created an entirely new look on a preselected model for the live finale. Finalists were introduced to their models Friday night and provided a new inspiration, which was not a collection but an idea… ENJOY THE WORK OF THE 14 FINALISTS IN OUR GALLERY BELOW!

STUDENT CATEGORY – INSPIRATION: FREE SPIRIT
Free Spirit Vibe. Bohemian inspired, youthful, informal, unconventional, imperfect, a free spirit living in the moment and pushing boundaries.
WINNER: Rachel Alvord (Bellus Academy). Finalists: Diana Keplinger (Bellus Academy), Amber Riegle (Alessandro Salon).

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY – INSPIRATION: ALTERNATIVE
Celebrate creativity, and exploring the art, craft, and form of contemporary hair styling with an Alternative Vibe.
WINNER: Keisha Mines (Nirvana Hair Salon). Finalists: Erica Keelen (Studio Sage), Adrian de la Parra (Bellus Academy).

AFFILIATED ARTIST CATEGORY – INSPIRATION: AVANT GARDE
Refined and precise with a connection to Art. For many of us the art of avant-garde hair is seen as a window to our world, a creative laboratory that filters down ideas, shapes, techniques, textures volumes and silhouettes.
WINNER: Jonathan James (The Harlot). Finalists: Janet Algeciras (Hot Heads Salon), Samantha Gunn (Florescence Salon).

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY – INSPIRATION BY THE SPIRIT OF HOLLYWOOD
The spirit of Hollywood with a Sebastian edge. When we think about Hollywood we think about glamour, but it’s far more diverse than that, it’s a melting pot of creativity, that offers a vivid exploration of the aesthetic that has evolved in the last 50 years.
WINNER: Rosallie Asmar (Björn Axén). Finalists: Brodie-Lee Stubbins (Rokstar Salon), Harri Akerberg (A.K.A. Luova), Yohann Jouvanceau (Jouvanceau), Danny Van Tuijl (DVT Handcrafted Hair).

Click Here to Watch the Winner’s Presentation Video!

The evening also included some amazing #hairinspo! With 5 exclusive artistic presentations from Sebastian Professional Global Art Director Shay Dempsey and Sebastian Professional International Top Artists Diva Poulos, Omar Antonio, Marylle Koken and Anthony Cole.

Sebastian Professional was born from a vision of beauty without boundaries. These stylists think outside the lines of the craft, and follow their artistic ambition to the edge, creating new possibilities for self-expression through competition. The annual What’s Next Awards is every stylist’s chance to shape the next evolution of creative vision within and beyond the industry.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS:
The People’s Choice Awards will be held from Monday 2/26 to Tuesday 2/27 on @SebastianWNA’s Instagram account.
How to vote:
Step one: Check out our Instagram @SebastianWNA to see all finalists’ looks from: Monday 2/26 9:00 AM PST/5:00 PM UTC to Tuesday 2/27 9:00 AM PST/5:00 PM UTC
Step two: Find the image that speaks to you.
Step three: Comment on that image to vote!

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