28 March 2024

Gimme-5 with Sal Fodera, OMC World President

Sal Fodera, President of Organisation Mondiale Coiffure (OMC), will be presiding over OMC HAIRWORLD 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany this May. A native of Italy, Fodera received the Pivot Point L.E.O. Award last month in Chicago.

We met with Sal Fodera for Gimme-5 in the Windy City, and he gave us the scoop on the next OMC HAIRWORLD 2014, his intense work at forefront of Organisation Mondiale Coiffure and the precious Pivot Point L.E.O. Award!

1. How do you feel about receiving the Pivot Point L.E.O. Award here at America’s Beauty Show in Chicago? “It is truly a great honor. Leo Passage was my mentor, and he was an icon in the beauty industry. He was always really involved in developing hairdressing competitions on a global level. He competed himself, and won a championship as a young hairdresser. Leo was a very special person. When I became president of the OMC (Organisation Mondiale Coiffure), he was one of the people who campaigned for my election to the office. We worked together for thirty years to develop competitions in a big way. Today all in the industry are aware of OMC, HAIRWORLD and the World Championships of Hairdressing. Having the honor to be the recipient of the Pivot Point L.E.O. Award for Leadership in the industry, Educational Excellence, and having an Outstanding connection to Pivot Point, is very special to me. I’m really honored and happy today.”

2. What is the connection between Pivot Point, the OMC, and hairdressing education? OMC and Pivot Point are both involved in education, and Pivot Point has always been supportive of the OMC. The company is a primary sponsor of our activities. Since Pivot-Point is one of OMC Gold mannequin sponsors for the OMC International competitions, they play a big role in our events. We’ve also developed the OMC International School, with a special program focusing on competitions at different levels. Leo Passage was a leader in developing worldwide competition. We both felt the importance of competition for the industry’s future, because we were both a part of it as young hairdressers. We knew personally what competing could do for a hairdressing career.”

3. When you look back at when you first started with the OMC, how have things changed after all these years? “Under my direction OMC has changed everything from A to Z. We’ve evolved the structure to move along with the changes going on around the world. Even today, while some people think the work they see (in OMC competitions) is not very fashion-oriented, it is indeed what those in the competition world want. Competitors want creative freedom. OMC HAIRWORLD is a showcase for our profession. We help set the stage for professionals to show their creative and artistic skills to the world. Even the big manufacturers, who also support OMC, have their own competitions. OMC was the first to organize global competitions and it remains at the pinnacle. Our World Championships continue to be like the “Olympics for Hair.”

4. Why is it important for hairstylists all around the world that OMC remains independent? “OMC is sponsored by, but not linked, to manufacturers. It is not linked to any other organization; we remain an independent, worldwide organization of hairdressers. We own, and are the sole producer of OMC HAIRWORLD Team World Cup that occurs every two years. The 2016 OMC HAIRWORLD will be in Korea. So you see we are moving in a big way with the Championships of Hairdressing – that is our future. More than this, the OMC is creating a wonderful education and competition platform for all different levels, including students, juniors (those no longer in school) and professionals.”

5. Tell us a little more about HAIRWORLD in Frankfurt, 3-5 May 2014 HAIRWORLD is truly the Championships of Beauty. We will have competitions for Hair, Esthetics and Nails. Right now we have 1300 competitors from 50 countries competing in Germany next month from our 52 member countries. We will have 180 competitors continuously competing every two hours for two days! Please come to HAIRWORLD, even if you are a hairdresser who is not competing. It is amazing, and inspirational, to see the work these dedicated hairstylists do. This event in May will be the best stage we have ever had and, as the President of the OMC, I’m really excited!”

More information: www.omchairworld.com

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