The highly renowned international beauty competition, Global Zoom Challenge 2015, offers professionals the chance to take a creative leap and submit their work for a chance leave their mark on the worldwide beauty platform.
The charismatic Derrick Zeno won Gold in the Global Partner Colorist division for Goldwell Color Zoom 2013 and was the first U.S. contestant to take home the prize in this category. This expertize made him the ideal candidate to train and judge the 2015 Gold U.S winners, who are going to compete at Global Zoom in Las Vegas.
The mega competition will be taking place at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on October 3-5 where international finalists will showcase their talent, top artistic teams will demonstrate the most challenging trends of the year, masters and winners can create haute coiffure at an elegant gala show, and attendees can go to the chic parties to celebrate the love of beauty. Zeno has the inside scoop on the event…
How did you prepare when you decided to get involved with Goldwell Color Zoom in 2013?
“I started by studying Goldwell’s Beautify collection and then put together a story board with that concept in mind. From there, I found a gorgeous model and created my own interpretation of Beautified.”
If you could give advice to any salon professional looking to take the leap and participate in an event like this, what would it be?
“My advice is to keep in mind that it’s not always as scary as it seems. It can be overwhelming to arrange a photoshoot from start to finish, which is why I decided to create a three-day program, “Creating a Color Zoom Challenge Entry,” to make the process easy. We handle all the planning. As a salon professional, your job is simply to find a good model, sign up for the program, and show up to class. Over the next three days, you’ll learn the ins-and-outs of the latest Color Zoom collection, build a story board to showcase your ideas, and create an original look on your model. On the last day, we’ll hold a photoshoot to ensure that you come away with great images to submit for the challenge.”
What opportunities have come about from your winning gold in the partner category in 2013?
“I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some really amazing people. It’s hard to describe how wonderful it was to help build a global collection. Very few people ever experience something like that. But what was the most rewarding was seeing how many people were inspired by the Traditional Rebel collection. The number of people who’ve entered the competition this year testifies to that enthusiasm.”
What are you most excited about seeing in the event this year?
“I’m excited to see all the salon professionals from different countries and their inspired takes on Traditional Rebel. I can’t wait to see next year’s collection too!“
What can a stylist hope to gain from attending this beauty event?
“Ideas, techniques and inspiration. It’s fantastic to see people from around the world, who share the same passion, come together for one premise — Goldwell Global Zoom. It’s really quite incredible.”
What it was like to train the 2015 Gold U.S winners, who are going to compete at Global Zoom in Las Vegas?
“It was great. The three finalists this year are very talented — I’m pretty sure the U.S. is going to see gold again.”
Do you have something particularly special or new planned for this year’s contestants?
“Yes, but that’s a secret for now. All I can say is that we’ve raised the bar and want to show the world that we’re here to win.”
What will you be looking for while judging the Traditional Rebels trend for 2015?
“To make sure that the contestants stay on-trend, and that they work some texture into their looks. I’ll also be watching to see if certain effects –like the Bandeau placement and stronger block colors– fit the Traditional Rebel theme.”
You have such an amazing group of strong educators and industry insiders throughout the event. How is education important to the brand’s development?
“It’s essential. Goldwell has always been known for its amazing education program. We have such talent and knowledge on our team. I always look forward to working with industry leaders — it’s a joy to watch them do hair. Plus, all of our educators love to teach, and share their wisdom in a really engaging way.”
What is next for you that you are excited about?
“I’m excited to spend next year helping stylists enter Color Zoom 2016 — and to coach them if they like!“
