Traci Sakosits of the Sassoon Academy demonstrates hair cutting techniques.
America's Beauty Show (ABS) 2013, held in Chicago, brought together more than 55,000 salon professionals for a lively industry trade event that provided the latest and greatest in education and entertainment. Cosmetologists Chicago (CC) celebrated its 90th continuous ABS at the event.
"It is because of America’s Beauty Show’s commitment to enhancing the careers of my fellow salon professionals that we can maintain our passion for our craft, through internationally renowned education, access to the latest tools and products, and connectivity with our peers,” says CC President Joseph Cartagena of Genacelli and The East Studio salons in Chicago. “We can count on ABS to help us grow our profession for years to come.”
Highlights of ABS included:
• The 2nd Annual BeautyBASH, held Saturday evening, featured singing, dancing and musical performances by beauty professionals. All proceeds benefited the Cosmetologists Chicago Presidents Scholarship Fund, which annually awards cash scholarships to members for advanced education.
• On the runway, a veritable who’s who of beauty showcased hot looks for the upcoming season, previewing color trends and fashion-forward styling. Stars included Tracey Hughes, Tracey Hughes Education; Richard Ashforth, SACO; Tabatha Coffey, LUXHAIR; Kim Vo, Schwarzkopf Professional; Mark Hayes & The Sassoon Creative Team; and TIGI New York.
• The first ABS All-Star Panel, led by Wella Creative & Technical Director Fabio Sementilli, provided ABS guests with insights and career advice to enhance their professional beauty careers. Panelists included industry heavy-hitters Mark Hayes, Sassoon Creative Team, presenting trend forecasting from global inspirations; Richard Ashforth, ABS Headliner of Saco, discussing how to prepare and shoot a fashion collection; Jan Arnold, Co-Founder of CND, translating the runway trends to real life services; Gerard Scarpaci & Randy Taylor, Co-Founders of hairbrained.me, education & community; Kelly Ehlers, Evoke Brands, on building your social media profile; and Tracey Hughes, ABS Headliner from Australia, on the power of education and how it impacts salon services.
• Industry notables revealed the latest trends and techniques in up-close and personal settings in more than 58 CE (continuing education) and 150 manufacturer-sponsored classes.
• The ABS Exhibit Floor featured 400+ manufacturers and distributors, including American Crew, Aquage, Avalon, Belvedere, BioIonic, Black 15in1, Clairol, CosmoProf, CND, Dashing Diva, Farouk, FHI Heat, GKHair, Hot Tools, Keratin Complex, LUX, Moroccanoil, Nioxin, Pibbs Industries, Rock Your Hair by Michael O’Rourke, SalonCentric, Schwarzkopf, Scruples, Sebastian Professional, Takara Belmont, TIGI, Uberliss, Vidal Sassoon Academy, Wella Professionals and hundreds more, offering the newest products, tools and equipment for hair, skin and nail care to ensure a successful salon business.
• Cosmetology students who attended The School Assembly at ABS were inspired by stylists and beauty icons who shared their personal journeys, and filled them with hope, promise and a peek into upcoming beauty and fashion trends. Guest presenters included Elan Sassoon, Tracey Hughes, Diana Schmidtke and Jan Arnold. Each student received gifts from Farouk and a copy of Vidal Sassoon: The Movie from Cosmetologists Chicago.
• CC presented the winners of the STARS Photo Contest for professionals, students and nail technicians with cash prizes and recognition during the BeautyBASH. The 2nd Annual Leo Passage Gold Trophy Award was presented to Chrystofer Benson, who earned the highest aggregate scores in three STARS categories. The 3rd annual Wella Student Competition winners were announced, exclusively at ABS.
America’s Beauty Show will be held March 22-24, 2014 at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago. Visit www.AmericasBeautyShow.com for more information.
