Where the Wild Things Are
“We are 10,000 strong in this room tonight, and we’re here to speak one language. And that is the language of learning better, earning better and living better!” said Ann Mincey by way of introduction to the biannual Redken Symposium. Held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, thousands of eager learners gathered from all across the globe to partake in three days of education and inspiration.
The opening ceremony featured breathtaking presentations from Redken artists, including Rodney Cutler, Jenny Balding, Chris Baran, Kris Sorbie and Sam Villa. In addition, the artists who collaborated on the Inspiring World of Redken campaign re-created their looks onstage! (Check out BeautyLaunchpad.com/IWOR for the complete collection.)
Following the demos, a handful of elite Redken salons were singled out for special recognition in this year’s Salon Awards presentation. Thomas Scott Salon and Spa in Frederick, Maryland, walked away with the prestigious Salon of the Year prize; White Lake, Michigan’s Randolph’s Salon won the Education Excellence award; Invidia Salon & Spa in Sudbury, Massachusetts, received the honor of Largest Percentage Gain; and the Rising Star award was presented to Raleigh, North Carolina’s Blo salon. Also, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, this year Redken announced the Club 5th Avenue Hall of Fame, and the first-ever inductee is the Charles David Salon & Spa of Hanover, Massachusetts. Log on to BeautyLaunchpad.com/SalonAwards to watch video of each of the winners!
The next two days were down to business, with attendees choosing from among 20 classes to beef up their styling chops, including Color & Elegance with Kris Sorbie and David Stanko as well as I Am Your Client, hosted by the incomparable Mincey. (Insider note: During the class we attended, Mincey introduced her fiancé and future stepson to a rapt audience!)
Other highlights included a concert by Grammy-winning Train; a special sneak peek at IntraForce, a revolutionary new thinning line (get an intro to the range on page 86); and booth devoted to Hairdressers Against AIDS, the companywide initiative to educate and help prevent the spread of the disease. What’s more, the Break Room showcased all the digital resources available to stylists, including “Style Station,” the new Redken Mobile App for iPhones and Androids that allows users to immediately access to the Break Room, play with the Haircolor Level Finder sorted by level and result, and use a handy timer that allows for multiple alarms for color processing. —Amy Dodds
