Cutting Crew from North West London has taken 2nd place at the hairdressing industry's most fashion-forward and acclaimed award, the L'Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy.
Inside the stunning Grosvenor House Ballroom, Park Lane, London, Cutting Crew ended their epic four-month journey with an illustrious achievement at the dazzling Grand Final event. Cutting Crew will now go on to take their new title onwards and upwards into an exciting year.
Cutting Crew confirmed their amazing artistic ability to a panel of esteemed judges and took their talent to the top, shaking off tough competition from 27 strong regional L'Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy finalists from across the UK. The look that captured the judge's eye was 'McQueen meets Futuristic Victorian'.
The Grosvenor House came alive with the applause of over 1000 top industry figures as Cutting Crew took to the stage to collect their award from one of television's hottest new presenting talents and the evening's charismatic presenter, George Lamb.
Founder of Cutting Crew, Linda Spackman commented, "When they announced we had won the London Region, I was elated and then to take 2nd place in the UK was overwhelming. To compete with the best in the industry and win is a dream come true!"
Cutting Crew climbed their way to the top through a tough three-stage process that began back in March when they entered their model look amongst 1200 photographic entries, thus achieving a place in the UK tour across seven regions with over 460 fellow regional finalists. Cutting Crew were brought to a high when they won one of four places in the London Regional Final and were requested to present their winning model look during the London Grand Final to the industry's most creative global hairdressers.
The team's tension was built throughout the day as only 27 other salons teams in the L'Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy award category gathered at the L'Oréal International Academy, London, to bring to life the brief of 'Hair Inspired by Fashion'. Competitors had just two and half hours to colour, cut and style their model flawlessly before a panel of judges were brought in to meticulously analyse each of the team's finished model. Hair gurus including Jo Hansford, Errol Douglas MBE, Richard Ward and Trevor Sorbie MBE were part of the crucial panel that came to the difficult decision of choosing the overall winner.
The teams were then whisked off to the grand Grosvenor House without a clue as to what amazing moment was about to happen to them. The Grosvenor House Ballroom was transformed into a super cool and ultra chic style pod that incorporated over 52 meters of spectacular white Perspex runway, five high-tech LED screens with lights that flooded the hall and pulled the audience straight into the spectacular shows. The Cutting Crew team were overcome with a mix of nerves and fulfilment when their model took to the runway in a bid to secure their ultimate dream.
The judges were in total union with the final result; they each agreed Cutting Crew had encapsulated the brief and demonstrated a clear understanding of Autumn / Winter 10 catwalk trends. Esteemed judge on the panel Richard Ward commented, "Cutting Crew demonstrated a look that combined both technical excellence with artistic creativity and incorporated a catwalk-conscious overall look."