NEWS

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THE INDUSTRY REMEMBERS TREVOR SORBIE

It is with great sadness that we report the death of hairdressing legend Trevor Sorbie MBE at the age of 75. Trevor revealed in October that he had ‘weeks left to live’, in an interview with This Morning’s Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd. He was first diagnosed with bowel cancer five years ago and recently gave up hairdressing full time due to the side effects of chemotherapy. Speaking on his hairdressing career, which has seen him awarded an MBE in 2004 and crowned HJ’s British Hairdresser of the Year four times, he told This Morning: “I wanted to be an artist originally. I got bullied at school; my dad was a barber and told me to come in the barbershop, it was just classic short back and sides etc, no styling... I swapped paint for hair.” Trevor leaves a true creative legacy behind him. HJ sends their heartfelt condolences to Trevor’s family and friends at this sad time. Turn to page 14 to see our tribute.

10,000 THAT’S THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF ART AND HISTORY FEATURED IN A NEW EXHIBITION ‘OF ALL BEAUTIES’ BETWEEN THE LOUVRE AND L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL PARIS

#BHA25 Bursary Winner Announced

The winner of the Hairdressers Journal International/Schwarzkopf Professional #BHABursary has been announced as Olivia Brady. The #BHABursary gives one individual the chance to win a shoot to enter a Regional or Newcomer category in the British Hairdressing Awards. “This has made it accessible to people in my circumstances. I’m absolutely buzzing and already coming up with ideas,” said Olivia, who also won two tickets to this year’s awards ceremony.

75% THAT’S THE PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESSES SAYING THAT IT IS HARDER TO RECRUIT NOW THAN 12 MONTHS AGO, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATE OF THE INDUSTRY SURVEY FROM THE NATIONAL HAIR & BEAUTY FEDERATION (NHBF)

Tressly Hosts Second Tress Gala

Tressly, the business software for independent hairstylists, hosted their second Tress Gala with Hairdressers Journal International as media partners, on Monday 28 October 2024 at The Londoner Hotel, Soho. Tress Gala aims to celebrate the UK’s thriving Black hair industry, providing a space to network and share ideas. This year, hairstylists were invited to enter the Tress Gala Awards which were judged by Mary Adekoya, James Venner, Dionne Smith and Molecia Seasay across four categories: Best Natural Hair Stylist, Best Braider, Best Wig Specialist and The Entrepreneur award. You can check out the winners at hji.co.uk.

Mane Hook-Up Launches Campaign to Boost Textured Hairstylists Income

Mane Hook-Up has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign that aims to raise funds to support its mission to empower stylists and expand its reach in the textured hair market, while also giving back to the community. “Our goal is to revolutionise the textured hair industry by providing stylists with the tools and visibility they need to significantly increase their income,” said Jade Buffong, founder of Mane Hook-Up. “Additionally, we believe in the importance of giving back, which is why a portion of our campaign will support vulnerable children with haircare, products and education.”

CHANCELLOR RACHEL REEVES ANNOUNCES AUTUMN BUDGET

On 30 October 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Autumn Budget in the House of Commons. Amongst the changes was an increase in minimum wage which is set to rise to £12.21 per hour from April 2025 for workers over 21. Reeves also committed to not raising National Insurance rates for employees, however the freeze does not apply to employers whose National Insurance contributions will rise from 13.8% to 15%. Head to hji.co.uk to see the full breakdown and to page 29 to see the industry’s reaction to the Labour government’s first budget.

Q Hair and Beauty has raised over £3365 towards the training of a puppy with Canine Partners, the UK charity which provides people living with disabilities with assistance dogs. Salon Director, Dawn Lawrence commented:

“CANINE PARTNERS HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS FOR MANY YEARS. OUR DOGS MEAN SO MUCH TO US AND WE COULDN’T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THEM. IF WE CAN HELP BRING THAT SAME LOVE, JOY, KINDNESS, AND SUPPORT TO SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDS IT, THEN WE SHOULD.”

BEAUTY SERVICE PROVIDER RUUBY RAISES £2M

Ruuby has announced its expansion in the UK following a round of fundraising that will strengthen its UK presence by helping to increase growth, including expansion in Manchester and Liverpool. Louise Chapman, NPIF II Fund Principal at Praetura Ventures, said: “Ruuby is fast becoming a household name in beauty, and we have welcomed the opportunity to support an ambitious, female-founded business as it scales in the North West in Manchester, Liverpool, and further afield across the UK and Europe.”

TONI&GUY Mainstage Event Returns

TONI&GUY’s Mainstage event returned on Sunday 27 October with a celebration of hair artistry, innovation and fashion. Held at HERE, The Outernet in London, this year’s Mainstage brought together the best of TONI&GUY’s creatives. With a strong focus on the brand’s 2025 campaign, House of TONI&GUY, the event embodied the brand’s unique alchemy where salons, education, LABEL.M and fashion were all brought to life through The Outernet’s interactive, wrap-around screens and immersive 360 digital tunnel. CEO, Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck welcomed 1,200 guests to the event, highlighting some of the achievements over the past 12 months: “We are creating a modern legacy for our future generations,” Sacha said. “We’re not just writing our next chapter; we’re writing our next book!”

The Pink Ribbon Foundation Launches New Photography Book

The Pink Ribbon Foundation’s newly released photography book, BOLD, was launched at The House of Keune by Bloom salon in London. BOLD features the portraits of over 100 women, from all over the world, who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, intensive radiation treatment or the autoimmune disease alopecia. Lisa Allen, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Fundraising, Events and PR at the Pink Ribbon Foundation says: “We were capturing people at a very hard time in their lives, but what has come from that is incredible – the friendship amongst the 13 women we worked with for BOLD is something we didn’t anticipate but really means a lot to me.”