HJ Reports: Bright Lights of Madrid

ALFAPARF Milano Professional’s networking event in Madrid last year saw 150 hairdressers from the UK and Ireland travel to the Spanish capital

Over 1,500 hairdressers from across Europe, including a 150-strong contingent from the UK and Ireland, attended ALFAPARF Milano Professional’s four-day creative and networking event in Madrid. Attendees stayed at four different hotels in the heart of the Spanish capital, with both the Irish and UK contingent staying at the Hotel Meliá Castilla. After a day of travel, guests came together for welcome drinks on Saturday night. On the Sunday they were invited to explore the sights, sounds and shopping Madrid has to offer, before the main event in the evening at WAH Madrid.

WAH Madrid is a purpose-built venue inspired by the bright lights of Vegas and Broadway. An immersive 360-degree experience, it combines music, entertainment, dinner and a spectacular finale party.

After dining together and enjoying traditional Spanish cuisine, the group moved into the WAH Theatre, which kicked things off with a show created by ALFAPARF Milano Professional Global Creative Director Rudy Mostarda. Against a backdrop of visual effects, and accompanied by dancers, singers and musicians, Rudy appeared on an elevated platform to present a series of haircuts on a number of models; bringing to life the new Walk on the Bright Side collection from ALFAPARF Milano Professional.

“This is a collection that allows us to look to the future with renewed optimism,” shared Rudy: “The keywords are lightness, imagination, elegance and light, and the combination of tradition, simplicity and innovation allows us to convey sophistication.

“The world is a stage, and we are the actors entering and exiting the scene. For this collection, we imagine ourselves together in the spotlight, each illuminated by our own personality and character. I believe that a person’s style is that certain something that is never extinguished, even when no one is looking.”

Rudy’s production was followed by the WAH show itself, which featured performers, who took the audience through the history of music, drawing on multiple references, from classical and opera to The Beatles and Lady Gaga. The night then finished in the ‘club’ section of the venue.

Monday was an opportunity for more sightseeing, followed by a private group dinner in the L’albufera restaurant in the hotel.

‘This trip provided our UK and Irish customers with an incredible opportunity to connect with the broader European ALFAPARF Milano Professional family in the vibrant city of Madrid’

“This trip provided our UK and Irish customers with an incredible opportunity to connect with the broader European ALFAPARF Milano Professional family in the vibrant city of Madrid,” said David Donnellan, Managing Director, Xpert Professional UKI.

“Networking and exchanging experiences as hairdressers and salon owners are vital to our industry’s success, and there was ample time to forge new friendships and rekindle old ones. A standout moment was gathering 1,500 members of the European ALFAPARF Milano Professional family at WAH Madrid for Rudy’s show, which was filled with stunning hair, dazzling lights, dancing and music. It was a truly unforgettable experience!”