WELCOME

HAIR: ASHLEY-MICHAEL GRAHAM

MAKE-UP: BRANA ALUNAN AND CHLOE WINTER

PHOTOGRAPHY: CONNER MURRAY

Welcome to the May issue and my final edition of Hairdressers Journal International. Joining such a prestigious title four years ago (HJ celebrates 145 years next May!) has been an eye-opening, joyful and motivating experience for me, one that I will cherish for many years to come.

HJ carries a powerful legacy, and that legacy continues long after custodians such as myself (and those before me) have gone. It is you, our readers, that make this magazine what it is. The passionate HJ community drives our small team in Wimbledon, and we genuinely hear and appreciate your feedback; it impacts everything we do from the magazine itself to our much-loved awards and Salon International.

It has been an honour to step into the role of Acting Editor and leave with some important firsts. This year we have already announced the Wales Hairdresser of the Year category at the British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, and for the first time in the awards’ history, two females have won British Hairdresser and Business Director of the Year (more on that on page 14).

Finally, I’m pleased to present our first cover featuring a braided model. A big thank you to Ashley-Michael Graham for sharing his stunning image with us; you can see the full collection on page 70. I have seen the incredible connections and conversations that can happen by bringing a wider range of voices and skills to our pages – reflecting every salon and hairdresser across the UK in a meaningful way. You can see this in action in our HJ Voicenotes on page 11, where Keisha Moore breaks down why professional wig work deserves more recognition in the industry.

I hope you enjoy my final edition of Hairdressers Journal International. It goes without saying that having the right team has made all of this possible; I’ve been lucky enough to work with the best. We know there is always more work to do, but rest assured HJ will continue to champion you - the hairdresser.

I’m excited to see what happens next!

TEAM HJ

Managing Director Mark Moloney

Editor Charlotte Grant-West

charlotte.g@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7369 (Maternity Leave)

Acting Editor Sian Jones

sian.j@thepbgroup.com • 020 7349 4798

Content Editor Chloe Weldon

chloe.weldon@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7362

Senior Content Writer Josie Jackson

josie.j@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7362

Group Sales Director Jackie Brown

jackie.b@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7366

Group Sales Manager Matt Crane

matt.c@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7367

Account Manager Max FitzGerald • max.f@thepbgroup.com • 0207 349 4793

Account Manager Jane Thomson • jane.t@thepbgroup.com • 0203 841 7363

Senior Events Executive Anna van der Walt • anna.v@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7377

Exhibition & Awards Executive Betlem Martinez • betlem.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 3841 7365

Awards Contributor Angela Jones • angela.j@thepbgroup.com • 020 7351 0536

Executive Assistant Katie Matthews • katie.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 7349 4792

Head of Global Marketing Chloe Monina • chloe.m@thepbgroup.com • 020 7349 4799

Events Marketing Manager Phoebe Ollerearnshaw • phoebe.o@thepbgroup.com • 020 7351 0536