2021 New Zealand Barber Of The Year

The Editorial Barber of the Year awards are for New Zealand barbers who are Hair & Barber New Zealand (H&BNZ) members who can demonstrate a progressive look integrated with strong traditional barbering fundamentals and are part pf the NZ Industry Awards that recognise the best business, training and creative talent in New Zealand’s hair, beauty, and barbering industries.

Held annually, the awards are hosted by Kitomba Salon and Spa Software, HITO and Hair & Barber New Zealand, celebrating both individual and team success.

Editorial Barber of the Year and Editorial Barber of the Year – Next Generation were won by Tee Tupara, Mancraft Barbers, Taupo.

In 2019 Tee won the Jasmine McBeth Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship set up by HITO and the McBeth family to honour Jasmine’s passion, motivation, and dedication to the hairdressing industry, before she sadly passed from cancer in 2007.

Hot Shot – New Talent was won by James Harrington, The Barber Lounge, Christchurch.

WINNER - EDITORIAL BARBER OF THE YEAR NEXT GENERATION - TEE TUPARA

2021 was the inaugural year for barbering categories at The NZ Industry Awards, which were judged by international judges Rex Silver, a hair industry veteran and editor of Barbershop Magazine Australia, Lance Liufau, currently one of three owners of The Loft Barbershop (Australia), and Jesse Lima who has 2 barbershops in the Tampa FL area and a Scalp Micropigmentation Clinique.

The Industry Awards are back later this year 2022 with entries due Wednesday 31 August and the awards evening being held in Christchurch on Sunday 6 November.

WINNER - EDITORIAL BARBER OF THE YEAR NEXT GENERATION - TEE TUPARA

Tee Tupara said...

“I work at Mancraft Barbers in Taupo and am relatively new to the barbering industry, I started my hairdressing apprenticeship at our sister salon, Cremebrulee Hair Beauty Salon 4 years ago where I was fortunate enough to be a finalist for apprentice of the year and to win the Jasmine McBeth Scholarship. I am a now a fully qualified hairdresser, but my passion has always been men’s hair. I had the opportunity to help out at Mancraft Barbers and fell in love with everything barbering has to offer from cutting, styling and beard work so I am now doing my Barbering Apprenticeship with HITO. I get my inspiration from my teammates as I am surrounded by so many talented barbers that have worked all around the world with 20+ year’s experience. My short-term goal is is to complete my barbering apprenticeship and to hopefully keep this beautiful trophy in one of our Mancraft shops, so I am working on that right now. I am passionate about the barbering industry and I can’t wait to pass on my knowledge to our up and coming generation. I wanted to re-create something old with a new spin on it suitable for a cover of a fashion forward mens magazine.”

WINNER - HOT SHOT NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - JAMES HARRINGTON

James Harrington aka Hemi the Hairbender said...

“When entering the award for the hot shot category I had been an apprentice in the industry for under a year and currently have past the year mark. My goal in barbering is to one day have my own shop/ barber school in Christchurch. I spent 9 years of my life doing a job that I didn’t enjoy and now doing barbering I have never been happier. The job has opened up so many doors for me and given me the opportunity to be myself. My teacher Jerome Leatuavao gave me the opportunity to become a barber just by giving me a chance. I was rejected by many shops in Christchurch as I had no work experience and hadn’t done a course. Jerome said “pick up the broom” and that’s where it all started. I hope that one day I can do that for someone else. The cut I entered for the competition shows the work style that I like to do. I want to give people stand out cuts that are different from the rest. Competitions are one thing I love about this industry and I will continue to enter all of them and encourage others too as well.”

To find out more about the awards visit: www.industryawards.co.nz

@industryawardsnz