The New Normal By Gary Latham

Firstly, a big thank you and congratulations to the organisers of the Hair Festival and the Australian Hair Industry Awards. It was fantastic to get the Hair profession together and get a taste of what life was once like. It was even worth the seven days of isolation from the “festival flu” I picked up. A great reminder that things are getting back to normal but aren’t quite there yet. Maybe this is the new normal.

The Market Place lived up to its name, especially on the Sunday. If you had something worth selling, it sold. Judging by the crowds and queues It seems that there is still a place for a “real world fair” where people can source new products, test tools hands on and pick up a bargain or two. Whether we ever see the big-name companies on the floor again I don’t know but will they be missed? I am not so sure either. Maybe this is the new normal.

The education I was lucky enough to be involved in. My insightful blogger mate Clive Allwright had a spot for his Piloroo Events launch and asked if we wanted to put on an Open Mic. You bet. It was time to get the band back together. Benni Tognini, Sharon Blain, Caterina Di Biasie, Shane Henning, Jayne Wild, Ali Holmes, Dave McCulloch, Adam Dyer, Louise Graham, and the 2021 Hot Shots Team. Proudly we had a combined 16 hairdresser of the year titles and 6 Hall of Fame inductees. We all had a great time and the energy from the 200 strong audience was intoxicating. The buzz in the prepping area was a rare experience, particularly for the Hot Shots team, which was only surpassed for them by sharing the stage with their hair heroes. With the thirteen hairdressers presenting thirteen models, mixing cuts, colours and styling the audience left with ideas, inspiration, and information. Those on stage chatted and laughed candidly and were obviously enjoying what they were doing and where they were.

Call us all dinosaurs but it seemed to buck the current trend in hair education events, which is not to have any. Well, no real hair content at least. Whether its due to the nervous environment in which we now live as things may be cancelled on the eve of opening, or that organisers take too much notice of feedback forms or that the big-name suppliers that once sponsored these events no longer either have the desire or means to do so. Is Talk as cheap as they say? Maybe this is the new normal. Anybody who knows what time the Pyrmont Bridge HoteI closes knows I love catching up with hairdressing friends over a drink or two, but are we now over doing the networking and sharing of ideas thing? If there are no shared experiences, then there is nothing to chat about. Hairdressers love to hear that we all share the same issues more than they like to solve them. Be careful that we don’t talk ourselves out. There is no point standing around a fire to talk when there is no fire to stand around and talk about. Maybe this is the new normal.

Congratulations to Mocha, all the finalists and awards winners. Special mention to Dario for his well earnt induction into the magnificently named Dennis Langford Hall of Fame. Also hats off to Dee and Danny for taking out the top honours. The awards as many have in the past left me wondering if they are commercial or creative? Going off the style of the collections I would say creative, but I’m sure the titles won will be used commercially to attract clients. More confusing is why we need to have two Australian Hairdressers of the Year Awards? This is not the place for these discussions, rather it is time to celebrate that we have been able to get together as a collective rather than dissect the reasons why. We can save those discussions for our next Talkfest Panel or Networking night. Maybe we can sort out what is the new normal then.