FECK PERFUCTION

On Monday 21st August 2023, the world’s longest running hair event, L’Oréal Professionnel’s Style & Colour Trophy ANZ, crowned its 2023 winner through a live-streamed grand finale that saw over 1,200 people tuning in from across the Trans-Tasman.

Rebecca “Bex” Brent, owner and director of Willis York Salon New Zealand was crowned as this year’s winner, with her Metamorphosis-inspired look taking out first place for its response to a brief that encouraged transformation, creativity and freedom of self-expression inspired by the Metaverse. Second place was awarded to Alicia Perruzza, colourist and stylist at Circles of Hair in WA, and third place to Chanel Beck, owner of Koko Blaq in WA.

Bex presented an electric pink ‘do inspired by the hairstyles in Japanese manga saying, “I went down the rabbit hole looking at metaverse and backdrops and then settled on coral and pinks.”

Bex has run Willis York Salon in Wellington, NZ for over 16 years, and her manga-inspired take on Metamorphosis was visibly emblematic of her dedication and commitment to her craft, and irrefutable love of colour. In a first for the event, Australia and New Zealand became one, with professionals from invited to offer limitless hair looks and showcase their unique talents under one umbrella.

“I researched the metaverse theme of the L’Oreal Colour Trophy, by asking my clients and friends if you were to create an avatar in the metaverse what would you do? Most people said fantasy colour or style. Then I took the concept and exaggerated it. I wanted to create a being that was a bit punk, a bit princess, and tried to blend it into one little unicorn.” Said Bex.

Now in its 67th year globally, Style & Colour Trophy recognises the best of the best in hair styling and colouring and works to shine a spotlight on the industry’s rising stars, turning the best among them into internationally renowned profiles in the world of hair. Celebrating the creativity and skill of hair artistry, the contest brings incredible excitement and energy to the industry, inspiring hairdressers around the world to strive to push the limits of what is possible not only in the salon, but on the world stage. For the third year in a row, the iconic competition was available to everyone within the

An opportunity that every hairdresser dreams of, Bex’s winning look will now be entered into the Style & Colour Trophy Global SemiFinal, where global judges will review amongst all other winners from participating countries across the globe, before selecting their top 6 finalists to compete for the global title in October 2023.

L’Oréal Professionnel invites hair pros and hair lovers around the world to keep up to date with all things hair and Subscribe to the L’Oréal Professionnel Paris YouTube channel to stay tuned for the live stream grand finale (date to be announced soon!) and other inspiring content from inside L’Oréal Professionnel Paris and from hair pros around the world.