Meet the AHIA 2024 Hotshots Team Winner Ella Stewart

By Louise May

For Ella Stewart, hairdressing wasn’t the plan– it was the plot twist that changed everything. At 27, she took a leap of faith, jumping into an apprenticeship at Stevie English Hair without overthinking it. That instinct led her straight into a world where creativity, colour, and connection collide, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Now a New Talent Stylist, Ella has made a name for herself with bold colour transformations, expressive editorial work, and a fearless approach to learning and evolving. Winning Apprentice of the Year in 2022 set the tone for what was to come, and now, as one of the AHIA 2024 Hot Shots, she’s diving even deeper into the industry she’s come to love.

Her passion? Colour that tells a story. Whether it’s subtle nuances or full-scale creative statements, she sees hair as a way to amplify identity, mood, and self-expression. Raised in a household of artists and musicians, creativity runs deep – it’s in how she works, how she sees the world, and how she approaches every transformation.

Beyond the salon, she thrives on collaboration, editorial shoots, and pushing boundaries, soaking up every opportunity to refine her craft. With a sharp eye, a bold mindset, and a refusal to stagnate, she’s here to make an impact–one colour at a time.

We caught up with Ella to chat about what drives her, where she’s headed, and what being part of Hot Shots means to her.

What made you want to be a hairdresser?

I’ve always been somewhat garbage at pretty much everything apart from chatting the back legs off a donkey and creating things with my hands, so hair just felt correct.

What kind of hair work is your favourite and why?

I love colour and creating wild shapes to elevate the colour. Editorial shoots have really pushed my perspective of what hair can do and how it can make you feel. I think I thrive most when I feel like I’m being challenged and learning on my feet.

How to you manage life and work balance?

I am lucky enough to be able to say that my job rarely feels like work because it’s so fun! Alas, burn out is real. If you don’t rest your body and brain or give yourself nourishment in your personal life, you can’t be your best at work. I’m still getting the hang of it, but I’m learning to be more mindful of my needs and not just run on my ADHD motor.

Who inspires you in the creative field of hairdressing and why?

Creators that push boundaries and are unapologetically authentic to themselves inspire me. Erol Douglas, Nicolas Jurnjack, Tom Warr, Nathaniel Eldezan, Anthony Turner, Lyndal Salmon.

If you could spend a day with anyone from a business or lifestyle mentorship perspective, who would it be and why?

Vivienne Westwood. She shifted subversive, subcultural streetwear into a high fashion space and remained a creative powerhouse and activist until the day she died. Iconic behaviour. That’s a brain I wanna pick.

How important are competitions and awards to you?

The process is what I love. The creative team, the hive mind thing that happens on shoot day. The chaos, and the pride you all feel when you see the thing you made together. It’s the best bit. The trophies are just cherries, baby.

Can you tell us what you love most about being a member of the Hot Shots team?

The insight from the most incredible brains in the Australian hair industry is priceless and I am so beyond grateful and excited to be a little sponge to absorb it all; but that photoshoot is what I am bursting at the seams to get stuck into. Let me at it!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Travelling, educating, learning, creating and collaborating every day with beautiful creative minds all over the world. That’s the dream.

Fun Snapshot

Fave Holiday Destination? My house. I love enjoying my rental. Plus, that’s where my cat is, so...

Fave Drink? Coke zero

Favourite Food/Meal? Literally anything pickled. Kim chi all day long please.

Favourite Music/Song? Cher. Aretha. Caroline Polacheck. Gaga. Donna Summer. Divas Only Thank You.

Who was your Celebrity High-School crush? Drew Barrymore and Noel Fielding

If you weren’t a hairdresser, you would be a? Fashion designer, restaurant owner or interior designer

@hairbystinky