Oscars of Hair / Hairdresser Awards

The Hairdressers Unlocking Hope Award is given this year to Winn Claybaugh, dean and co-founder of Paul Mitchell Schools, motivational speaker, and author of Be Nice Or Else, and those individuals in the professional beauty industry who serve as exemplary models of philanthropy, giving back to their communities and to the world with generosity and spirit. This award was created in 2007, when behindthechair.com founder Mary Rector Gable joined forces with the legendary Vidal Sassoon and launched an industry-wide campaign to build homes in the wake of the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina.

The ensuing campaign, Hairdressers Unlocking Hope, rallied the entire industry and resulted in 22 new homes for displaced New Orleans residents after raising more than $2 million. Winn will be the fourth recipient of the honor, joining celebrity stylist Ken Paves, stylist and international hair care manufacturer John Frieda, and Paul Mitchell School graduate Michelle Kelly. Madison Avenue calls this "under cover marketing" because the awards are tied to a "public worthy social cause" which in itself is good and away to market and promote a sponsors business interest every year.

With so many "awards" presented today I for one feel it's made many less import. The English have their Hairdresser of the Year award based on a "hair do' contest" and we now have the Hair Stylist Choice "a popularity contest". However, there's one award that I feel is worthy and merits recognition. The Hairdresser's Hall Of Fame Award is presented to hairdresser's that have made a significant contribution over many years to the good of our Nobel Profession and Beauty Culture....The Oscar of Hair.