Joey Scandizzo of Joey Scandizzo Salon was named 2012 Hair Expo Australian Hairdresser of the Year, making him one of the youngest hairdressers to win the award in their 27-year history and taking the national prize to Melbourne for just the third time in 16 years.
Stefan Mund, Joey Scandizo and Shane Henning
As part of the Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards, held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre on Monday June 11, Joey took the top prize – beating over 200 submissions across thirteen categories and 29 in Australian Hairdresser of the Year. Having been a finalist for the award for the past six years, Joey is a true home-grown success story within the Australian hairdressing industry.
Joey, whose celebrity clientele includes Ruby Rose, received the trophy at a spectacular gala ceremony in Darling Harbour, hosted by comedian Kitty Flanagan. It is the peak of an incredible 12 months, which has seen him breaking away from Melbourne hairdressing chain, Rokk Ebony, to open his own salon; launching a new haircare brand, Eleven Australia; and marrying his long-time model girlfriend, Jane Smith.
Though many industry insiders felt it might be his year, of his win, Joey said: “I can’t believe it has finally happened – this is awesome! I definitely wanted to win, but after so many years as a near miss, I stopped myself thinking it might be tonight. It’s been an amazing year, where so many of my professional dreams have come true. But this is best. It makes all the hard work – and the years of waiting – worth it. Thanks so much to my wife, Jane, who is always there supporting me and to my team, I honestly couldn’t have done it without you guys.”
The award tops a long list of industry accolades Joey has received in his 17-year career and well and truly catapults him into the upper echelons of both the Australian and international hairdressing industries. Famously told that he was “destined to be a nobody” when he dropped out of school at 15, his determination to succeed and passion for his craft has paid off and proved the non-believers wrong.
Celebrating their 27th anniversary this year, the annual Hairdressing Awards at Hair Expo are the longest running and most respected awards in the Australian and New Zealand hairdressing industry. They set the industry standard in the region and represent the pinnacle of hairdressing excellence in the southern hemisphere.
Winners across all categories included fellow Melbourne hairdressers, Frank Apostolopoulos from Biba, Fitzroy, taking out Photographic Collection of the Year; Tracey Hughes from Tracey Hughes Education taking Educator of the Year; and Tracey’s team from Mieka Hairdressing, Collingwood, winning Salon Team of the Year. Paul Divitaris, the man behind Victoria’s largest salon chain and renowned education academy, Biba, was also inducted into the Hair Expo Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievements within the industry. The details of every winner and their salon are listed below.
The awards gala was preceded by a spectacular show from the night’s sponsor, Schwarzkopf Professional, and wraps up the 36th year of Hair Expo Australia. The event is the largest hairdressing industry showcase in the southern hemisphere. Over 10,000 visitors from around the region flock to Darling Harbour to see more than 10,000 square metres of exhibition space, industry innovations and education, plus more than 2,000 models in shows from international and local hairdressing stars, demonstrating the latest and greatest in the hairdressing world.