Hairdressing; it’s a skilled, highly entrepreneurial profession and the biggest and most powerful sector in the £28bn-a-year British beauty industry. Now Raymond Bottone and Simon Harris, directors of MySalonManager have demonstrated they are hairdressing stars, beating off nationwide competition to earn a place in the final of the prestigious Most Wanted Awards.
Presented by leading industry magazine Creative HEAD and 20 years old in 2020, Most Wanted recognises the most accomplished individuals, teams and salons leading the way in British and Irish hairdressing – the talents impressing with their creative and commercial skills, building business through inspirational teamwork and playing a vital role in their local communities.
14 categories celebrate success across a multitude of disciplines and entries are judged by experts from across the board. This year’s panels included Sonia Haria, beauty director of the Telegraph Group; Claudia Croft, deputy editor of 10 Magazine and contributing editor for Vogue; Anna Teal, business development director of global brands at Walgreen Boots Alliance and the global CEO at Aromatherapy Associates; plus a host of industry influencers including Paul Percival, owner of Percy & Reed salon; Zoë Irwin, creative director at John Frieda Salons, and session stylists Ken O’Rourke, Anna Cofone and Tyler Johnston.
Raymond and Simon, with MySalonManager, are one of five finalists in the Award for Innovation category, earning a place at the Most Wanted Grand Final on Sunday 29 November at Printworks – the atmospheric space that once delivered the Metro and Evening Standard newspapers to London. Here, 750 hairdressing VIPs, fashion A-listers, leading talent agents, business magnates and influential beauty and fashion editors will gather to crown the hairdressing stars of 2020.
And success opens doors to opportunity – past winners have gone on to represent global brands, work alongside respected retailers, lead Fashion Week teams in London, New York, Paris and Milan, get slots on prime-time TV and collaborate with the world’s most coveted designers. To become a Most Wanted winner really is career-affirming.
“We're delighted to be in the finals for such a prestigious award. It's great that our industry continues to thrive and demonstrate optimism during these challenging times. Thank you to our members and community for your support - we could not do it without you! ” – Simon Harris