HAIRDRESSING TROPHIES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28935, 1 July 1959, Page 2

HAIRDRESSING TROPHIES

Awards To City Stylists

Two coveted trophies in New Zealand hairdressing were brought to Christchurch yesterday for the first time.

Miss Joan Walton, aged 18, was first in the annual event for the best haircutting and styling held by the Auckland Master Ladies’ Hairdressing Association last week-end. The prize was a handsome silver cup and an inscribed certificate The contest is open to hairdressers from all parts of New Zealand and was competed for by about 20 hair stylists from many different towns.

Mr Bryon Jones, also of Christchurch. was second in the same event and brought back a cup with him yesterday. Both young persons were sent to Auckland to compete by their employer, Mr R. Hyslop. Mrs Hyslop said yesterday that both Miss Walton and Mr Jones showed outstanding talent at styling and cutting so the firm decided for the first time to send representatives to try their luck. The contest was regarded by hairdressers in New Zealand as of major importance and was generally accepted as a New Zealand championship. It was the only competition of its kind in the Dominion.

The event won by Miss Walton has been held annually since 1951 Up to now the winning cup has been awarded to an equal number of men and women Miss Walton’s win tipped the scales again in favour of women.

“Auckland hairdressers were flabbergasted, but delighted too. that tor the first time the cup was taken away from them,” Miss Walton said. There was friendly rivalry but no professional jealousy, she said. Both contestants described the hospitality and goodwill to visitors as exhausting.

Razor Cut Miss Walton’s winning cut and hair style was an Italian boy cut arranged to frame the face. She first dampened the hair and then cut it with a razor. Unknown models were supplied and the contest was held before the public. It was necessary first to study the contours of the model’s face, her hair texture, and take into account her profile and physical features such as the length of the neck before deciding on the style and how it should be cut, Miss Walton said. After dampening and cutting the hair she moulded it into place with the hands only. Judging then took place by a panel of five judges (men and women) including a Swiss expert who had come from Melbourne especially to help with the judging Mr Jones described the cut which gained him second place as a “ligne flash” style—swept back behind the ears and tapered towards the nape of the neck The cut was originally a German style, he said. Soft, fluffed fringes of hair over the forehead were most favoured in this year’s contest, both contestants said. It was only 18 months ago that Mr Jones took up women’s hairdressing and he had made remarkable progress, his employer said. He had previously cut men’s hair for five years. “I wouldn’t go back to that for anything,” Mr Jones said. “When you cut and style a woman’s hair you really have something to show for your work." He is intensely interested in women’s hairdressing and is looking forward to being sent overseas for further experience. Better Standards Both contest winners and their employer emphasised yesterday the great importance of skilful hair cutting as a basic requirement for good hair styling. It was given insufficient attention by many hair salons in New Zealand. they believed. They deplored that inept persons were able to set themselves up as hairdressers.

It was a fallacy to say that men were better cutters than women though it was a widely-held notion among women. Mrs Hyslop said. It might be because men hairdressers chose their careers w.th greater care than many young women. Once he had decided to become a hairdresser, a man's interest wp- sincere and he was more apt to stick at his job and aeek to improve hinuelf.