SARASOTA, Fla. – Kelly Chiesa and Devon Mclaughlin, stylists at Yellow Strawberry (YellowStrawberryHair.com), a boutique salon with locations in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, were named among the top 10 finalists for the prestigious Intercoiffure America/Canada’s Nouveau Creative Cut, Color and Texture Contest.
Intercoiffure America/Canada is known as the most powerful and influential organization in the hairdressing industry. The duo put their skills to the test in the organization’s creative cutting and color contest to showcase their talent among other young stylists on a national and international level.
For the photo shoot, Chiesa transitioned fair-skinned Halle Olsen’s hair color from blonde to a dramatic red using a balayage technique to create color variations of light and deep copper. Mclaughlin cut Olsen’s hair into a long bob with disconnected layers for texture, and for the style, she used a curling iron to create disheveled curls and arranged her hair into a very edgy, avant-garde updo inspired by Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts.
“This is really a testament to our young stylists,” said Caroline Behan, a co-owner of Yellow Strawberry. “Opportunities like these really allow them to grow as artists and enhance their creativity and imagination. The goal behind the photo shoot was to help train the eye to look behind the lens to really visualize how the look translates.”
Participation in the contest was limited to licensed cosmetologists who are employees of an “A” member and have been licensed five years or less or under the age of 27. The other top finalists hailed from Tennessee, Virginia and Indiana.
To enter, the stylists submitted the before-and-after hair photos following the photo shoot to illustrate the model’s transformation and finished look. Online voting was open to Intercoiffure’s A members to narrow the field to the top 10 finalists.
“Yellow’s Strawberry’s young stylists pride themselves on staying current with the latest and cutting-edge hairstyles and trends,” said Richard Weintraub, co-owner of Yellow Strawberry and a master stylist of over 40 years. “We highly encourage our stylists and associates to participate in photo shoots and contests to challenge and test their skills to create something unexpected and outside of the box.”
The first, second and third place winners will be determined at the Spring Atelier from April 1 – 3, 2017 at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The second round will be judged by Van Council, the artistic director for Intercoiffure America/Canada, and magazine editors from Estetica USA, Modern Salon, American Salon, Launch Pad and Sophisticates.
Only the highest-prized and leading hair salons, which are about 200 salons in the U.S., hold membership into Intercoiffure America/Canada. The organization determines the standards of the industry and shares this responsibility with membership from over 50 other countries.
About Yellow Strawberry
Established in 1994, Richard Weintraub, a master stylist of over 40 years, and Desmond and Caroline Behan, who have been in the hair salon business for 30 years, own Yellow Strawberry. The salon has three locations, including two in Sarasota on Bee Ridge Road and Fruitville Road and one in Lakewood Ranch on Natures Way. Salon services include haircuts, color, styling, treatments and eyelash extension and makeup application. Fueled by their passion for hair, the salon sets the standard for innovative and creative haircuts, color and styling and provides exceptional customer service. Yellow Strawberry has earned multiple awards over the years and has been featured as “Best Hair Salon” in Sarasota. Visit YellowStrawberryHair.com or call 941-924-1311, 941-907-1130 or 941-377-6963 for more information.