We were back and better than ever at this year’s Salon International, the UK’s largest hairdressing event, held at the ExCeL London last weekend. This exciting event brought together top professionals, educators, and brands from across the hair industry. With a standout presence showcasing some of the industry’s leading brands, we were excited to take Alfa Italia, Shed, Wahl Pro, and amika, to showcase education, inspiration, and groundbreaking demonstrations, along with some very special artists. Let’s dive into the incredible highlights from the event…

The Alfa Italia stage saw outstanding performances from some of the industry’s biggest names, starting with Peter Mellon, Alfa Italia’s styling ambassador. Peter graced both the Alfa Italia and HJ stages, sharing his expertise on how to maximise the use of Alfa Italia tools, while explaining why our tools are his go-to for professional styling. Joining him was Justin Mackland, who wowed the audience with his skills while informing the audience of his career journey. Together, Peter and Justin created looks that left the audience inspired, and their dynamic presence added fresh, exciting energy to the weekend!

A major highlight for Alfa Italia was the appearance of a very special guest, Melissa Timperley, alongside her talented team—Sara and Joe—from the MT Masterclass. Melissa and her team took centre stage to showcase their precision cutting techniques, offering exclusive tips and tricks to a captivated crowd of hair artists. Their demonstration was met with huge enthusiasm as they delved into the artistry of cutting, showcasing inspiration and education seamlessly. The MT Masterclass team truly elevated Alfa Italia’s presence at the event, providing attendees with invaluable insights and an unforgettable experience.

Also to hit the stage was our captivating cutting ambassador, Ashley Howard, who was assisted by David Audsley in showcasing the Alfa Italia Cutting Concept, demonstrating the art of the Alfa Italia Evoluzione and Soft Cut scissors across the Rosa, Nero and Platino ranges. Never failing to attract an audience to the stage, Ashley and David’s strong engagement with event guests ensured they left the show feeling confident in their cutting skills and inspired to try our extensive cutting range. Finalising their session with a stunning look, Ashley and David were more than successful at showcasing the quality finish of the Alfa Italia scissor range.

Over at Shed, we set the scene for both seasoned professionals and newcomers looking to explore innovative haircare solutions with our inviting and fun set-up. Alongside our full range of styling and haircare products, we also revealed some exciting new products— our new & updated gift sets perfect for the upcoming season and the official launch of our [wa]shed treatments to use alongside the [wa]shed shampoo & conditioner. The stand was buzzing with visitors keen to discover Shed’s premium yet affordable range, and the weekend proved to be a massive success!

Adding to the excitement was the appearance of the Hair Socials team, a collective of top hairstylists who took over the Shed stage. The talented team showcased the versatility and effectiveness of Shed products, demonstrating a variety of looks that left the audience in awe! From a trending Sabrina Carpenter-inspired style to a dreamy, ethereal bridal look, the Hair Socials team delivered applause-worthy results that brought lots of attention to the Shed stand. The team not only demonstrated how to use the products but also educated the audience on when and why to use them, providing a truly memorable learning experience.

As always, Wahl Barbers brought their A-game to Salon International, showcasing their cutting-edge clippers and grooming tools that are trusted by professionals worldwide! Wahl is dedicated to quality, precision, and durability, and our stand at Salon International attracted a dedicated crowd of barbers and stylists eager to elevate their barbering craft.

Wahl featured live barbering demonstrations from some of the industry’s finest, who showed off their skills and expertise with Wahl’s best-selling tools. Guests were able to watch first-hand as the professionals created sharp, detailed cuts and fades using a variety of Wahl’s precision clippers.

The amika stand was all about colour, creativity, and high-energy vibes! Known for their fun, bold packaging and high-performance products, amika brought a playful yet professional edge to Salon International which of course captured so many people's attention. The amika team was on hand to offer product demos, showing off their innovative styling tools and haircare products that help professionals create effortlessly cool, on-trend looks within their salon. amika’s presence brought a refreshing sense of creativity and fun to the event, with an appearance of the successful spin the wheel having lots of guests get involved in the amika fun, as well as representing amika’s message of self-expression through the hair.

Salon International 2024 was truly a resounding success for Alan Howard and the brands they represent. Each brand—Alfa Italia, Shed, Wahl, and amika—showcased the best of the hairdressing industry, combining innovative products with live demonstrations and top-tier education! The event proved to be an exceptional platform for encouraging creativity, collaboration with artists, and connection within the hairdressing community.

At Alan Howard, we continue to be a leader in the hairdressing world, committed to bringing the best products and education to professionals across the UK. After such a successful show at Salon International, we can’t wait to see what’s next for the Alan Howard exclusivity of brands. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements, innovations, and future events from us at Alan Howard. Until next year!