A Devon hairdresser has beaten thousands of competitors from across the UK to win one of the industry’s most prestigious awards after impressing judges with a striking futuristic hairstyle inspired by elegance, spring and the legendary Vidal Sassoon.
Zoe Hodgkiss, owner of Zoe Hodgkiss – Hair Artistry in Holsworthy, was named Western Regional Winner at the L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final, held at The O2 in London on Thursday, July 9, as the competition celebrated its 70th anniversary.
The world’s longest-running live hairdressing competition saw finalists selected from thousands of colourists and salons across the UK following eight regional semi-finals.
Hosted by Amanda Holden, the grand final featured a gala dinner, live creative shows, an awards ceremony and an afterparty, with competitors showcasing their technical skills and creativity in front of leading figures from the hairdressing industry.
(Credit: Submitted / L’Oréal Colour Trophy)
(Credit: Submitted / L’Oréal Colour Trophy)
Speaking after receiving the award, Zoe Hodgkiss said: “Being named L’Oréal Colour Trophy Western Regional Winner, especially in the competition’s 70th anniversary year, means everything to me. The standard gets stronger every year, so to hear my name called at the grand final at The O2 was such an emotional moment and one I will never forget.”
Zoe said her winning look drew inspiration from “elegance, femininity, calmness and spirituality”, while adding a modern and futuristic edge.
She said: “After being part of the Project Sassoon Team, and with Vidal Sassoon as such a huge inspiration to me, I created a sharp, clean bob to bring structure and precision to the look.
“The lavender, lilac and blonde tones were chosen to feel fresh and uplifting, full of new energy, like the feeling of spring.”
Reflecting on what the award means for her salon, Zoe added: “For me, this win is also about showing that beautiful, creative work can come from anywhere. Whether you are in a big London salon or a smaller salon in the South West, it is your creativity, passion and inspiration that matter most.
“I am so proud to represent Devon, and I hope this helps show the next generation of hairdressers that if you keep learning, keep pushing yourself and take the chance, you never know what could happen and that anything is possible.”
The L’Oréal Colour Trophy was first held in 1954 and is regarded as one of the UK’s leading professional hairdressing competitions, recognising excellence in hair colour and creative styling.
This year’s finalists competed after qualifying through regional heats in Belfast, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, St Albans, Brighton and London.
For more information about the competition, visit https://www.lorealcolourtrophy.com/.
