America’s Beauty Show 2015 once again changed the beauty show game!
With inspiring new events, education and innovations in all aspects of beauty during the three-day event, more than 65,000 salon professionals and owners, aspiring students and teachers, headliners and educators, leading product manufacturers and distributors all had a great Big, Bold and Beautiful experience.
We can safely say that everyone who is anyone in professional beauty was at America’s Beauty Show, March 21-23, 2015, at McCormick Place in downtown Chicago! Owned and produced by Cosmetologists Chicago, the 103-years-young independent association with more than 10,000 beauty industry professional and student members, America’s Beauty Show can boast many firsts in beauty industry trade events. But the 2015 show was exceptional.
Highlights of America’s Beauty Show 2015:
#1 – THE RUNWAY@ABS X 2! - For the first time, America’s Beauty Show hosted TWO active education and entertainment stages, located in the expansive ABS Exhibit Hall among the 450+ exhibitors. Offering top talent, the latest trends, and shows by some of the most recognized industry icons, these stages provided something very new, very special for attendees. All without leaving the ABS Exhibit Hall to see and learn.
The Runway@ABS -- The CosmoProf Center Stage connected pros with the talents and brands they love, including:
William De Ridder for America's Beauty Show
Beth Minardi for Beth Minardi Signature
Rob Dubré, Laken Rose and Mirella Hullum for Kenra
Robert Cromeans for Paul Mitchell
Charlie Price and Katie Nielsen for Scruples
Aubrey Loots for Wella Professionals
The Runway@ABS -- The SalonCentric Theatre in the Round delivered top talents and top brands, including:
Leah Freeman and Matt Swinney for L'anza
Chrystofer Benson, Nicholas French and Daniel Roldan for Matrix
Ruth Roche and Wendy Belanger for Pureology
Sherri Jessee for Pravana
Sam Villa, Hugo Urias, Brayden Pelletier, Roger Molina, Justin Isaac, Lori Zabel and Julie Lahar for Redken
Steven Melito, Missy Croquart, Rafe Hardy and Peter Bokanoski for Sexy Hair
Wayne Grund for Surface
#2 - The Party of the Year!
Beauty Changes Lives Legacy Award Honoring Leo Passage
Cosmetologists Chicago and Pivot Point International, Inc., hosted an amazing evening of talent and beauty March 21, on behalf of The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation, to raise funds and bring attention to the work of the foundation. The event posthumously honored Leo Passage, founder of Pivot Point, and a long time Cosmetologists Chicago member.
The evening featured a Trilogy of Beauty after-dark fashion presentation by event sponsors. Models depicting StreetWear, Underground and Avant Garde/Haute Couture styled by NextGen talents, and mentored by well-known beauty icons, really showed what a career in beauty is all about.
The Legacy event evening’s sponsors included: PLATINUM - Bellus Academy; GOLD - American Crew; Aquage; CND; DevaCurl; Great Clips; HattoriHanzo Shears; Keune; Matrix; Mizani; Moroccanoil; Redken; TIGI and Wella; SILVER - Beauty Cast Network, and Conair/Rusk/Babyliss Pro/Satin Smooth.
Additional supporters: AACS Board of Directors; Associated Skin Care Professionals; Duane Morris; InSchool Pro; Katherine Frank Creative; Massage Envy Spa; Milady; Peter Coppola; Shark Fin Shears; Sport Clips; and Wahl. Official media sponsors include - American Salon, BARBinc, Beauty Industry Report, Beauty Link, Bloom.com, Canadian Hairdresser, Creative Age Publications, ESTETICA, HOT ON BEAUTY, Modern Salon Media, NAILS, and Sophisticate’s Hairstyle Guide.
#3 - Healthy Hairdresser Day @ ABS - As a 2015 official sponsor of MODERN SALON’s Healthy Hairdresser program, Cosmetologists Chicago’s Board of Directors designated Sunday, March 22nd, as the first official Healthy Hairdresser Day at America’s Beauty Show. One thousand pros received a special ABS pedometer to record their steps. Those marking 5,000 steps while walking the ABS exhibit floor received a gift bag of goodies from Healthy Hairdresser sponsors. Throughout ABS, attendees found health tips from salon pros, as well as other fun activities designed to ensure a long and healthy beauty career!
#4 - America’s Beauty Show Mobile App helped attendees who downloaded it to their Smart Phones enjoy personalized scheduling and instant messaging from favorite vendors, all in an easy-to-use format that also helped them navigate around the show floor. It was literally the complete America’s Beauty Show in their hand!
#5 - Shopping, Fashion Inspiration, and more shopping in the America’s Beauty Show Exhibit Hall with 450+ manufacturers and distributors of hair care brands for men and women, as well as nail care and color; tools and appliances; hair extensions and salon furnishings. America’s Beauty Show was also co-located with Face & Body Midwest, the leading skin care and esthetics event.
Everything a successful salon needs to satisfy clients was on display and available at America’s Beauty Show.
Among top exhibitors were American Crew, Amika, Andis, Aquage, Brazilian Blowout, CND, Farouk Systems, FHI Heat, Gelish, Jaguar Shears, Joico, Lash Now, Marula Oil, Matrix, Moroccanoil, NYX Cosmetics, Obliphica Professional, OPI, Orly International, Paul Mitchell, Pibbs, Product Club, Redken/Pureology, Sam Villa, Sexy Hair, Solano, Takara Belmont, TIGI, Uberliss, Wahl, Wella and Young Nails…and many MORE.
Some first year in ABS exhibitors, included: Balayroo; Color Wow; Dreamline Beauty; Kol-I-Nor; Lash Wrap; Macadamia Professional; and Verb Products, Inc. to name a few.
Major distributors including SalonCentric, CosmoProf and Quality Beauty Supply, all hosted an abundance of popular and brand new brands.
#6 - 2,000 cosmetology students connected at America’s Beauty Show Student Assembly, featuring The Beauty Changes Lives Foundation. Students from around the Midwest were inspired by the opportunities of meeting celebrity stylists, beauty icons, and the NEXTGEN stars of tomorrow, all gathered by the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) to share their personal journeys. Each noted how beauty changed their lives, fulfilled their dreams, and put them on the path to success!
The Student Assembly closed with an incredible finale - the Wella Student Competition! Twelve cosmetology students competed; two winners were chosen. If you missed the action go to facebook.com/americasbeautyshow and view video of the competition.
#7 – America’s Beauty Show Hosted 300 ABS Diamond Club Salon Owners – In another innovative and energizing move, America’s Beauty Show hosted more than 300 specially-selected top decision makers from leading salons throughout the USA for three-days at the show. These individuals and salons were selected in conjunction with America’s Beauty Show partners, to ensure that they would be in attendance to discuss upcoming products, promotions and new business ideas. Groupon.com hosted a cocktail reception for the ABS Diamond Club attendees, following a special salon owner panel, led by Stacey Soble, editor of Salon Today Magazine. Tabatha Coffey of Industrie shared salon business insight, while John Simpson and Christopher Dove of CoCr8 presented the latest hair color trends to this elite group. This successful innovation by America’s Beauty Show ensures the top echelon of salons is always at America’s Beauty Show.
#8 – The CLUB@ABS was hot, hot, hot! All salon pros entering America’s Beauty Show Exhibit Hall, were welcomed with Chicago cityscapes, high fashion imagery, gorgeous videos, experiential music, a red carpet, cabanas and more. It was truly a club scene – just for well-deserving salon professionals attending America’s Beauty Show.
#9 – A Final First…Barbers @ ABS – featured a dedicated stage with crowds gathering to view great men’s looks and competitions. American Crew, Andis, Gibbs, Locked & Loaded, Major League Barbers, and Wahl featured educators including Jason Potchen for Andis, Sal Miseri and Eli Mancha for Locked & Loaded, Patti Davenport for American Crew Menswork Shave Method, Michael “mikesharrpp” Walker for Gibbs, and Garland “G-Whiz” Fox for Wahl. Sharp-as-a-razor Contests included Fade & Style for Students and Professionals, Freestyle and Tag Team.
#10 – Looking Ahead. Save the 2016 Dates! Next year’s America’s Beauty Show will be held March 12-14, 2016, at McCormick Place, in downtown Chicago. Visit www.AmericasBeautyShow.com for more information.
About: Cosmetologists Chicago, owner and producer of America’s Beauty Show, is a 10,000-member alliance of salon and spa professionals that inspires and builds professionalism through education; supports industry legislation; raises funds for scholarships, and provides opportunities for networking with other salon professionals. Cosmetologists Chicago’s Board of Directors, all working owners and professionals, provide direction for America’s Beauty Show based on their own, and their employees’ educational needs.