The North American TrendVision Awards (NATVA) competition draws the industry’s best and brightest in the pursuit of creative excellence.
T he glitz of the Las Vegas strip was no match for the dazzling talent on display inside the Mirage Hotel this July, as Wella Professionals hosted the 2013 North American TrendVision competition and awards. More than 2,000 attendees cheered for finalists competing for the Gold, Silver and Bronze in each of three designated categories: Student, Young Talent and Color. Participants interpreted one of four trends following the theme “The Sound of Color.”
The U.S. winner in the Color category was Shirley Gordon of Wheaton, MD, who interpreted the Echo trend with a dramatic updo rendered in moody blues and teal. “To me Echo was all about that quiet girl who might speak softly but who expresses herself through her style, hair and makeup,” she says. Gordon, who had also taken Gold at NATVA in 2011, says she wasn’t nervous this time around, calmly answering questions from students at the beauty school as she and other competitors prepped their models. “I love working with young stylists and I’ve always mentored,” Gordon says. The judging panel included celebrity stylists Andy LeCompte, Jennifer J. and The Doves.
For Young Talent Gold medalist Roz Corpuz from Umbrella Salon in San Jose, CA, this wasn’t just her first win, but her first competition. She says she was motivated to enter when she saw the TrendVision inspiration photos, especially the trend she chose—Fusion. “I couldn’t believe that it was made with color,” she says. “I just had to try it.” Corpuz credits her supportive salon managers for their encouragement as well as the many hours of practice she logged. “I don’t get to do colors like this all the time,” she says. “In the salon, I usually do more natural colors.” Since winning, Corpuz says she has the confidence to suggest more out-of-the-box colors and techniques to her clients. “TrendVision has opened up so many opportunities for me, and inspired me in so many ways,” she says.
