Hair and Beauty and OMC Hairworld a complete success
Jun 20, 2014
Spectacular show programme with top international stylists enjoyed by almost 60,000 visitors from all over the world
1,300 hairdressers from 50 countries competed for the coveted world champion’s title in Frankfurt’s ‘Festhalle’
Three days of glamour and high-fashion at Hair and Beauty / Hairworld in Frankfurt am Main: top international stylists with the latest trends and styles from the sector were a great source of inspiration for almost 60,000 visitors from 68 countries who also cheered on the 1,300-plus competitors from over 50 countries at the OMC Hairworld world hairdressing championships in the ‘Festhalle’ of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre.
“Together with the over 400 companies and brands of the hair-cosmetic industry and the German hairdressing trade, we staged a trade fair and event unparalleled in the international hairdressing and fashion sector”, said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. “In Frankfurt, the sector was able to show itself from the creative, glamorous, highly professional and future-oriented side.” The expectations of the Central Association of the German Hairdressing Trade (Zentralverband des deutschen Friseurhandwerks – ZV), which brought the world hairdressing championships back to Germany after 14 years, were also exceeded by a wide margin: “In terms of event quality, exhibitor presentations, the world championships and the aesthetic and technical qualities of the exhibition halls, the combination of Hair and Beauty and Hairworld in Frankfurt was vastly superior to all preceding events”, said ZV Managing Director Rainer Röhr.
The concept of the fair with a varied range of hair-cosmetic, hair extension, hairpiece, salon equipment, hairdressing accessories, make-up and nail design products on over 37,000 square metres of exhibition space was a complete success. “We had a huge number of visitors to our exhibition stand – right at the top end of our scale of expectations – and they were delighted with our interactive stand concept and the international show programme. A big contribution to this success was played by the setting, which was very good for all concerned. This event is important for the sector because it gives participants the chance to increase their self-esteem. The inspiration of the international business is very important to our national customers”, confirmed Ralf Billharz, Vice President, Wella Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
High-fashion and practical knowledge for attractive hairdressing careers
The high-grade exhibitor show programme was studded with international stars from the sector who not only presented the latest styling trends but also passed on important practical tips – from the right cut and best hair care to perfect colour mixing. In times when it is becoming increasingly difficult for hairdressing salons to attract new members of staff, the numerous high-fashion stage shows at Hair and Beauty showed how modern and creative a career in hairdressing can be. “This fair leaves no doubt that the job involves much more than just cutting hair. In our opinion, it has more than come up to expectations thanks largely to the programme we held on our exhibition stand and the numerous activities in which we took part”, said Pascal Frantz, CEO, L’Oréal Professional Products. Hair Haus also made use of the opportunity to offer visitors inspiration in the form of live displays: “The live presentations at our stand were very well received by our customers. They very much appreciated the fact that they could follow the demonstrations close up“, as Managing Director Wilfried Lindloff explained. There was a very good atmosphere in the halls, and this was very much appreciated by many participants: “The visitors are in a very good mood, and the overall impression is one of positive curiosity”, said Lydia Bowers, Sales Office Manager of Takara Belmont.
The high degree of internationality at Hair and Beauty resulting from the concurrent world hairdressing championships also generated lots of interesting discussions on the exhibition stands. “We are extremely pleased because, in addition to our regular customers, we also welcomed many potential customers interested in our product range”, said Tobias Staehle, CEO, Kao Germany. Confirmation of this came from Noah Wild, Member of the Board of Wild-Beauty AG, who said, “This has been the biggest fair for years. A great experience.” After Germany, the top ten visitor nations were Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Hungary, Japan and the Czech Republic.
“What is striking is the fair’s internationality”, Stuart Hamid, Sales Manager of Schwarzkopf Professional, confirmed. The way the business presents itself is tremendously inspiring. You can really feel the positive vibes.“ Michael Weber, Sales Manager at Tondeo agrees: “A terrific ambience! We welcomed a lot of international visitors at the stand and had some very good discussions. There are a lot of really beautiful shows that provide a great deal of inspiration.” One of the aims that Werner Schmitt, Managing Director of Trinity Haircare, had in travelling to the fair was also to boost his international business: “We had very many contacts from all over the world, so that we are fully satisfied with everything.“ “This way, a fair can be a great deal of fun “, is how André Krstoski, Sales Manager at Alcina summarises the event. In particular, he was able to establish many new contacts: “It was the right decision to come here. The feedback we are getting from our customers is all positive.“
Trends and new products at Hair and Beauty 2014
When it came to styles, curls – small and crisply defined, romantic and wild with great volume or elegantly glamorous – were dominant. There was a lot of playful use made of accessories braided into the hair, such as palm leaves, fabrics and twigs. Also very much ‘in’ was the half-length bob with accurately straightened or voluminously curled hair. On the colour front, this year’s emphasis was on blond. From platinum, via Champagne, honey and caramel, blond was to be seen everywhere. No wonder: after all, blond is considered the supreme discipline among hair colouring – 74 percent of all blond changes are carried out at the hairdresser’s. Otherwise, the scene was very colourful with blue, green, pink, violet and red being very popular as highlights. A broad spectrum of products was available for this, e.g., permanent, semi-permanent or hair chalk, which disappears after one or two washes.
Make-up focussed on eyelashes. Eyelash extensions, either for a night or several weeks, are absolutely the trend. In addition to every possible variety of removable eyelashes, there is also demand for eyelash-growth serums.
The sector reacted primarily to the growing demand for more environmentally friendly products with natural ingredients. Nature is shedding its eco-image and is becoming trendy and a lot of people are looking for the best combination of both worlds. This trend towards natural products was also reflected by salon furnishings and accessories, e.g., hairdressing tables made of specially processed wood, recycled aluminium and plastic, hand-made wooden combs and brushes produced using domestic timber. This trend was also taken up in the Green Salon special exhibition and was given an enthusiastic reception by visitors. “We are pleasantly surprised by the great response to the Green Salon. The sector has seen that consumers want sustainable, health products and services”, said Susanne Kehrbusch, Chair of the Stimulating Hairdresser Forum and speaker at the Green Salon.
Lydia Bowers, Sales Office Manager at Takara Belmonta, observed a definite trend towards the wellness offering in the salon: “Customers are especially interested in spa treatments, and there is a strong demand for head steam massage. Today, the salon needs to opt for additional applications and in this way inspire customers and ensure their loyalty. Going to the hairdresser’s thus becomes an experience of complete well-being with a hint of luxury.”
Hair and Beauty 2015
In 2015, Hair and Beauty will be held on 29 and 30 August and thus be the sector’s first trade fair for the autumn and winter season.
Thanks to its unique constellation this year, with the OMC Hairworld event being held in parallel, Hair and Beauty attracted a great deal of attention, especially at an international level. The 2015 event will once again concentrate more strongly on the requirements of the national segments. Trade visitors to Hair and Beauty are, after all, on the lookout for creative impulses twice a year. To do this, they need to visit regional trade-fairs that will inform them in good time about the forthcoming trends of the following half-year, without their having to travel great distances to do so. Hair and Beauty 2015, which will be held in August, will live up to these requirements. Messe Frankfurt thus remains true to its claim of developing high-quality events that are both sustainable and tailored closely to the needs of the industry.
At the Hair and Beauty fair from 29 to 30 August 2015 trade visitors will find top brands from the hairdressing and cosmetics industry along with a special presentation on the Green Salon theme.
The German hairdressing championships will also be held within the framework of next year’s fair.
An overview of upcoming beauty fairs organised by Messe Frankfurt:
- Beautyworld Japan, Tokyo, Japan, 19 to 21 May 2014
- Beautyworld Middle East, Dubai, UAE, 27 to 29 May 2014
- Beautyworld Japan West, Osaka, Japan, 20 to 22 October 2014
- Beautyworld Japan Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan, 2 to 3 March 2015