Tracey Merritt, winner of the 2001 L'Oreal Professionnel Colour Trophy Awards and New Zealand Hairdesser of the Year.
Image from Bruce Jarvis Photographic Services.
1300 people witnessed the announcement of New Zealand’s Hairdresser of the Year, Tracey Merritt ( Bettjemens, Auckland)
at last night’s 2001 L’Oreal Professionnel Colour Trophy Awards.
The Civic Theatre in Auckland was host to New Zealand’s glitterati – coiffed to the nines and tressed to kill – it was
the night that both the fashion and hair industry stepped out to see and be seen.
This year the public was also invited to New Zealand’s biggest hair and fashion spectacular ever – and seats sold out
weeks before the night. Attendees were also treated to the ‘Heart of the City’ Fashion Collection featuring the
spring/summer collections of ten of New Zealand’s top designers.
The L’Oreal Professionnel Colour Trophy Awards are the only event of its kind in New Zealand. It is the hair industry’s
night where they showcase their finest talent to the nation.
Tracey Merritt, winner with her model and Gary Marshall, L'Oreal - the man who introduced the Awards to NZ eight years
ago. Image from Bruce Jarvis Photographic Services.
News Release July 29, 2001
Hair stylist heads for Paris
Tracey Merritt is New Zealand’s hairdresser of the year for 2001.
The Auckland-based hairdresser has styled her way to supreme victory in the 2001 L’Oréal Professionel Colour Trophy
Awards announced in Auckland last night.
The awards are New Zealand hairdressing’s biggest event and for the first time in their eight-year history the night of
judgement was open to the public.
Coiffed to the nines and tressed to kill, Auckland’s fashion glitterati thronged Auckland’s Civic Theatre on Saturday
for a fashion aficionado’s feast.
The red-carpet night featured not only the four L’Oréal awards but also a preview of the spring designs of 11 top New
Zealand fashion gurus in The 2001 Heart of the City Fashion Collection.
The full house of 1,300 at the Civic witnessed our leading hairdressers vying for the supreme award prize of a trip to
London and Paris. Their task: interpret the theme of a “trend-setting front cover look that perfectly combines a superb
consumer cut, originality of style and exquisite colour”.
Altogether 16 finalists vied for the three main awards. The results are:
The L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy Supreme Award and New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year: Tracet Merritt,
Bettjemens, Orakei, Auckland Prize: The L’Oréal Colour Trophy and an expenses-paid travel to the UK’s L’Oréal
Professionel Colour Trophy Awards in London and then on to Paris to visit the international headquarters of L’Oréal
Runner up: Michael Sisaengrath, Ridgiddy Didge, Auckland Prize: Fujifilm MX-1700 Zoom Digital camera
The L’Oréal Young Colourist Award Natalie Wingfield, Servilles (Chancery), Auckland Prize: Trip for two to Melbourne to
attend the 2002 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final
The L’Oréal Couleur Pour Hommes Award Michael Hamel, Ginger Meggs Hairdressing, Christchurch Prize: Trip for two to
Melbourne to attend the 2002 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Grand Final
Two further awards were made to entrants who were not finalists. Prizes include features on the stylists in the
respective magazines.
The Headway Portfolio Award Lanaye McKay of Atelier, Remuera, Auckland
The Style Magazine Award John Waring from Bettjemans, Orakei, Auckland
Aim of Awards "The aim of the awards is to highlight New Zealand in the international world of hairdressing," says
L'Oréal general manager Gary Marshall.
“New Zealand hairdressers have a reputation for creativity and the excellent standard of entries in 2001 reinforces the
high regard for our stylists in the world of hair. The entries this year have been world class, a sentiment I have heard
echoed by all our judges.
“L’Oréal is delighted to be in a position to support hairdressing in its drive to raise the profile of the industry.
That is one of the reasons we have involved some of New Zealand’s most important fashion designers and have been keen to
open the awards to the public.”
The award show was presented by TV personality Francesca Rudkin and actor Joel Tobek. Judges in 2001 were Australians
Michelle Aldridge and Maurice Meade and the first L'Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy Award winner Clark York of
Wellington.
ends
Released for The L'Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy Awards 2001 by Pead PR
Contacts:
Gary Marshall ------------------- Theresa Platon
General Manager ----------------- Pead PR L’Oréal
Professional Products Division -- 0-9-918 5552
0-9-571 4900 -------------------- 021-612 913