HOB SalonsÕ Akin Konizi is nominated for the 2011 British Hairdresser of the Year award Éand gets set to regain his title

The waiting is over and the nominees for the 27th British Hairdressing Awards have been announced. From a specially selected group of industry experts, beauty journalists and international trade press, eight inspirational and influential hairdressers - the cream of the British Hairdressing industry, have been nominated for the prestigious British Hairdresser of the Year award.

Akin Konizi - who is one of three Directors that own and run the successful HOB Salons group - joins fellow nominees Andrew Barton, Errol Douglas, Tim Hartley, Mark Hayes, Gary Hooker and Michael Young, Mark Leeson and Angelo Seminara in his bid to become the British Hairdresser of the Year 2011.

In the British Hairdressing Awards' 27-year history, there have only been 15 hairdressers who have been awarded this esteemed title. They are Trevor Sorbie, Anthony Mascolo, Irvine and Rita Rusk, John Frieda, Andrew Collinge, Nicky Clarke, Charles Worthington, Umberto Giannini, Beverly C, Mark Hill, Antoinette Benders, Lisa Shepherd, Andrew Barton, Angelo Seminara and HOB Salons’ Akin Konizi.

Nominated for the fifth time this year, this entry will see Akin compete for the hat-trick following his consecutive wins in 2008 and 2009 where he secured this acclaimed title.

Jayne Lewis-Orr, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Hairdressers Journal International, was delighted to announce the nominees, saying...

British hairdressing is renowned throughout the world as being creative and inspiring and the eight British Hairdresser of the Year nominees all live up to that expectation. The forthcoming months are going to be very exciting, as we have the first round judging of the regional and specialist categories, followed by the announcement of the six finalists within each of the categories. Within that time, the British Hairdresser of the Year nominees will be preparing their exclusive portfolio, which will be judged with the regional and specialist category finalists in October. I wish everyone involved the best of luck, as winning a British Hairdressing Award really does make a difference to your career.

Acknowledged by the industry as a cutting master, Akin Konizi is the creative force behind HOB Salons, a company with 21 stylish salons based throughout London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Leeds, with two more set to open this summer in Gerrards Cross and Hertford. Akin’s hairdressing style epitomises the HOB Salons brand. His trademark precision cutting technique has seen Akin catapulted into the top league of hair stylists and his natural ability to translate catwalk fabulous hair into fashion-led, wearable hairstyles has given Akin a loyal following in the industry and amongst beauty journalists, celebrities and clients alike.

In addition to his role as International Creative Director, Akin heads up the company’s education at HOB’s state-of-the-art international training academy in London’s Camden Lock, teaching the company’s 400-plus staff, whilst offering a variety of external courses to fellow hairdressers across the world.

Akin says of his nomination...

I feel extremely proud to be recognised again by my fellow peers, receiving yet another nomination and to be sat amongst such icons in the industry. Following receiving this award in 2008 and 2009, it would be incredible to win this again and be awarded British Hairdresser of the Year in 2011.

The British Hairdressing Awards 2011 is presented by Hairdressers Journal International and sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional. The winners in all sixteen categories, culminating in the premier accolade, British Hairdresser of the Year 2011, will be announced at a fantastic star studded awards ceremony and dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel, A JW Marriot Hotel, Park Lane, London on Monday 28th November 2011.