Helen Clark Opens The New Servilles Academy Of Hairdressing In Queen Street

On Tuesday 24th August the Rt Hon Helen Clark officially opened the new Servilles Academy of Hairdressing at an intimate event hosted by Paul Serville and Servilles CEO Jackie Allum. The new Servilles Academy of Hairdressing and Servilles head office premises are located over three levels and 2,725 m2 at 131 Queen Street in Auckland’s city centre.

"We are finally all back together [head office and academy] under one roof, in one amazing building. Our students come from all over New Zealand and around the world, so our prime new location is exciting for them – they simply step onto Queen Street, opposite Vulcan Lane, and they get a great feel for Auckland’s city culture.” Says Paul Serville.

The scale of the new premises represents the multifaceted Servilles Group, which today includes six hair salons, Servilles Barber, Servilles Academy of Hairdressing and the soon to be launched Servilles Salon Consulting – a full business programme for hairdressing professionals and salon business owners.

The academy occupies the entire fourth and seventh floors. The fourth floor includes a commercial hair salon, fully equipped training room, a dedicated e-learning area and assessment space – complete with custom-built, adjustable work benches. The head office is located on level eight – the 10-staff strong hub of Servilles Group.

On level seven, students will benefit from two computer labs for theory work and a relaxed theatre space where Paul will present seminars and host international guest stylists. Overall, Servilles’ innovative academy moves towards a more open plan learning environment.

"Education is at the heart of our company, and offering exceptional training is essential to our business. The investment we have made in the new academy premises represents our unwavering dedication to hairdressing education.” Says Jackie Allum, Servilles CEO.

Paul and Helen Clark’s long-standing relationship began in 1997 when he was approached by Maggie Eyre to create a more contemporary look for Helen in the lead-up to her first term as Prime Minister. Helen went on to officially open Servilles Academy of Hairdressing when it moved from Albert Street to Victoria Street West in 2000.

While evolving Helen’s hairstyle over the years, the most important focus has been achieving a low-maintenance style that Helen can work with every day, and Paul continues to cut her hair each time she returns from New York.

The opening of the cutting-edge academy coincides with the Education Organisation of the Year award Servilles received at the 2010 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards in June – the prestigious industry event widely regarded as the longest running and most respected awards in Australian and New Zealand hairdressing.

Furthermore, Paul was the Hair Expo Australia Hall of Fame inductee for 2010 – the first New Zealander to receive the accolade. Educating and mentoring students, stylists and salon owners continues to be a primary focus for Paul, as the demand for highly trained hairdressers in New Zealand continues to grow. Since its
establishment in 1993, Servilles Academy of Hairdressing has provided the industry with over 1800 highly skilled graduates.

In the 2009 financial year, the academy reached enrolment capacity – a reflection of the growing interest young New Zealanders have in pursuing a career in hairdressing – while international enrolments for the 2010 class include students from Australia, Russia, Singapore, United Kingdom, China, Thailand and India.

Servilles Academy of Hairdressing, Level 7, 131 Queen Street, Auckland: Phone: 0800 SERVILLES Website: www.servilles.com

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