The Australian and New Zealand hair industry’s biggest celebration of creativity and excellence, the 2025 AHIA Creative Awards, reached new heights on Monday 30th June, with a dazzling Gala held at The Star Sydney Event Centre. The event marked not only the fifth year of this prestigious awards platform, but also a phenomenal 20 years of Mocha Group as a leading force in media, awards and events across the hair, beauty and barber industries.
From the most established icons to the brightest new stars, the evening truly celebrated the full spectrum of hairdressing artistry. Amongst fierce competition and a record-breaking 40% increase in entries, key winners included AHIA Creative Australian Hairdresser of the Year 2025, Bernadette Beswick of Beswick Education Services, AHIA Creative New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year 2025, Sara Allsop of Dharma Salon and AHIA Creative International Hairdresser of the Year 2025, Marlon Hawkins of Brooks & Brooks. Their outstanding work stood out to the respected judges including Errol Douglas, Mark Leeson, Candy Shaw, Vivienne Mackinder, and media royalty from the UK and Canada.
It was a huge night for Brisbane hairdressing icon Bill Tsiknaris who was inducted into the AHIA Creative Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution and lifelong impact on the industry and celebrated colleague and sister-in-law Shae Tsiknariswho was awarded a prestigious Medal of Honour for winning AHIA Creative Master Cutter of the Year for three consecutive years.
This year also marked an exciting evolution for the awards, with the introduction of four brand-new categories that reflect the changing face of the industry. The inaugural winners included Dee Parker Attwood, Wieselmann Salon, for AHIA CreativeOne Shot Hair Masterpiece, Anthony Nader for AHIA Creative Editorial Hairstylist of the Year, Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair, for AHIA Creative Make Over Artist of the Year, and Evo Hair for AHIA Creative Best Branded Video.
Finally, the 2025 HOT SHOTS Team was also revealed, shining a spotlight on the most exciting under-31 emerging talents across Australia and New Zealand, proudly sponsored by Joico, EVY Professional, Matsui Hair, Amazing Hair and DP Exogrow and judged by local legends including Justin Pace, Jayne Wild, Scott Sloan, Benni Tognini and Sam James.
Held as part of an industry-defining weekend alongside Hair Festival and AHC events, the AHIA Creative Gala delivered an unforgettable evening of glamour, inspiration and innovation. Guests were treated to three extraordinary main stage shows that brought the full force of hair artistry to life: 20/20 Vision: A reflective and celebratory showcase of two decades of Mocha Group culminating in the creative brilliance of the AHIA Creative Australian Hairdresser of the Year 2024, Sam James, and AHIA Creative NZ Hairdresser of the Year 2024, Andrew Cobeldick.
Masters & Mavericks: A celebration of iconic creative powerhouses and rebel rule breakers. This high-concept and Avant Garde showcase featured some of the most awarded and daring names in the industry, fused with futuristic fashion and sonic storytelling.
CPR Hair: An oceanic deep dive into the raw beauty of the elements, where nature met neural networks and each strand was coded to glow. The show reimagined organic beauty through the lens of AI and elemental innovation.
And if that wasn’t enough, guests were also treated to an uber cool AHIA AFTER-PARTY until the early hours of the morning, complete with glam bot, photobooth and DJ, sponsored by TONI&GUY and LabelM
2025 AHIA CREATIVE WINNERS Sponsored By Dyson, Cpr And Amazing Hair
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR Presented by Matrix
Caprice De Sanctis, Abracadabra Hair
EMERGING STYLIST OF THE YEAR Presented by Rogue Beauty
Holly Evans, Respekt Your Hair
NEW CREATIVE TALENT OF THE YEAR Presented by Dateline Imports
Natasha Tsangaris, Rokstar Salon
AI COLLECTION OF THE YEAR Presented by mocha hair
Geoffrey Herberg
BRAND CONTENT OF THE YEAR Presented by Hair Candy
Evo Hair
MAKE OVER ARTIST OF THE YEAR Presented by Cloud Nine
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
AVANT GARDE HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Amazing Hair
Stephanie Bellairs, Cabello by Stephanie Bellairs
MEN’S HAIR SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR Presented by Expo4Barbers
Matt Clarke, Esq. Male Grooming
COLLECTIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR Presented by Kin Cosmetics
Kristie and Dee – Kristie Kesic and Dee Parker-Attwood
SALON TEAM OF THE YEAR Presented by Schwarzkopf Professional
Tsiknaris Hair
EDITORIAL HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR Presented by Angel Extensions
Anthony Nader
HAIR MASTERPIECE OF THE YEAR Presented by Goddess
Dee Parker Attwood, Wieselmann Salon
HOT SHOTS TEAM Sponsored by Joico, Matsui, EVY Professional, Amazing Hair and DP Exogrow
Alyssia Pearson, Toni&Guy Broadbeach
Emma Boyle, Steph Meyer and Co
Georgia Maguire, Pierrot’s Hair & Brow Studio
Natasha Tsangaris, Rokstar Salon
MASTER CUTTER OF THE YEAR Presented by Matsui Hair
Harrison Sansom, A.H Salon
MASTER COLOURIST OF THE YEAR Presented by CPR
Kristie Kesic, Cobelle Creative
NORTH ISLAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Hair Festival
Tenielle Gillies, Flyger
SOUTH ISLAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Something Beauty House
Sarah McGuigan, Savvy Hair
NSW/ACT HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Wella
Harrison Sansom, A.H Salon
QLD HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Redken
Domi Cherie, Tsiknaris Hair
VIC/TAS HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by Goldwell
Danielle Blakeley, Yoshiko Hair
WA/SA HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by L’Oreal Professionnel
Johnny Georgiou, Parlour Hair
BTS DREAM TEAM OF THE YEAR Presented by mocha group
Photographer: Andrew O’Toole. MUA: Kylie O’Toole. Stylist: Catherine V.
For Kristie Kesic Master Colourist of the Year Collection
DENNIS LANGFORD HALL OF FAME Presented by mocha group
Bill Tsiknaris
MEDAL OF HONOUR Presented by mocha group
Shae Tsiknaris (3X Master Cutter of the Year)
INTERNATIONAL HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by dyson
Marlon Hawkins, Brooks & Brooks, UK
NEW ZEALAND HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by mocha group
Sara Allsop, Dharma Salon
AUSTRALIAN HAIRDRESSER OF THE YEAR Presented by mocha group
Bernadette Beswick, Beswick Education Services
