Congratulations to Danny Pato who has just received a citation for Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours 2025 List. As an internationally renowned, multiple award-winning hairdresser Danny has worked hard to raise New Zealand’s profile in the Hair Industry.
Danny Pato has won 14 international awards from the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, France, Canada and Australia, including twice being named International Hairdresser of the Year. He was New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year every year from 2016 to 2023 and was inducted into the Australian Hair Industry Awards Hall of Fame in 2023.
Danny co-founded D&M Hair Design in Ponsonby in 2006 and has successfully grown the business and now employs 16 staff. Having delivered a range of educational presentations in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Philippines and Australia Danny is a regular contributor to national and global publications.
D&M has sponsored the AUT University Rookie graduate fashion shows for the past eight years. Danny also created The Directory, a free database of New Zealand’s creative industries, to help facilitate collaborative work. He was an Advisory Board member of Hair Expo Australia and Servilles Hairdressing Academy.
Danny has been instrumental in raising money for various local and national charities through several initiatives, including discounted haircut events and charity auctions. Aside from offering free wig styling for cancer patients, Danny Pato has been Hair Director for many catwalk shows, campaigns and editorial shoots for local and international designers, celebrities and magazines.
