Gallery of Style – Backstage and Results

Remember the Gallery of Style contest with Shu Uemura. Here is a sneak peek of the happenings backstage.

When I walked into the spacious room, I was surprised by the rather relaxed and calm atmosphere. It was far from the intense and frenetic scene that one might expect in a hairstyling competition – so much better to watch the participants at work.

I was delighted to have a one-on-one session with India Miller, Shu Uemura’s brand ambassador who came from London just for the event. We discussed trends, products and the celebrities she takes care of. I asked what products she would recommend. The unsurprising answer: it depends on your hair type. However, if she had to propose one range, it would be “Ultimate Remedy” suitable for any women, from haircare to styling. One product she did highlight was Essence Absolue; the don’t-leave-home-without-it item on your travels. On trends, braids are a now big thing in the UK. Otherwise, hair styles (including colors) are more toned down. We have moved away from the pink ombré or white to natural shades. Perhaps we do need a little respite of normality, before we go crazy all over again,

Fear not, there was nothing normal in the creations during the contest! I was blown away by the originality in each interpretation of the given “Tokyo Vibe“ theme. I was lucky not to be a judge as it would be really difficult to choose between them. Instead, three professionals were tasked with evaluating the six participants. The 4th jury was the public. Remember, you were invited to pick your favorite. I am sure you are now dying to know if your pick was also the winner. Combining four votes, here are the results: