Since Day 1 MIG Training has been associated with the Sunshine Pro Series hairdressing and barbering competitions at the Brisbane Hair & Beauty Expo – that’s five years now and two years for the barbering comps – and it has become one of our favourite events of the year! Over time it has grown to be an incredible showcase of current and future industry talent, supported by the best of Brisbane’s hairdressing community.

To say that MIG’s involvement in the BHBE event is a team effort is quite the understatement. The competitions continue to grow and flourish each year under the careful management of Nicole Gislingham, who along with team MIG start work on the event around four months out. Nicole coordinates and organises the barber and hairdressing competitions and liaises with event boss Jason and his colleagues Rebecca and Grace from the Major League team, so is basically up to her eyeballs in phone calls, spreadsheets and prize collections as the weeks turn into days until the event kicks off. On Saturday we pack up the MIG salon and equipment and transfer it by truck to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre so we can have everything set up and ready to go for the big day.

When the doors open on Sunday morning all the MIG crew have their dedicated roles and responsibilities. Laura mans the microphone on stage for the hairdressing segments whilst Davide is the MC for the barbering comps. Anthony schmoozes with the salons and participants and Nicole finds lost competitors and last minute styling tools to support the entrants. The energy is one of excitement and nerves as the creative juices flow.

Some of the most memorable moments? The barber and his model relaxing over coffee in the cafe, having no idea that the barbering competition was being held up for him whilst he was MIA. And Tognini’s Joshua Congreve, who laid his model on the floor so he could sew his handcrafted headpiece onto her avant garde ‘do. Oh the life of a creative!

We were super proud of MIG’s Tracey Ronlund, a quiet achiever at MIG College who always gets her work done without a fuss and never complains about anything. Tracey prepped hair for three full days under Neil’s guidance and support and was rewarded with a well-deserved win in the Futuristic Colour Apprentice category. Another highlight were the young girls chosen to be a part of Laura Macleod’s Rising Stars Team, who despite being so new to the industry, worked incredibly hard and produced work as good as any seniors we’d seen when they presented their show on stage. Emily Rodger from Ella & Jade said it took her four hours to complete her hairstyle – now that’s dedication! “The girls were an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Laura. “For their very first main stage show they were impeccably prepared and very calm throughout the whole process. They are so lucky to have incredible salons that are supporting their career dreams.” We couldn’t agree more Laura!

Once the event was done and dusted, it was time for team MIG to kick back and relax with a wine or two and reflect on the massive two days of high energy and hair that was BHBE. The vibe of the whole Expo and competitions was one of gratitude and fun. We would like to thank the broader hairdressing and barbering community for getting along and showing so much support and appreciation to everyone who competed as well as our esteemed panel of judges who gave up their valuable time. Finally, to Jason and the Major League team, whose commitment to providing a platform for industry to shine is incredibly dedicated, thank you for taking the risk to showcase the best this great industry has to offer.

CLICK HERE for a list of all the winners and place getters across the weekend. Congratulations to everyone who entered and we look forward to seeing you at the Brisbane Hair & Beauty Expo in 2020!