Diva Professional Styling put the spotlight on the next generation of hairdressing talent at Salon International 2026 with its Next Gen Student Competition, celebrating creativity, technical skill, and emerging talent within the industry.
The competition invited student hairdressers to create an eye-catching look and submit their finished work via Diva Professional Styling’s Instagram, giving the winners the opportunity to showcase their creativity and styling skills to a live audience at Salon International.
Following the submissions, three standout students were selected by the Diva Professional Styling judging panel- which included Celebrity Stylist, Michael Gray- for their creativity, execution and ability to create a look that captured the judges’ attention.
The three winners were Evie Hutchcraft from Melanie Richards Hair & Beauty in Peterborough, Cameron Lafferty from CJZ Hair and Beauty in North Shields, and Ella Hindley from Lauren Hill Hair in Romsey.
As part of their prize, the winners were invited to Salon International to showcase their winning looks using Diva Professional Styling’s professional styling tools, giving them the opportunity to experience working in a live industry environment and put their skills into practice beyond the typical salon environment.
Sally Sidani Wilkinson, Marketing Director of Diva Professional Styling said: “At Diva Professional Styling, we’re passionate about supporting education and championing the next generation of hairdressing talent.
‘Giving students a platform to showcase their work alongside established professionals can be hugely valuable in building confidence and helping them take those important next steps in their careers. For emerging stylists, competitions like the Next Gen Student Competition are a fantastic opportunity to gain experience, work under pressure and, most importantly, have their creativity recognised by the wider professional hairdressing community. We’re proud to celebrate their achievements and play a part in encouraging the talent that will shape the future of our industry.”
Guest Judge and Celebrity Hair Stylist, Michael Gray added: “It was a pleasure to judge this competition, especially with it being targeted at the next generation of hairdressers. It’s refreshing to see how excited the participants were, they’ve really showcased their skills and put all their expertise, knowledge and creative flare forward for their competition entries.
“Diva Professional styling always continues to support the next generation of hairdressers, and what an amazing opportunity for them to have given the younger members of our industry with this competition.”