CREATIVE FREESTYLING

Antoinette Beenders, Senior Vice President, Aveda, USA and Jorge Cáncer, Founder, X-presion, Spain, triumphed at the prestigious British Hairdressing Awards 2023 in the International Collection category with their A.P.O.H Collection. Priyanka Parshurami talks shop with the creative masterminds about their win and journey behind it.

At the 39th edition of the British Hairdressing Awards (BHA) 2023, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, creative and technical visionaries shone brighter than stars. As the ‘Oscars’ of hairdressing unfolded, the coveted International Collection of the Year Award was bestowed upon Antoinette Beenders and Jorge Cáncer.

This collaborative journey, which commenced a year ago, brought together two celebrated artists from different countries and continents to create an extraordinary piece of art. Beenders says, “The A.P.O.H. Collection is a very special collaboration between me and X-Presion. It’s a bit like a jam session of music legends, freestyling in the pure joy of creativity, wisdom and experience embedded in our hands—and venturing fearlessly into the future. It explores the artistic use of ‘a piece of hair’ as the medium or fabric. Each look is designed for the human head and the shape the hair itself creates as it moves in three dimensions. Evocative of the graceful movement of dancers, the hair creates a sensory experience of delicacy, fluidity and modernity.”

Cáncer adds, “It was inspired by Japanese designer patterns. We faced challenges along the way, like how to transmit these fabric patterns onto the hair, as it required innovative solutions. But this is what X-presion is about, creating innovation for the hair industry and especially in the hair colour world.”

NOMINATED AT THE ‘OSCARS’

A two-time winner, Beenders calls entering the BHA ‘a lot of work.’ “It requires a long list of assets. Not only do you submit your final eight images, but you also need to submit the before shots of each model, before and after videos of each model as well as pre- and post- production images of each final look,” she explains.

Cáncer says, “Participating at the BHA presented its own set of challenges, including the high level of competition and the pressure to stand out in a field of incredibly talented stylists.”

For Beenders, participating in the BHA meant,

• Hard work pays off

• Your age doesn’t matter. If you are providing the art, tenure has no limit.

• Perseverance, passion and dedication to the creative process involved in creating these images counts.

Cáncer states, “From our experience at the BHA, our three key takeaways are:

1. The importance of pushing creative boundaries and staying true to your unique style.

2. The value of teamwork and collaboration – a successful collection requires the input of talented individuals working seamlessly together.

3. The significance of continuous learning and adaptation in an ever-evolving industry.”

A CREATIVE JOURNEY

The curation process was a journey of creativity and precision to ensure a cohesive collection. Execution was a collaborative effort, with the team working seamlessly to bring the creative ideas to reality. From hairstyling to overall presentation, every detail was carefully considered.

“This journey of a thousand miles started with a conversation between Antoinette and me in London, where we decided to make a collaborative project between X-presion and Antoinette. After hundreds of video meetings and calls between Minneapolis and Madrid, we were working together creating the creative process of this winning collection,” explains Cáncer.

Beenders states, “The hair used was previously coloured with a stained glass technique using vibrant hair colour and extra bonus was creating the A.P.O.H technique using big paper cut outs (to protect parts of the previous coloured hair) and very fine tape to design the motif. Once the tape and cut outs were placed we smothered the hair and the result was magic.”

Embrace your individuality. Don’t be afraid to take risks and showcase what sets you apart.

A HEARTWARMING WELCOME

“The response has been overwhelming. We had millions of views on Instagram. I believe we have sparked a new phenomenon through a collaborative effort among industry veteran artists who shared their combined knowledge and experience to create something innovative and thought-provoking,” says a delighted Beenders.

“The welcome back home was heartwarming. The support from our community has been overwhelming, and we are grateful for every congratulatory message. To capitalise on this momentum, we plan to leverage the exposure from the BHA to explore new opportunities, and continue pushing the boundaries of hairdressing.

The win is not just a recognition of our past work but also a motivation to strive for even greater achievements in the future,” Cáncer sums up.

Beenders plans to take the momentum further with more collaborative experiences with different artists, not necessarily hairdressers but all artists. “I am happy to announce I just finished an amazing collaboration with the Dutch couturier Iris van Herpen.”

My motto is - YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT, so don’t HOLD BACK. 

CREDITS A.P.O.H COLLECTION

Concept + Creative Direction: Antoinette Beenders 

Hair: Collaboration of Antoinette Beenders + X-Presion Supported by Luis Gonzalez, Allen Ruiz and Casandra Torres

Hair products: Aveda Vegan Hair Color

Photography: Miguel Reveriego

Make-up: Lolita

Clothes styling: Belene Antolin, supported by Manolo

PLAYING FOR THE WIN

“I am truly honoured to have won the International Collection of the Year Award and represent the international hairdressing community at the prestigious BHA,” affirms Beenders. “I last attended the BHA in 1994 when I won the British Hairdresser of the Year Award. So, it was truly special to grace that stage again this time. Having moved to America, I had been away from the BHA for over 20 years. Honestly, I had no expectations, but when they called my name, I was over the moon.”

Cáncer states, “We, X-presion as an organisation, entered the BHA for the first time. And winning this award and getting recognition in this prestigious competition is truly an incredible feeling.”