Man of the moment

Greg Murrell. Photo / Babiche Martens

Hairstylist Greg Murrell is a well-known face within our local fashion and hair industries - and now his work is being acknowledged internationally, with a Master's Award from the Australian Fellowship of Hairdressers.

Murrell, who owns Auckland hair salon Ryder, was given his award at the Australian Hair Fashion Awards at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday night. One recipient from Britain, Australia and New Zealand is selected to win the annual award, which acknowledges "masters of the craft in hairdressing". The fellowship said that Murrell's 25-year career "highlights the very essence of what the Master's Award recognises" and called him "one of New Zealand's finest".

This year is shaping up to be a momentous one for Murrell - as well as winning the award he also celebrates the 10th year of business for his Auckland salon. He opened Ryder in 1999 after working with Paul Huege de Serville at Servilles for 13 years. "Paul gave me great training, and taught me that if you are passionate enough about something, you will be successful. The time came along when I needed to escape, so to speak, as by this stage I'd developed many of my own ideas about things. So I took the plunge and opened Ryder... It's been quite a journey!"

He counts the relaxed ambience of the salon as key to it's ongoing success. "Going to the hairdresser is an escape from your life, so it needs to feel very comfortable and unhurried." He clearly knows what he's doing: he has clients who have been coming to him for almost 20 years."I really think that these relationships with clients become like friendships which endure," he says.

But it's not just his work at Ryder that has shaped his career - Murrell works as an educator and is the New Zealand artistic director for KMS California. He also works extensively with local fashion brands and publications to create hair looks for editorial, fashion shows and campaigns and has worked with the likes of Black Magazine, Stolen Girlfriends Club and Zambesi, which is something he clearly loves.

"It's a great feeling to be acknowledged," he says. "I remember quite distinctly starting out in my career and looking up at all these highly skilled people who I wanted to emulate. I guess I can say that I got there! This sort of career acknowledgement isn't something I expected or aimed for, but I have worked in a very passionate and energetic way since my career began. It's nice that someone was watching!"