Pixie cut charms hairdressing judges

Supreme Winner Armie Aninion Avillanosa from Servilles, Takapuna and Model Laura Scaife. Photo / Supplied

Armed with scissors and brushes, the country's top hair stylists battled it out at the Colour Trophy Awards in Auckland on Saturday night.

Armie Aninion Avillanosa from Servilles, Takapuna, became the 2011 New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year after winning the Supreme Award.

"It was amazing, it was one of the highlights of my life and I'll never, ever forget it," she said.

Mrs Avillanosa impressed the judges with the strawberry-blond coloured pixie cut she did on former New Zealand's Next Top Model finalist, Laura Scaife.

"What inspired me was the magazines and the photoshoots for New Zealand's Next Top Model and Fashion Week. Then I just put it all together and got pieces from that," Mrs Avillanosa said.

The seven Supreme Award finalists, whittled down from hundreds of entries, had three hours to cut, colour and style their model's hair which were judged by a panel in the event sponsored by L'Oreal.

The Colour Trophy Awards, held at SkyCity, is the only hairdressing competition that requires finalists to go head-to-head in a live competition.

"It was a bit of a challenge but it was good fun," Mrs Avillanosa.

Mrs Avillanosa has worked as a hairdresser for five years, after quitting her job at an electrical company to follow her dream.

"I've always enjoyed doing people's hair and I've always wanted to get qualified ... I think I enjoy both cutting and colouring."

She won a $10,000 trip for two to London and Paris to attend a L'Oreal Professionnel education seminar in Britain and to visit the home of L'Oreal in Paris.

The Salon of the Year Award went to a team of four from Servilles, Albany, who each won a fashion and beauty prize pack worth $1000.

Because more than 50 L'Oreal salons were affected by the Christchurch earthquake, the normally lavish ceremony was replaced by a more modest celebration so funds could go to affected salons.