Vasse based salon, Cinco Hair Boutique, is a national finalist for Salon of the Year at the prestigious Australian Hair Fashion Awards.
The Australian Hair Fashion Awards (AHFA) is Australia’s largest, longest running and most successful independent hairdressing awards program dedicated to annually awarding and celebrating the best of Australian/New Zealand's talent in the Hair Fashion industry.
Cinco, established in 2018 by Busselton local Kendall Drake, is listed amongst some heavy hitters in the hairdressing world.
Drake, 30, says she is very proud to be named a finalist for the most prestigious of all awards, Salon of the Year.
“To have our salon in little Vasse named alongside the likes of Joey Scandizzo Salon, Tony & Guy and others in Sydney and across Australia is an absolute honour and I feel very humbled and really proud of the team,” says Drake.
“In many ways, it’s validation that all of the extra lengths we go to are worth it.”
Vasse has a population of 2,500 and is located 10 kilometres from Busselton and 240 kilometres southwest of Perth
“I always planned for Cinco to be more than a place to come and get your hair done, and it is, it’s become a beautiful community,” Drake says.
“As a team, the guest experience is central to everything we do – from the little touches like hot scented face towels and affirmation cards, to bigger things like product samples, cheese and crackers, cupcakes, cocktails and champagne as part of the service.
“One thing that sets us apart is what we do outside the salon – we held a team building day planting 250 trees, and we partnered with the McGrath Foundation and in our first fundraising initiative raised $1,190 – both of which will become annual fixtures on our calendar.”
Cinco was the first salon in the south west to do away with separate seating in front of mirror and instead installed a colour bar station, a large table that guests sit around while getting colour done where they can work from with their laptops or chat to each other as they wait.
Specialising in blondes, balayage, transformations and hair extensions, Cinco is the only stockist of top tier Kerastase products south of Bunbury and one of the top three stockists of Keune products in Western Australia.
The AHFA Awards is a definitive awards program of business excellence for Australia’s leading hairdressers, salons, specialist businesses, educators and professional products.
Winners of the AHFA Awards will be announced at a gala event in Melbourne on Monday 17 October 2022.
Cinco Hair Boutique is also one of five finalists in the State Salon Business of the Year WA / NT at the Australian Hair Industry Business Awards. The winner will be announced at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Sunday 9th October.
Locally, Cinco and Kendall Drake have been nominated in the 2022 South West Business Excellence Awards in the categories of Young Business Achiever, Micro Business, and Professional Services - People Based. Winners will be announced on Saturday 29th October.