The Fellowship for British Hairdressing celebrated another incredible year with their annual Luncheon and Awards, held at The Londoner – the biggest and best independent networking and awards event in the industry.
2025 was a year for laying foundations for the industry for years to come. Packed with an exciting array of new opportunities and most importantly, lots of Fellowship events, the progress, and steps taken this year will benefit our members and the industry in the future.
The 2025 Fellowship Luncheon brought together over 500 U.K. and international industry guests to celebrate and reminisce over the last year, whilst looking forward to 2026 and the vision for what lies ahead.
Welcoming the guests to the annual festive celebration, Fellowship President Ashleigh Hodges, recapped the year, honouring the Luncheon’s theme of ‘Innovate. Inspire. Evolve’, which underpins her presidency term. Ashleigh went on to thank the Fellowship members, sponsors, partners and audience for their continued support and loyalty over the last 12 months.
With the anticipation already building, the 2025 achievements announcement began, with a host of fabulous names being awarded this year’s medals and titles. Ashleigh then went on to honour industry anniversaries and milestones, whilst remembering those we lost over the last year, including Charlie Miller, a poignant figurehead in the industry.
Following an exquisite lunch, the Luncheon continued with the unveiling of this winners of the Art & Commerce Awards and penultimate award, Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year, and the highly anticipated F.A.M.E. Team 2026. To round-up a fabulous, festive celebration, Ashleigh thanked attendees for joining the Fellowship for this special occasion. The Fellowship is experiencing an exciting period of growth and development. The plans we are putting in place today will benefit the industry of the future, whether it is salons, freelance, hairdressers or barbers. It’s an exciting time to be a member of the Fellowship – we can’t wait to see what 2026 holds!
Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year – Lesley Jennison
Fellowship Contribution to Industry Award – Simon Shaw
President’s Award – Sarah Smith
Member of the Year – Lucy Melvin
Fellow with Honours – Colin McAndrew, Chris Bulezuik, Allison Hargreaves
Fellow with Distinction – Nick Irwin, Cos Sakkas, Clive Silver
Gold Medal – Debbie Gee
Achiever of the Year Award
Clubstar Art Team – Amelia Krasinski, KH Hair
Project Colour – Laszlo Roman, Creations Hairdressing
Project X – Gabbie Wain, Tilted Crown Hair Studio
Project Men & Media – Samuel Justice, SJ Grooming
Project Sassoon – Zoë Hodgkiss, Hair Artistry
Project Afro – Trevanna Watkins, House of Sisters
Project Extend – Grace Lothian, Copper Colour Collective
Project Scotland – Natalie Stephen, VOI
Community Hero – Lara Johnson
Snapshot Image of the Year – Skaiste Buinicke, Brooks & Brooks, London
Men’s Image of the Year – Marlon Hawkins, Brooks & Brooks, London
Colour Image of the Year – Marlon Hawkins, Brooks & Brooks, London
Afro Image of the Year – Josh Lamonaca, Menspire Academy, St Albans
International Image Award – Jude McEwen, Toni & Guy, Perth, Australia
Image of the Year – Cos Sakkas, Toni&Guy Academy, London
Independent Business of the Year – Williams & Hirst
Salon Business of the Year – Tribe
Barber Business of the Year – Manifesto
Educator of the Year – Rob Wood
Session Stylist of the Year – Gary Gill
Hall of F.A.M.E. Award – Lydia Wolfe
The Trevor Sorbie Award for Creative and Commercial Innovation – Casey Coleman
2026 F.A.M.E. Team
Samantha Bryne, Vanilla Hair Design
Olivia Brady, HoneyComb Hair
Troy Boyd, Anthony John Salons
Chelsey Stone, Chelsey Stone Hair
