Meet the UK semi-finalists making a positive impact with the KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARDS
‘The Choices We Make’ is at the heart of KEVIN.MURPHY. Our choices are expressed through the ingredients we choose for our products, who we partner with and how we can make a difference, for the environment and for the people around us.
The KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARDS celebrate The Choices THE PRO makes in the salon. We know that every stylist in our salon network is great at what they do, so we want to focus on those stylists that are also positively and actively impacting the environment, people’s lives and/or communities. These are the stories that we want to share. And we’re super excited to share with you the two semi-finalists from the UK!
Andi Kelly
Andi Kelly Hair Studio, Edinburgh
After realising that she had lots of clothes that she no longer wore or needed anymore, Andi Kelly decided she was going to encourage her clients to have a clear out too and collectively, they’d donate everything to the homeless. In total Andi and her clients donated 13 full bags of clothing which went to a charity that directly clothes the homeless.
Andi didn’t stop there. Her next venture came in 2020 when she set up a fundraiser via social media, which made a brilliant £850.50. This money was donated equally to Abused Men in Scotland and Women’s Aid, due to the incredible work they do to help victims of abuse.
She then went onto use her salon as a drop point for any food that any of her clients could spare, after she discovered that the food bank across the road from where she lived was running low on supplies. In total, Andi and her clients donated 14 full carrier bags of food, and she continues to collect for the food bank on a regular basis.
Joe Milazzo
Esente Hair, London
When his wife Lina was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2014, Joe found himself frustrated, angry and upset with the lack of information and advice out there for cancer patients who were about to or had already lost their hair through chemotherapy. Keen to support his wife, and others going through the same thing, Joe started talking to people to learn more, and eventually set up the charity, Hair Reborn.
He created the programme by offering three free appointments per week to those who were dealing with hair loss due to cancer, which was manageable for him when his salon was quiet. He then rebooked these clients back in for 10 weeks’ time for another two sessions to trim their hair back to health, and within six months, they had a style back again.
Joe helped a fantastic 60 people over two years, and Hair Reborn now has 16 salons in the UK, with 25 more scheduled to join in the next 18 months.
Join us in congratulating these two incredible UK salons that have made the KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARDS shortlist, and let’s raise a glass to all the salons doing incredible work to help others!