Backstage at NZ Fashion Week in August, with the Davines team.
Another classic year - this one served up more twists than The Sixth Sense. As 2025 comes to an end, with our final day in the salon on December 24, I wanted to look back at some highlights - from special team moments to my favourite products.
Sean got married. Truly the wedding of the year. It was all he talked about for months and it totally lived up to the hype. A glittering if slightly trashy guest list, a dimly lit gallery and two boys who are devoted to each other. I tried to make it about me of course.
Sean and Tau on their wedding day; Sean and me, with my long braid. Photos / Holly Sarah Burgess
New Zealand Fashion Week returned, providing us with a medium for showing off as well backstage fasting (this requires ingesting snacks only over a period of 12 hours). Shoutout to Davines and Kevin Murphy for supporting us in our endeavours.
GET THE LOOK: HARRIS TAPPER
GET THE LOOK: JULIETTE HOGAN
GET THE LOOK: UNTOUCHED WORLD
In August we said farewell to our colleen online store. No tears were shed, the store was awesome and fun, and it was a delight to bring the best of the world's haircare to your doorstep.
Our colleen store campaign from 2022. Photo by Holly Sarah Burgess.
In June, I was named Hairstylist of the Year as part of the 2025 Viva Beauty Awards; Sean was a finalist too. Thanks Viva for the recognition, and for creating a platform to celebrate everyone out there doing what they love. Earlier in the year, in April, colleen was a finalist for Best Hair Salon in the Remix Lifestyle Awards - an awesome recognition of our incredible team.
Our salon turns 10 next year - it was nice to get lots of recognition ahead of our birthday!
This year we locked and loaded not one but TWO Hundred-Dollar-Haircut Days, sneaking in an extra day in late November - bringing our total fundraising with this event to over $10,000 in support of Rainbow Youth, Kickback Make Change and Pet Refuge.
Claudia cutting the perfect bob during our Hundred-Dollar-Haircut Day in November, raising money for Pet Refuge.
Also in November we smashed out around 50 looks for the annual Whitecliffe Fashion Graduate Show. It's a kick in the arse to see so much talent emerging in the industry and this year's show was killer.
Backstage at the Whitecliffe Fashion Graduate Show in November, with hair by colleen.
Now to my top picks for the year:
FAVE IN-SALON SERVICE
Aura Hyaluronic Treatment (book your treatment here)
FAVE PRODUCT
Kevin Murphy Young.Again Dry Conditioner Spray (buy yours in the salon!)
FAVE TOOL
ghd Duet Blowdry
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FAVE STORY
Final Girls
FAVE CLIENT
Frank, the dog that came for Hundred-Dollar-Haircut day
FAVE NEIGHBOUR
The Frog
FAVE COCKTAIL
The Bush from The Frog
