Creative HEAD Enters A New Era

A letter from Creative HEAD founder, Catherine Handcock

by CATHERINE | INFORM

Catherine Handcock

Dear Creative HEAD Readers,

Can a magazine not only reflect an industry, but influence it, too?

Ever since launching 25 years ago, Creative HEAD has blazed a trail of innovation and energy through UK and Irish hairdressing, revolutionising and re-shaping the landscape with concepts like Salon Smart, The Coterie, the Big Hair Do, Most Wanted and the It List and so much more.

It has been an incredible ride, and at every step of the way we’ve always worked with superb talents – hair artists exploding the world of colour; business owners transforming how salons looked and behaved; independent and session stylists collaborating with creatives outside of the industry to redefine concepts of beauty…

And now the Creative HEAD journey is taking a bold new direction – and yet again, we’re working with the best.

Today, Thursday 5 June, we’re announcing a dynamic new venture with The Assembly Events, creators of the revolutionary new hairdressing and barbering trade show, HairCon. Together, we’re forming a new organisation, The Assembly Media Group, which will offer unprecedented opportunities to showcase, celebrate and champion hairdressing professionals and the brands that serve them.

We had been so impressed by HairCon when it launched last year and even put in a guest appearance with a panel discussion on their Social Stage featuring speakers from our Salon Smart business networking event. Walking around the venue in Manchester, we loved The Assembly’s collaborative approach to the industry – the way they’d teamed up with exciting event concepts like Noise and partnered with influential organisations such as The Fellowship for British Hairdressing. The event was packed with brilliant hair talents, exciting hair brands and innovative new ideas.

HairCon 2024

So, I was very happy when I happened to bump into The Assembly founder, Michael Dynan, earlier this year, and got to compliment him on his event. And as we got chatting about our respective brands, it became clear there was a really great synergy between Creative HEAD and The Assembly, that we were so similar in our approach to, and passion for, the hairdressing industry… And as discussions continued over the following weeks, we realised that there was so much we could do together. And that’s when the idea was born.

Forming The Assembly Media Group means we at Creative HEAD will continue to do what we love – but now we can do even more, and even better. Working with the team at The Assembly gives us access to their expertise in events and awards, their amazing creativity and their smart business thinking (honestly, you should see them in action – it’s breathtaking!). That will result in exciting new opportunities for you, our readers – new platforms for you to perform and share ideas, new showcases for your skills, new events to celebrate your original thinking.

As the person who founded Creative HEAD 25 years ago back in June 2000, I could never have dreamt of the incredible successes we have enjoyed so far, nor that we could be in such a position of strength today, alongside the brilliant team at The Assembly, ready to innovate, inspire and influence for many more years to come.

Together with Creative HEAD’s Editorial Director, Amanda Nottage, and Creative Partnerships Director, Joanna Kidd, I hope you enjoy what you’re about to see – that it excites you about hairdressing and makes you feel proud to be a hairdresser. Because that is what’s important to us and everyone within The Assembly Media Group.

With love,

Catherine Handcock

Founder and Publisher, Creative HEAD