KAM Salon Owner Takes To The Stage In Minneapolis

Following a thorough judging process and being announced as one of the members of Aveda’s Artistic Team, Karen Thomson, Owner of KAM Hair and Body Spa, was thrilled to be asked to take part in the Aveda Congress in Minneapolis. Congress is a celebration of artistry and community, and the Aveda Congress brings together Artists from around the world, pushing the limits of creativity with jaw-dropping results. Beauty, fashion, and technical brilliance combine in this spectacular showcase of the power of Aveda’s high-performance, vegan and naturally derived hair care and hair colour.

After Zoom meetings, idea discussions, planning and trying out different concepts, Karen and the Artistic Team were excited to debut their finished looks in Minneapolis.

The process of the Congress Show was extensive, Karen travelled from Aberdeen, meeting the rest of the team from London in Minneapolis for welcome drinks before model casting. This was a crucial step in the process, whereby the team needed to campaign to the models what they were looking for in terms of cuts, colours and styling and they had the opportunity to decide what team they wanted to work with. Luckily, many models flocked to Karen and the UK team, allowing them to start prep for the show – cutting, colouring and choreographing to ensure the models were ready to take to the stage.

On the day of the show, Karen and the Artistic Team were thrilled to showcase their finished looks. The show was called ANGLOPHILIA and involved models opening out of a balloon/dome – a sign of being reborn, a return to express a creative rebellion, a statement of individuality, being able to own ourselves in a way we never thought possible. The show started with the chiming of Big Ben when the spotlight hit each dome creating a truly fascinating start to the show. The team spent days making the dome from recycled hair in their hotel rooms before cutting these off on stage.

Today, many people are regaining a sense of control and reclaiming their identity through hair, and this is what the team wanted to showcase with their work at the show. The collection of hair looks created encapsulated the nonconformist essence and nostalgia of 90's Britain rebellious spirit and the team played with texture and dimensions in the hair, redefining what it means to be bold and celebrating the raw movement that defines individuality. Each of the looks were a testament to the audacity and unapologetic nature of the era and the team seamlessly blended edgy cuts and dynamic styles with shadow roots and layered colours to create a visual dimension that would create powerful emotions and unleashes an unconventional energy. They harmonised intense, rich hues with natural tones, creating the perfect balance between the salon world and artistic creativity.

Discussing the show, Karen Thomson, Aveda Artistic Team Member and Owner of KAM Hair and Body Spa, said “The Aveda Congress in Minneapolis was incredible. Although we were flat out with work, I loved every minute of it. The show was sensational and went better than we could have imagined – we even received a standing ovation. It was also great to connect with other like-minded professionals from the industry who attended and be inspired by the latest trends and techniques from Aveda’s Global Artists.”