The city of Mumbai recently played host to a glittering celebration of creativity and transformation as Streax Professional Hairstyle Icon 2025, in association with OMG Face of the Year (FOTY), concluded its much-awaited grand finale. With Professional Beauty Hairdressers Journal India as the official trade media partner, the event brought together a talented pool of hairstylists from across the country and placed them right where they deserve to be centrestage.
From regional auditions to knockout rounds and grooming bootcamps, the journey to the finale was as layered as the perfect haircut. Out of the thousands who applied, ten hairstyling finalists were selected to compete at the high-energy final showdown on July 31st. The result? A runway, a transformation zone and a community buzzing with talent and pride.
THE WINNING STREAK
Meet the top three winners:
• Winner: Priyanka Sinha, Hooghly, West Bengal
• First runner-up: Bhaskar Jyoti, Guwahati, Assam
• Second runner-up: Durmit Garge, Vadodara, Gujarat
While Sinha walked away with ₹3 lakhs, she also earned the coveted opportunity to participate in expert-led workshops and an exclusive celebrity photoshoot with ace fashion photographer Dabboo Ratnani. The first and second runners-up received ₹75,000 and ₹25,000 respectively, but more importantly, they earned visibility and validation on a national stage.
The jury panel brought credibility and diversity, featuring Rochelle Chhabra, Head, Streax Professional; Shirin Merchant, Technical Ambassador; Kannagi Desai, Beauty Editor, Elle India; Sini Shetty, Femina Miss India 2022; and Rohit Khandelwal, Mister World 2016. Their evaluation went beyond aesthetics, they looked for vision, precision, originality and functionality.
“We weren’t just looking at what looked good,” shared Chhabra. “Wearability is key. Every look needed to feel like a better version of the person. Precision, individuality, and the ability to bring the mood board to life were crucial.”
BEYOND THE LOOK
The competition focused on more than just hairstyle flair. As Chhabra pointed out, hygiene, turnaround time and practical shop floor discipline also played into the final scoring.
“You can be creative, but if you take six hours or have a messy floor, you’ve missed the point.
Clients value quick, clean, and confident service. That’s the balance we were evaluating,” she added.
What truly stood out at the finale was the amalgamation of real-world salon dynamics and imaginative flair. Finalists presented detailed mood boards and then transformed them into live makeovers complete with runway presentations that brought the audience to its feet. All the top 10 finalists were mentored by Heena Dalvi, National Technical Head, Streax Professional.
BUILDING THE PLATFORM
The roots of Hairstyle Icon Awards go back to the lockdown years, when online competitions were launched to engage a salon community that was largely homebound. “We started with digital contests during COVID, just to keep the energy alive,” recalled Chhabra. “Since then, we’ve kept evolving. This year, we partnered with OMG FOTY to bring a powerful digital-meets-runway experience.”
Speaking about the synergy, Parimal Mehta, Founder and Curator of OMG FOTY, said, “When passion meets opportunity, magic happens. Streax Professional’s collaboration helped elevate this platform. Every finalist here is already a winner in our eyes.”
The journey of Hairstyle Icon 2025 doesn’t end here. It will soon premiere as a six-part web series on Hungama OTT, streaming from September. It promises to give audiences a behind-the-scenes peek at the transformations, jury insights, model makeovers and much more.
The event also made an impact on social media. “What we really wanted was to give hairstylists, even from the remotest parts of India, a platform to be seen and heard,” Chhabra reflected. “Not everyone gets that chance. This initiative aims to bridge that gap.”
LEARNING TOGETHER
Streax Professional Hairstyle Icon 2025 turned out to be a two-way learning experience. According to Dheeraj Arora, MD and CEO, HRIPL, “This platform has been about vision, skill, and transformation. It’s helped us better understand the pulse of India’s hair industry. We have learnt from the salon community, just as much as we have contributed.”
Arora added that feedback from stylists often influences product innovation. Take, for example, the development of highlight kits and heat protection sprays, both inspired by salon insights.
EXPANDING THE SPECTRUM
The brand’s recent efforts have also extended into creating solutions for a broader range of salons, including those operating in tier II and III cities. With the launch of Silkis, a value-driven professional range, and forays into skincare, the focus is on making holistic professional care accessible.
“Salons want a one-stop solution for hair and skin. We are now building that out through new product lines,” Chhabra noted.
The goal, as she puts it, is a ‘win-win ecosystem’ where both the brand and the stylist grow, through partnership, not just distribution.
LOOKING AHEAD
As the curtains fell on the finale night, emotions ran high. There was pride, excitement and an unmistakable sense of momentum.
“We met all ten finalists, and they were brimming with confidence and joy,” said Arora. “I can already sense many will return next year. They have found value in being part of this platform.”
Streax Professional Hairstyle Icon 2025 has heralded a new era of hairstyling, one that belongs to those who dare to dream..