Beauty news: Mana Dave named Redken artistic director

Mana Dave (above), Redken international platform artist and owner of much-loved – and hugely successful - Auckland hair salons Blaze and Pony Professional, has added yet another achievement to his ever-growing resume. As well as being a bloody nice bloke, Mana is an award-winning hair stylist, and now the talented colour specialist and three-time New Zealand hairdresser of the year has been named Redken artistic director. This prestigious title encompasses the growth and development of the Redken NZ artistic team, helps shape the Redken creative programmes for salons, gives creative direction for NZFW shows and provides input into the seasonal fashion trends for Redken.

“Within New Zealand I have the vision for our team to be seen by the industry as the lead team for high-impact education and fashion-forward hair trends,” says Dave. “Our artistic team is working with some of New Zealand’s premier fashion partners like Stolen Girlfriends Club, Zambesi, Knuefermann and Huffer on a variety of projects and ultimately I want to see more of them on the international stage showcasing their amazing work.”

Dave has recently returned from Las Vegas for the fifth time, where he presented a master class at the highly anticipated Redken International Symposium. This bi-annual hair education event attracts an insane 10,000 beauty professionals seeking to learn more about their industry through 27 different masterclasses ranging from colour, design, finishing, total look, social media and business development. Dave also facilitates classes at the renowned Redken 5th Ave, New York where stylists travel from around the globe to learn master artistry from the award-winning artist.

Dave described his experience working alongside celebrity colourist Tracy Cunningham – whose client list includes Khloe Kardashian, Jessica Biel and Jennifer Lopez – and Redken artistic education director Sam Villa as, “both nerve-wracking and humbling”. He was paired with UK stylist Lee Stafford and together they were the first international Redken facilitators to present their own showcase to the Symposium. 

On being an impactful facilitator Dave says, “A large part of it is about figuring out the way that you work and what makes you unique. Once you have figured that out, you have the ability to be authentic and ultimately connect. That's when you have the most impact.”

Congrats Mana, clear proof that good guys can finish first.