This years Long Beach I.S.S.E show was quite different than the one I remember just a few years back. You see, the last two years I have worked the now defunct LA Beauty Revolution show which, was held on the exact same days as the Long Beach ISSE show so I did not have the opportunity to attend. I’ll try to break down my experience at the show from beginning to end.

I woke up early on Sunday to get ready for the show. At these trade shows you always have to look your ‘hairdresser’ best, because if you don’t look douche’y enough you wont be taken seriously. After changing a few times I decided to go with the black t shirt, the black jeans and the smart suit jacket. When you can’t decide what to wear, the hairdressers default dress is always Johnny Cash black head to toe (underwear is always optional)!

 

 

Arriving, I am surprised that the parking is readily available at the parking structure that I have used in previous years and traffic is rather light. I park, walk to the front, get my badge and enter the trade show floor which I lovingly call the ‘zoo’. If you have ever been to a large hairdresser trade show you will know exactly what I’m talking about. 

 

Orlando Pita was great. It was his first major trade event ever but I think that he made a more than positive impression on the group. Looking at the show program I saw that he was making a main stage presentation so I waltz over to take a gander.

Tabatha (from Shear Genius and Tabatha Takes Over (which is a hair salon copy of Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares (watch the British version it’s AWESOME!)) was the MC of the show and took questions from the audience. I’m sure that she is so completely sick of answering the same questions she will enivitably get: How much do you charge? Do you work in a salon? Are you single and if so can I apply for the position?… ok maybe not the last one but I WAS tempted! Tabatha was real and without the pseudo motivational speaker get the crowd pumped up facade that is just plain played out. She introduced Orlando Pita with elegance and grace. 

Orlando came on stage and spoke about how he became affiliated with T3 and how his product line came into being. He was a little nervous and it showed, but it was refreshing to see someone so talented and at ‘famous’ come into the trade realm without any arrogance, he was so naturally charismatic he could have had a ham sandwich in his hand while he was talking about his models and he still would have looked professional. Allow me to digress again, Professionalism is something that is SO lacking at the trade show level that it’s almost become a brutal cruel joke. Compare the ‘rock and roll’ douche’ bags that were on stage at Chi to the classy professionalism of Orlando Pita and you would think that it was two entirely different industries. Why are we as hairdressers continually attracted like moths to a flame to loud music and talentless hacks throwing hair in the air howling like a couple of raver kids on a stage with dancing girls with messy, sloppy, offensively bad hair??? ANYWAY…

Back to Orlando, he brought out one model at a time and explained how he came up with the idea of the hairstyle and what event the style was used for. He spoke with humble confidence as he explained how to do each style. His product presentation was sincere and honest, which I think is lacking in the hairdresser trade. Don’t get me off on the TRUTH tangent!!

Orlando Pita was a bright spot in a show that will filled with the epitome of mediocrity. It’s difficult to be great when you are so seldom rewarded for it by the masses, but Orlando Pita was great. 

The other bright spot at the show was the Wella/Sebastian/Clairol/Graham Webb/Sassoon booth. Yes, that was one BIG booth. It was classy, had cushy carpet, had better than average hair people doing good hair. Oh yeah and Nick Arrojo was in that group as well. 

Even though sometimes I’m disappointed by the trade events I still love to go and see the spectacle of it all and will continue to attend. Even if I learn what NOT to do it was worth my time.  It’s also cool to meet guys from the forum in person. 

You can see most of the pictures that I took HERE.

Until the next show!

Russell