A very good hair day
Danni Gresko
Published on
May 16, 2008
Say goodbye to bad hair days and hello to Anthony Divizio.
The first-year hairstyling apprenticeship student at Niagara College knows a thing or two about what it takes to get that perfect cut and style. He recently placed third overall at the Allied Beauty Association hair show competition in Toronto.
Divizio, who is still learning the tricks of the trade, had to compete in the professionals category as there were no others competing in the student division. Divizio took home third place and $250 in the men's professional cut and style division, outperforming some who have been in the business for 30 years.
"I really wasn't nervous going into it at all because I wasn't expected to win, I was more so doing it for experience" said Divizio.
"But once they started, they count you down and the crowd starts cheering ... it was kind of nerve-wrecking."
Atop a sectioned-off stage with about 500 onlookers in the crowd, participants are given 45 minutes to complete a hairstyle.
The final product is then judged by the cut, style, colour and how the overall look fits with the chosen model.
Before the big day, Divizio trained for the competition at Salon Alessandro in St. Catharines.
"I trained there because the owners daughter Rachel Fortino was competing in the women's competition," said Divizio.
The hair pros at Alessandro provided him with some helpful tips and advice. They also showed Divizio how to finish off a stylish cut.
It was Divizio first ever competition in hairstyling and while the win came as a surprise, the art of hairstyling is nothing new to the 26-year-old Thorold resident.
He comes from a family of elite hair and scissor specialists.
Divizio's grandfather, from Italy, was a barber for many years and cousins Melissa and Eugene own salons in the Hamilton and Burlington area.
Cousin Fred Piergentilli is a hairstylist where Anthony works and DiVizio recently purchased a salon -- Gio Salon and Spa, along with Fred and his mother.
Up next for Divizio is relocating to the new location for Gio Salon and Spa. The new location will be larger, featuring three cutting rooms, a colour room and esthetics room.
A grand opening and open house party is set to take place Saturday with prize giveaways and donations of human hair going to the Canadian Cancer Society to make wigs for patients who have lost their hair due to treatments.