Robert Lobetta takes the AIPP crown at Bologna

Release Date: 12/04/2007

Bologna, 1st April 2007 - Applauded by the fervent public at the awards ceremony within Cosmolounge (Cosmoprof), the legendary Robert Lobetta personally accepted his award as outright winner of the AIPP Grand Trophy 2006-2007. Lobetta, one of the icons in the history of hairdressing, came to Bologna especially from Los Angeles (USA) to take part in the AIPP Trophy event, increasingly considered to be one of the most prestigious prizes in the international hairdressing world. “Receiving an award is always important and the fact that it comes from members of the trade press gives it even more value. We hairdressers couldn’t live without the press, because professional mags are extremely important in our work. In my opinion, there is mutual benefit – the press needs to show our work, and we need to see these pictures published if we are to grow professionally”, said a grateful Lobetta.

Lobetta was awarded with the trophy by the association’s managing committee - by the president Roberto Pissimiglia, vice-president Julio César Ortiz, general secretary Sergi Bancells and the founder of the award, Mike Vincent. The Trophy also celebrated its tenth anniversary on this occasion – starting in 1997, it has awarded talents such as Trevor Sorbie, Jean-Claude Gallon and Tono Sanmartìn over the years. In light of this fact, this year’s recognition of Robert Lobetta gave the event particular significance, especially as he was rewarded for both his hairdressing skills and his photography. The artist himself, speaking to AIPP members, said, “I remember when I set out in my career as a hairdresser, when I sent my first photographic work to a magazine called Hairdressers Journal, which refused it. It was 1973. From then on, I sent my work to as many magazines as possibile. This is what I mean when I say that working with the Press has been really important to me in my career and has helped me a lot in getting to where I wanted to go. The magazines have always been a perfect place for me to show just what I can do with hair”.

So let’s kick off with the 2007-2008 AIPP Trophy! Even more hairdressers from every corner of the world will take part. The last event witnessed 157 collection entries from eighteen different countries. To take part, just send your Spring/Summer collection (by June 30th) to the association headquarters in Paris or one of the partnership magazines, marking the envelope “AIPP Trophy 2007-2008”.