Hair professionals from 103 cities across 27 states participated in Round 1, with the Top 100 advancing to the next stage of the national competition.
Launched as a national platform to celebrate excellence in professional hair colouring, the Velvetree Color Awards 2026 aims to recognise emerging and established talent while encouraging innovation, creativity and technical excellence within India’s salon industry.
Round 1 of the Color Awards concluded with an overwhelming response from India’s professional hair industry, attracting 789 participants from 103 cities across 27 states. The nationwide competition received entries from hairstylists, freelancers, educators and students, marking a strong start to this year’s edition and reaffirming the growing enthusiasm for creative hair colouring across the country.
Participants submitted original images showcasing their hair colour work, with entries judged on technical execution, creativity, colour blending, styling, originality and overall presentation. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the Top 100 participants have been shortlisted to advance to Round 2 of the competition.
The evaluation panel brought together five respected names from India’s hairdressing and salon education industry:
- Najeeb Ur Rehmaan of Najeeb’s Academy, Delhi, brought decades of technical expertise and a deep understanding of colouring standards at the highest professional level
- Naseem Salmani of Naseem Salon and Academy, Delhi, added a perspective shaped by years of working with both salon professionals and aspiring students
- Varun Attri of Varun Attri Unisex Salon, Delhi, contributed a sharp eye for contemporary trends and technical precision
- Uday Takke of U Takke’s Hair and Beauty Studio, Mumbai offered his perspective on creative colouring and salon excellence, and
- Vikas Marwah of Vikas Marwah’s Hair Salon and Academy Mu brought his established authority in hair education and competitive judging to the panel.
Together, the jury assessed every submission against the competition’s judging parameters to identify the strongest entries for the next stage.
The participation in Round 1 reflected the national reach of the competition, with entries received from metropolitan cities as well as emerging salon markets. Open to hairstylists, freelancers, educators and students, the awards provide a platform for professionals across different stages of their careers to showcase their creativity and technical expertise while gaining industry-wide recognition.
The shortlisted participants will now move to Round 2, scheduled from 1–18 August 2026, where they will create a fresh hair colour transformation using Velvetree Hair Colour products. As part of the challenge, contestants will submit a 30–60 second Instagram reel, with judging based on creativity, colour placement, transformation quality, technical execution and visual storytelling.
The competition will culminate in the Grand Finale on 29 September 2026 at The Tivoli, Chattarpur, New Delhi, where the Top 30 finalists will compete live under the theme ‘Creative Colour’. Inspired by editorial, runway and colour-blocking trends, finalists will present their creations before a panel of industry judges for the championship title. Beyond the cash prizes, trophies and professional photoshoots, the competition offers participants an opportunity to gain national visibility and showcase their work before some of the industry’s leading educators and professionals.
