Australian Hair Fashion Awards returns for the 2027 season, and with it comes some massive changes that affect how entries are made, how categories are structured, and how work is judged.

The first big reveal? Two new categories have been introduced for 2027, and a retired category returns by popular demand.

Hair Cutter of the Year is focused entirely on the cut itself. Entrants are asked to submit a complete haircut filmed on a smartphone from start to finish, with no professional production required.

The second new category -Texture Artist of the Year – gives curl and texture its own space, with entries made up of four smartphone images shot in portrait mode. Work across the texture spectrum is judged as its own discipline, without being absorbed into broader styling categories.

Transformation Stylist of the Year returns for 2027, centred on a 60-second before-and-after video captured on a phone. The category is built around visible change, shown in real time.

The next major announcement? The Australian Hair Fashion Awards have introduced a brand new structure to the categories, and introduced a Premium Category Group.

The Australian Hair Fashion Awards now sit across four groups: Premium Categories, Creative Categories, Business and Product.

Premium Categories include Australian Hairdresser of the Year, New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year, Global Hairdresser of the Year, Creative Colourist of the Year, Men’s Hairdresser of the Year, and two regional Australian titles.

In another major structure change, the previous state-based structure has been removed. Eastern Australian Hairdresser of the Year covers NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS and ACT. Western/Central Australian Hairdresser of the Year covers WA, SA and NT. Both sit within the Premium group.

Creative Categories cover editorial, runway, commercial colour, team-based work, and emerging talent. The 2026 Creative Categories Group include:

Artistic Team of the Year, Editorial/ Runway Stylist of the Year, Hair Shot of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Commercial Colourist of the Year, Texture Artist of the Year, Transformation Stylist of the Year, Hair Cutter of the Year, Business and Product Categories continue with updated criteria.

In a move that makes the 2027 AHFA the most accessible season yet, four Creative categories now accept smartphone-only entries with no professional shoot required. Please see breakdown below:

• Texture Artist of the Year – four smartphone images (portrait mode)
• Commercial Colourist of the Year – four smartphone images (portrait mode)
• Hair Cutter of the Year – smartphone video
• Transformation Stylist of the Year – smartphone video

Additionally, several categories have moved from six images to four for collection entries.

These include: Men’s Hairdresser of the Year, Eastern Australian Hairdresser of the Year, Western/Central Australian Hairdresser of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Apprentice of the Year.

Global Hairdresser and Commercial Colourist of the Year remain at four images.

From a judging perspective the AHFA are wholly dedicated to transparency and integrity, and as such, in 2027 all categories requiring a professional photographic collection will be judged in a live gallery format in Sydney. Entries are printed and mounted, then reviewed side by side by an Australian judging panel.

Smartphone, video, business and product categories are judged remotely. These are reviewed independently by a mix of Australian and international judges.

All AHFA scoring – across every category, every judge, and every entry – runs through Award Force, a globally recognised, third-party awards software platform used by competitions across many industries internationally. This is how AHFA is decided: by the industry’s most respected professionals, scored independently, on a global platform.

Across every Premium and Creative category for 2027, AHFA has made it explicit: entry is open to qualified hairdressers across every business setting that meet the category criteria – salon-employed, salon owners, chair-renters, suite operators, freelancers and independent operators alike.

AHFA 2027 Entries are NOW OPEN. Stay up to date, and follow @aushairfashionawards here.