The ANZ Modern Barber Awards (AMBAs) have announced their 2025 finalists, celebrating the best in men’s creative talent and business. The awards were established in 2021 by Mocha Group and have extended to New Zealand for the very first time this year. The awards have also been brought forward, taking place on May 5 at The Island, Surfers Paradise.
On the back of this dynamic expansion, the 2025 awards have had a 10 per cent increase in entries, despite the shorter entry timeframe. Awards span product, business, education and editorial categories.
The event will be hosted by Mocha Group Events & Art Director, Kellie Woodhead, alongside 2024 AMBA Hall of Fame recipient and icon, Frank Ciccone. The gala will include pre-drinks and canapés before the main event is hosted in the Glasshouse room. An exclusive afterparty will be hosted by JRL and Reuzel on-site at Duke’s Parlour in an underground speakeasy-style bar.
The AMBAs and Mocha Group align as the official media partner of EXPO4BARBERS and the new date is part of the EXPO4BARBERS weekend. The three-day trade show offers stands, education sessions and the pinnacle Barber Battle in a full weekend dedicated to men’s hair.
Award finalists were surveyed by an independent panel of judges, including media professionals, PR and business experts, international barbering icons and industry specialists. Sponsors include Dateline Imports, American Crew, Hairco, JRL, Reuzel, Comfortel, Depot, Heiniger, Shortcuts, Gamma+, Expo4Barbers, ZIB, American Barber and DP Exo Grow.
For the pinnacle title of ANZ Modern Barber of the Year, Alberto Congiu of By France, Benjamin Cucanic of Opulence Barbershop, Clint Wallace of Barber by Design, Dylan Marks of Boy Barbershop, Jordan Donegan of Studio X, Kalib Monaei of The Loft Barbershop, Keanu Potatau of Loles Barbershop, Matt Clarke of Esq. Male Grooming and Ryan Poole also of Esq. Male Grooming are all in the running. Aidan’s Cuts Barber Shop, Boy Barbershopm Empire Barbershop and The Studio-X are in contention for ANZ Modern Barber Business of the Year.
Congratulations and good luck to the finalists, listed below.
Style Product of the year
Sponsored by mocha barber magazine
Boost Powder by American Crew
Brilliance Texture Booster by Barber by Design
Clay by Justice Haircare
Big Son Matte Clay by Crispy Club
REF Rough Paste by Smiths Collective Brands
Best ANZ Barber Collection – Junior
Sponsored by Hairco – JRL/Reuzel
Aiden Butler, Barber by Design
Blair Martin, Stanford Barbers
Duncan Black, Harrison and Co Barbers
Hunter Leauga, Luigi and Sons Barbershop
Jamie Cameron, The Concept Salon and Spa
Jordan Tran, The Loft Barbershop
Kobe Saxby, HMB Barbers
Ray Lewis, Common Barbershop
Samuel Reid, Have Heart Barbershop
Tyler Bull, HMB Barbers
Best ANZ Barbershop Team member of the Year
Sponsored by Dp EXO GROW
Ace Filippa, Boy Barbershop
Keegan Walklin, Kings Domain Barber Shop
Best ANZ Business Director/Owner of the Year
Sponsored by Shortcuts
Amleto Mariani, Another Man Barber & Shop
Braithan Ward, Tommy Two Blades Barbershop
Damian Lai, Empire Barbershop
Robby Lippett, Attaboy
Suzi O’Brien, The Studio X
Best ANZ Barber Collection – Classic
Sponsored by Dateline Imports
Christian Fritze, 2340 Barbershop
Clint Wallace, Barber by Design
Eduardo Canlas, HMB barbers
Gianni Sollazzo, Esq. Male Grooming
Jake Hart, Have Heart Barbershop
Jarrod Prosper, Broken Hearts Barbershop
Jason Weeks, Calibre Workshop
Best ANZ Barber Collection – Freestyle
Sponsored by Gamma+
Braden Ligertwood, Boy Barbershop
Brayden White, Esq. Male Grooming
Jordan Donegan, Studio X
Kalib Monaei, The Loft Barbershop
Kendall Layt, Harrison & Co Barbers
Panuka Sroykham, Anotherman Barber & Shop
Phelipe Kenji Mizoguti, HMB Barbers
Rebecca Steindl, Barber by Design
Ryder Williams, HMB Barbers
Sione Helu, The Loft Barbershop
Trae Tane, HMB Barbers
Best ANZ Customer Care
Sponsored by Heiniger
Platform1 Barbershop
The Studio-X
Best ANZ Barbershop Design
Sponsored by Comfortel
Common Barbershop
The Hair Academy Australia
Best ANZ Barber Educator of the Year – Individual
Sponsored by ZIB
Damian Lai
Damien Clark
Best ANZ Barber Educator of the Year – Organisation
Sponsored by Depot
School Of Barbers
The Barber Academy x 4 Barbers
Best ANZ Team Collection
Sponsored by American Crew
Boy Barbershop
Common Barbershop
Hearts & Minds
HMB Barbers – Brisbane
Luigi and Sons Barbershop
BTS Crew
Sponsored by mocha barber magazine
Photographer: Treh Gibbs. Stylist: Aniqua Toquero. MUA: Victoria Payne.
For Blair Martin – Junior Collection
Photographer: Dylan Marks. Stylist: Brook Phillips and Greg Roe
For Boy Barbershop, Team Collection
Photographer: Mat Fisher. MUA: Chloe Furguson
For Brayden White, Freestyle Collection
Photographer: Adam Head. Stylist: Clint Wallace. MUA: Jo Cutter
For Clint Wallace, Modern Barber Collection
Photographer: Adam Head. Stylist: Clint Wallace. MUA: Jo Cutter
For Clint Wallace, Classic Collection
Photographer: Sam Kaspers. Stylist: Jessica Cameron. MUA: Holly Davis
For Jamie Cameron, Junior Collection
Photographer: Ben Blyth. Stylist: Daniya Sammour. MUA: Sophie Harris
For Jordan Donegan, Modern Barber Collection
Photographer: Lincon Deane. Stylist/MUA: Kalib Monaei
For Kalib Monaei, Freestyle Collection
Photographer: Lincon Deane. Stylist/MUA: Kalib Monaei
For Kalib Monaei, Modern Barber Collection
Photographer: Theresa Hall. Stylist: Kendall Layt. MUA: Sellma Watson
For Kendall Layt, Freestyle Collection
Photographer: Adam Head. Stylist: Clint Wallace. MUA: Jo Cutter
For Rebecca Steindl, Freestyle Collection
Photographer: Theresa Hall. Stylist: Ysha Giorno. MUA: Sarah Smith
For Ryan Poole, Modern Barber Collection
International Modern Barber of the Year
Sponsored by EXPO4BARBERS
Barber.Josh.O.P, UK
Florian Zizkovsky, Austria
Rino Riccio, UK
Sina Cuts, UK
ANZ Modern Barber Business of the Year
Sponsored by American Barber
Aidan’s Cuts Barber Shop
Boy Barbershop
Empire Barbershop
The Studio-X
ANZ Modern Barber of the Year
Sponsored by mocha group
Alberto Congiu, By France
Benjamin Cucanic, Opulence Barbershop
Clint Wallace, Barber by Design
Dylan Marks, Boy Barbershop
Jordan Donegan, Studio X
Kalib Monaei, The Loft Barbershop
Keanu Potatau, Loles Barbershop
Matt Clarke, Esq. Male Grooming
Ryan Poole, Esq. Male Grooming
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