Candice McKay is a name to remember.. you’re going to be seeing it a lot! At Tribu-te, we’ve long admired this wonderfully gifted hairdresser who we’ve seen often on the most important international stages (Tribu-te Show in Paris, World Wide Hair Tour with Davines among many). We feel her style to be synonymous with tasteful, sensitive hairdressing. From collections to education, shows and presentations, Candice has a signature style which is creative yet relatable. Like many admirers, we have enjoyed her glorious collections released in the past few years. So often the looks are ‘timeless’ – as relevant now as they were years ago.
An image from a 2016 collection: POW
Candice excels in delivering eye-catching looks that are clever but not ‘tricksy’. Impactful, beautiful and inspiring all at once.
The Intrinsic collection: 2022
Now we discover she has left her longtime home in South Africa to make Europe her home. Hurrah for us! You’ll be seeing her a lot more in the hair media and at events. She’s someone to follow so we say, it’s time to take a closer look at what makes her so special as a freelance hairdressing educator and artist.
Who is Candice McKay?
Candice McKay: multi-talented educator
An art director, educator and trend forecaster, Candice was raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, but today makes her home in Europe. Flying solo, she has let go of her salon responsibilities – having been super-successful as a salon owner and businesswoman, she relishes being free to follow her passion for photography and education, in equal measure. A love of fashion and art is vital – a sensitive eye and thoughtful delivery make her an ideal teacher – inspiring not threatening, encouraging her students to find the best within them.
Awards and accolades
Scooping a title at the IHA 2022 awards
A trophy haul of 15 major titles includes the AIPP and International Hair Awards titles for Best Commercial Collection in 2022. Her signature style is reflective, poised and beautiful and her imagery is appealing to both client and professional hairdresser.
For the past 10 years, Candice has proved a passion for creating commercial collections which impress in technical competence while capturing a mood of the moment. Demonstrating versatility and expertise, Candice understands ‘the brief’! Whether working on an advertising campaign, an artistic collection or a film shoot, she can deftly identify what the end result needs to communicate.
Candice on stage
Education
Tailor-made education crafted to inspire and grow hairdresser is the proposition Candice makes. She is an internationally-recognized educator in creative cutting and colouring. We can attest to having enjoyed truly enchanting presentations that confirm she can both talk the talk and walk the walk! Her recent contributions include co-creating the Davines Talent Greenhouse, a mentoring program designed to cultivate creativity. Imaginative and dynamic, the experience of this programme was invaluable to the attendees. You can tap into this, too.
What do you need?
On her website, discover the options that could work for you. Browse HERE to find out more. A range of courses starting with one-day, in-salon education is there to help you roadmap your journey. Opt to engage in a conversation and see what’s possible… click HERE
Candice empowers hairdressers helping you to enhance your skills, teaching trend prediction, and serving as an art director and mentor for collections. We find Candice to be a humble and passionate individual. She’s remarkable as a thoroughly modern incarnation of how you can remind your team, your clients, your brands what true hairdressing skill means. She has international recognition and possess a deep commitment to excellence, with a genuine love for the craft.
Sonder collection: 2023
Here’s a taster from Candice’s extensive portfolio. If you like what you see… browse her gallery for more HERE
Sonder: Drawing inspiration from various cultural trends and philosophies, including the nostalgia of the 90s, the styling is a luxurious and sophisticated take on rave culture, with minimalist silhouettes, transparent man-made materials paired with organic fabrics like silk, satin, and linen. Hair accentuates the natural textures and movement.
Credit due: Hair: Candice McKay using Davines • Assisted by Yvonne Flick Barbanti and Katia Prou • Photography: Jack Eames • Produced by Clare Frith • MUA: Maddie Austin
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Here online you may browse our Creative section to find inspiration from the greatest hair artists… read our Home page to discover the top events and what we like about them, then visit our Magazine section to read the latest edition (and archive editions) of Tribu-te publications. If you’d like to enjoy your very own edition of Tribu-te delivered direct to your home – vist the Shop to order a subscription to arrive quarterly. And of course, once a year, you can visit the Tribu-te Show – it’s an awesome presentation of the leading hairdressers on the best stage possible in central London each October! Contact us if you have any questions or would like to submit photography and ideas for any of our editions in Europe – we’re particulary keen to see your salons for our Design section both in print and online.