MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – Well-known local hairdresser Connie de Sousa has done it again! This time Connie is going to Germany as one of three national winners of the Goldwell South Africa Elumen Award Programme.

The national prizes will be awarded on August 10 and 11 in Johannesburg, while the international prizes include a trip to Berlin, Germany on October 10.

At first Connie couldn’t believe that she was a national winner and she asked the Goldwell official to spell her name to make sure that she really was the prizewinner.

“You never know what the judges are looking for. This time I went for natural colours and the photo was chosen. I always encourage my hairdressers to enter for competitions, because you never know when the look you created is the one the judges want,” Connie said.

For the national prize function, Connie takes her model, Michelle Olivier, with. Michelle’s hair will be prepared by Connie in the Goldwell Studio to recreate the look of the entry photo. Connie will be interviewed by Jassy from SA Hairdreser’s Journal and SABC2 is covering the procedures. Winners and models will stay over in the Palazzo Intercontinental Hotel, Montecasino. The renowned advertising photographer, Michael Knight, will capture the winning styles which will be sent to Europe for publishing in the international Elumen campaign. Part of the national prize is a double-page spread personality profile and publication of Connie’s work in the SA Hairdresser’s Journal.

The trip to Berlin is for the three winners, Hanneke, from Windhoek, Connie from Louis Trichardt and Jacques from Randburg. They will attend the Elumen Winners Party in Berlin and their pictures will be published in the international Elumen Award Book for 2004. Thirty four countries will be represented in Berlin.

Connie heard the wonderful news on July 22, two days after she won an Intercoiffure Magazine competition for blonde models in Sandton on July 20 with model Cornelia Bezuidenhout.