Outside, it was an ordinary August weekend in Minneapolis — farmers’ markets, hangover-fueled coffee runs, patio brunches — but inside the city’s convention center, something else entirely was brewing. Aveda Congress, the brand’s highly anticipated hair show extravaganza, had taken over, drawing thousands of stylists from across the globe (and a smattering of journalists like myself, less fluent in the technicalities but no less eager to drink it all in).

For four days, Aveda’s hometown became a stage for it all: cut-and-color demos, theatrical performances, catwalk struts, and pep talks that went beyond technique into business, career and personal growth. Attendees treated the event like a holiday, vying for the best auditorium seats, lining up for limited-edition 2025 merch, and whispering to colleagues with the kind of giddy energy once reserved for sleepovers.

And the theatrics more than delivered. My camera roll is now a blur of moments that might confuse, but certainly delight, the average person: Luxury-fashion-house darling and self-described “hair obsessive” Charlie Le Mindu shaving a willing participant’s head to Disney’s “Be Our Guest;” celebrity stylist Jawara Wauchope sending textured styles to gravity-defying heights; and Ivorian artist Laetitia Ky sculpting hair into lyrical, story-driven art were just a few of the highlights.

At the heart of this year’s Congress was the theme of abundance, which I found myself underlining in my notebook every time it was repeated on stage. It wasn’t a tagline, but a directive — visible in the towering hair shapes, the roaring ovations and the unapologetic scale of it all. And it didn’t stop at the visuals: Abundance carried through to the words from the stage, with pros urging stylists to know their worth, set bold intentions, and lean into growth at every level.

Ahead, four of the weekend’s voices expand on that theme, offering their perspective on the business of beauty and the artistry behind it.

Have a Vision

Wauchope — who has worked with Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Doechii on some of their most iconic shoots — spoke about the importance of mindset, just before sending models down the runway with hair styled like literal works of art. “I truly believe in the power of the law of attraction,” he told Fashionista. “From the very beginning, I created vision boards and set intentions for the kind of career and life I wanted to build. I held on to those images and those dreams, and I never stopped working toward them until they became reality.

For me, it’s about more than just hard work; it’s about staying positive, keeping faith, and believing that the opportunities meant for you will find you,” he continued. “I think every stylist can benefit from that mindset: Dream big, stay optimistic and trust that what you put out into the universe will come back to you in abundance.”

Know Your Worth

Van Michael — Aveda guest artist, owner of Van Michael Salons and all-around hype man — challenged every hairstylist in the room to raise their prices “by $10 by October,” (which, yes, earned a raucous round of applause). The precision of that figure stood out, so I followed up with him later. “Hairstylists have been undercharging for years,” he told me in conversation post-show. “If everyone charges more and raises the minimum, the very best ones can charge even more. This is mostly a question of supply and demand. If a hairdresser is fully booked, they should raise their prices immediately.”

Give Back

Zac Fennell — hairstylist and founder of The Hair Project — brought the audience to tears, pairing inspiration with a biting reminder of responsibility. His nonprofit partners with local groups in India and beyond to teach hairdressing skills to survivors of trafficking, poverty and exploitation, offering them not just a trade, but a renewed sense of identity and possibility.

“Fashion and beauty are often seen as superficial, but building The Hair Project has shown me how powerful these industries can be when used with intention,” he said. “Beauty isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about identity, confidence, and dignity.”

For Fennell, the takeaway is that fashion and beauty carry a responsibility to give back. “When you uplift someone’s appearance, you often uplift their voice, their opportunities, and even how the world treats them. That’s what The Hair Project has taught me — beauty can be life-changing when it’s inclusive, thoughtful, and rooted in service.”

Be Fearless

Elevate Hair was one of the weekend’s most anticipated performances — the collective is known for surprising audiences in the most unexpected and unforgettable ways. True to form, their set opened with hairstylist, DJ, and Elevate founder Tatum Neill flipping through TV channels until an ominous message appeared: “The aliens are coming.” What followed was a high-octane takeover of flashing lights, sculptural hair and glittering textures. Human “Material Girls” morphed into extraterrestrial beings, only to be outshone by a towering green Alien Queen on stilts who ruled the stage like a futuristic monarch. The finale was a full-on dance party — one I filmed and promptly sent to my mother-in-law with the text, “Guess where I am?” (Her response: “Dance club?”)

As a beauty editor who feels most at home in the order of skin-care ingredient lists and step-by-step how-tos, I was thrown — in the best way. I asked Neill how he channels that kind of fearlessness into everyday work. His answer was disarmingly simple: “I think at the end of the day it’s just hair. No one knows what to expect from your presentation so the only expectation is in your own mind. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath, walk on stage, and do you.” Though Elevate’s interpretive performance may have gone right over my head — English degree and all — the takeaway was clear: what matters most, at Congress and beyond, is the courage to create without fear.

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