56th Fiscal Year Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition

Aderans Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Representative Director and President: Hiromasa Suzuki), promoting the wellness business of hair, beauty, health, and medical care on a global scale, hosted the "56th Fiscal Year Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition" at the Zenriren Building (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. The event aims to further enhance our technical expertise to embody the company's management philosophy.

The Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition is our traditional event which started in 1980; this is our 30th time to host the competition. In the Free Style Category (Men's and Ladies divisions) of the event, contestants demonstrated their skills in production instruction as well as cutting, blow-drying, and styling of a custom-made wig. The event also included the Hair System Advice Category, which focused on contestants' product knowledge and customer service skills in semi-permanent wigs "hair systems," and the New Stylist Category for young stylists with up to three years of experience. Winners were selected among employees working at Aderans salons, Ladies Aderans salons, the Domestic Business Group, and other departments across Japan with a qualification as barber or hairdresser (818 employees as of January 31, 2025). 

The Role Play Division and the Styling Division started in 2017 to offer Fontaine sales representatives with an opportunity to showcase their customer service skills (Role Play Division) as well as cutting, styling, and other technical skills for ready-made wigs (Styling Division). This year marks the eighth event, where a winner was selected in each division among sales representatives working at Fontaine in department stores, directly operated shops, and general merchandise stores (GMS), and those working at Hi-Net shops across Japan (599 employees as of January 31, 2025).

The winner of each category/division was decided through judges' votes. Kotoha Saso from Ladies' Aderans Nagoya (Nagoya City, Aichi) became a winner for the second consecutive year, in the Free Style Category (Ladies) this year and the New Stylist Category last year. It is also worth noting that four out of the six winners are from the Chukyo Sales Department.





■    Overview of the 56th Fiscal Year Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition

< Aderans >

< Fontaine >

■    Free Style Category
In the Free Style Category, contestants have an hour to cut and style their wigs, which have been prepared based on their instructions and set on cut wigs (mannequins). They freely create their own styles according to the themes they chose in advance, with different hair lengths, volumes, and color combinations. This year, all the contestants were required to use hair systems instead of conventional removable wigs. In the Ladies Division, we used not only Eve Premier but also our new product Eve Premier Plus, which became available last September. Considering the new product's unique ability to give volume, knowing its unique features and how to handle it was an additional contributor to winning besides technical skills.

< Selection process >
A total of 16 contestants participated, including nine in the Men's Division and seven in the Ladies Division. Each judge selected the best work for Men's and Ladies divisions, and cast one vote for each division to decide the winners on site. 

・ Men's Division Winner
Masato Kurihashi (Aderans Numazu)

[Theme]
"irodori - creation"

[Comment from the winner]
Being a four-time contestant, I was determined to win this year or make it my last competition. I'm truly delighted to win after all the practice without giving up. Every day at the salon, I also do my best to address customers' requests on wigs, never to say, "We can't do it." I will keep polishing my skills to meet all customer needs, 100%.

[Comment about the work]
The theme is "creation" because I wanted to make the hairstyle just as I had envisioned. I created the shape by brushing the wig hair against its original flow. I also chose colors that would add a three-dimensional feel through brushing. This flow hairstyle has a lot of lines, which came out successfully thanks to the coloring in the wig-making process that went just as I had expected.



・Ladies Division Winner
Kotoha Saso (Ladies' Aderans Nagoya)

[Theme]
"Princess of the Sea"

[Comment from the winner]
While I competed in the New Stylist Category last year, I felt a greater sense of accomplishment this year as I created the work from scratch. I never thought I could win, having little wig-making experience and using most of the techniques for the first time in the competition. It is all thanks to my senior colleagues at the salon, who were always there for me when I practiced and gave me advice. I still find men's haircuts difficult, but I would like to keep practicing to improve my skills in this area as well. 

[Comment about the work]
When I was in beauty school, I entered my work in a skills competition using warm colors; I couldn't win, and it was a bitter experience. This time, therefore, I chose cool colors with a renewed determination to win. The theme is "Princess," every woman's dream, with the message that you can be a princess once you wear the wig no matter how old you are. I evenly added highlights to make the wig colors adaptable and easy to create different styles. The challenging part was adding height while keeping the wig roots undetectable. I aimed to create a dynamic princess while showing her delicate side with the net-like lace in front.


■    Hair System Advice Category
A hair system is a type of wig, enabling the user to leave it on and enjoy everyday life for three to four weeks^* without the need to put it on and off. In the Hair System Advice Category, judges review the pre-recorded video of each contestant recommending a hair system to a customer, with a focus on such items as accurate responses, conversation skills, and manners.
　^{* It may vary for each individual.}

< Selection process >
Eight contestants participated. The judges reviewed the pre-recorded videos submitted by the contestants (10 minutes), made decisions online beforehand, and announced the winner during the event.

・Advice Category Winner
Junko Watanabe (Aderans Shizuoka)

[Comment from the winner]
I'm filled with gratitude to my colleagues at the sales department and the salon, who gave me tremendous support and advice. Their help has made this possible. I used my original presentation material to help the customer understand the benefits and attractive features of hair systems more effectively. Leveraging this win and the whole experience, I would like to further polish my service and technical skills to put smiles on customers' faces.

■    New Stylist Category
In the New Stylist Category, contestants demonstrate skills to attach and style a wig according to an assigned style. This category restarted in 2003 to enhance young employees' skills and motivation. Each contestant has 30 minutes to attach a pre-cut/curled wig to a mannequin and recreate the assigned style. Judges select the winner based on the contestants' efficiency and thoroughness during the competition, in addition to consistency with the assigned style. 

< Selection process >
Young stylists with up to three years of experience were invited to participate. Five employees, who had been determined to have sufficient skills, participated in this category and recreated an assigned style in a photo. Each judge cast one vote for the work that looked closest to the assigned style to decide the winner on site.

・ New Stylist Category Winner
Hinako Fujiwara (Aderans Ikebukuro)

[Comment from the winner]
Since being selected, I practiced whenever I had spare time at work. When I couldn't practice, I would closely look at the model's image. My senior colleagues at the salon also taught me everything, from how to brush hair to how to attach a wig. I also asked for their advice after practicing. Their truly generous and detailed guidance, with patience, made this happen. I will keep improving my skills, leveraging this experience, to be able to accommodate customers' needs and requests.



■    Role Play Division
In the Role Play Division, each contestant has 10 minutes to demonstrate their service skills from when a customer enters the shop till when she tries on a wig. Each judge casts one vote based on five items: hospitality, communication skills, product knowledge, whether they would like to be served, and the ability to bring out the customer's charm. The contestant with the largest number of votes becomes the winner.

< Selection process >
Nine contestants participated. This year, each contestant recorded their role play using the same scenario of "serving a referred female customer in her 60s." The judges reviewed the videos submitted by the contestants, made decisions online beforehand, and announced the winner during the event.

・  Role Play Division Winner
Rumi Ikeda (René of Paris by Fontaine Aeon Mall Tokoname)

[Comment from the winner]
I had never thought I could win, so I was truly amazed when finding out the result. Since I always tell myself to listen hard to the customer, listening was what I focused on also at the competition. During the role play, I was so nervous that my mind sometimes went blank. But I managed to serve the customer as usual thanks to the support and advice of people around me. I will keep working to make the shop welcoming and to improve my skills for customer satisfaction.

■    Styling Division
In the Styling Division, each contestant cuts and styles a wig in an hour according to their own theme. This year, we used the item number VM53 of VALAN^®, the main brand of Fontaine for over 40 years. 

< Selection process >
Nine contestants participated. All of them used the same product, and each judge cast one vote based on the quality of the styles and the expression of the themes to select the winner on site.

・    Styling Division Winner
Yuko Shimada (Tenmaya Kurashiki Fontaine Corner)

[Theme]
"Add Glamour to Yourself"

[Comment from the winner]
This year, my goal was to create a wig that would make you look and feel brighter and more gorgeous than usual. To be honest, I didn't have much time to practice. It was therefore difficult during the competition to figure out how much time I had for cutting and styling. But I was able to win thanks to the support of the sales department and many others. I will keep working hard to offer beautiful wigs to customers. 

[Comment about the work]
I chose the hair color that would feature soft lines. The hair is cut short and sharply around the face and at the nape to emphasize the soft and airy curls at the top. The result is the gorgeous short curly hairstyle.



■    About the Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition
The Aderans All-Japan Skills Competition is our traditional event which started in 1980. This is an opportunity for our hairstylists across Japan not only to compete in their skills, styles, and creativity but also to inspire each other, thereby integrating the education and training they have received. Striving to provide the product excellence that can truly satisfy customers, we are committed to continuing our efforts to embody our management philosophy of Product Excellence, Technological and Technical Expertise, and Sincere Hospitality.  

■    About Eve Premier Plus, Our Latest Custom-Made Wig
Eve Premier Plus is a custom-made wig we launched in September 2024, available at Ladies' Aderans salons across Japan. Responding to customers' wishes to maintain light and airy hairstyles, we have developed a new ventilation technique Nemo-Fuwa Knots (Japanese Patent No. 7422908), aiming to provide airy-style wigs with hair lifted from the root. This technique has enabled users to easily create airy and voluminous styles even in thinning areas such as parting and hair whorls.


■    About Hair Systems
A hair system is a type of semi-permanent wig with the growing popularity, enabling the user to leave it on and enjoy everyday life for three to four weeks^* without the need to put it on and off. Unlike conventional removable wigs, you can shampoo and enjoy other activities as if it were your own hair. We offer a variety of hair system products, including the annual membership plan "Aderans Freedom Gentle Club" and the two-piece set "Aderans Gold."  
^{* It may vary for each individual.}

・Product website: https://www.aderans.co.jp/mens/products/ (in Japanese)

< Media Inquiries >
Group CSR and Corporate Communications Office, Aderans Co., Ltd.

TEL: +81-3-6895-9615  
e-mail: pr@aderans.com
Aderans website: https://www.aderans.co.jp/corporate/english/