Canberra’s very own Adam Ciaccia of Axis Hairdressing in the City has made it into the top three finalists for the Australian Hairdressing Fashion Awards (AHFA) NSW/ACT Hairdresser of the Year Award for 2012.

Adam, the nephew of Axis owner and mentor Gianni Ciaccia has come a long way since his days as being a ‘helper’ at the salon. “I started at Axis back in 1998 where I would answer the phones, run errands, that sort of thing” said Ciaccia.

“I was studying Book Keeping at CIT at the time and decided to abandon that path and become a hairdresser.”

“Honestly, I originally got into hairdressing when I was younger because I liked chatting to the ladies. But as I started up my apprenticeship in 1999 at Axis Hair, I really grew to love the profession.”

Adam’s career reached a turning point when, in 2006 he was encouraged to enter Goldwell’s Cut and Style Awards. From 2006 – 2008 he was a national finalist in the competition.

These days, Adam does around 65 cuts per week and thoroughly agrees with what his uncle Gianni has always said; “a hairdresser’s ability is best judged by the size of their clientele”.

Adam’s career has been about hard work and dedication. “There would be nights during my apprenticeship days when my friends would all be going out and I would stay in my garage cutting manikins. I needed to be dedicated and practice as much as I could, because it didn’t come very easy at first.”

In 2009, he married his wife Michelle and they had their first child in 2010, Ada. Family is extremely important to Ciaccia which is quite evident in the fact that Axis is a family business.

“I have been working with my wife Michelle for about seven years, she is a very talented colourist and an amazing mother. Her expertise can be seen in all my work.”

When we ask him about his awards and the competitions he has been in he is modest as to his motives, and again credits his family as his inspiration. “I’ve always been a client focused hairdresser. If it wasn’t for my uncle Gianni, wife Michelle and my sister Nicole who is our full time administrator and part-time fashion guru at the salon, I probably wouldn’t enter the competitions. They encourage me to enter them and they believe in me.”

Photography by Jez Rozdarz – The Mark Agency.