The making of the South Island’s top hairdresser: Sarah McGuigan
What does it take to become the South Island’s top hairdresser? Metropol editor Nina Tucker asks Sarah McGuigan, who was recently crowned with the title at the Australian and New Zealand hair industry’s biggest celebration of creativity and excellence, the 2025 AHIA Creative Awards.
Sarah McGuigan’s day will always begin at 5am. That small window she spends at the gym each morning keeps her grounded, balanced and focused. “It’s the only time of the day that’s mine,” she says. From there it’s a mixture of long hours at the salon and limited spare time, “like being on a hamster wheel that just keeps going”.
Becoming the top hairdresser in the South Island hasn’t been a dissimilar grind. “One big misconception is that hairdressing work is ‘easy’ or superficial,” Sarah says. “In fact, a great stylist is part artist, part therapist, and part scientist. It’s a skill that can be often overlooked and undervalued in the workforce.”
Sarah understood hard work from her pre-teens – her parents owned a bakery and while she loved the customer interaction, she was admittedly “a bit bored” and so sought opportunity at a hair salon a few shops over. “I took it upon myself to go down to the salon and introduce myself. From there I started volunteering my time to the lady who owned it.” Following an after-school paid position, an apprenticeship at 15 years old, and a qualification by 18, Sarah had firmed her spot in the local hairdressing scene before most of us had left high school. She had her eyes on more than just one chair – a salon by age 22. “I started Savvy Hair with just me and two chairs, and over the last sixteen years it has grown into a salon of twelve chairs and a team of ten.”
As Sarah stood on the stage in a glittering red dress she’d purchased just hours before and read out her acceptance speech, it culminated a lifetime of dedication. “That moment was pretty surreal for me,” she recalls. In her seat she waited – awash with nerves yet at peace knowing she was proud no matter what. “You don’t know until your name is called if you won or not.” The visit to Sydney was fleeting, with husband Rory, salon manager Chrystal and stylist Lani in tow. “The deal was if they could help assist me on the day of my photoshoot and I got into the finals I’d take them with me,” Sarah laughs. “Well the girls I mean; Rory didn’t help.” She smiles softly. “But he’s supported me so much to do this type of work outside of my day-to-day salon life. It takes a lot of time away from family to bring it all together.”
“Bringing this collection to life was more about the challenge to myself to step out of my comfort zone and push myself creatively. Getting the win on top of that was an absolute highlight for my career, to say I did it and people liked it.”
With a growing track record – Sarah and three of her stylists have just received sixteen finalist nominations for the New Zealand Hair Awards in November – comes growing expectation. The perks? A discerning, loyal clientele and the ability to transform people’s self-confidence, but the pressure lingers on Sarah’s shoulders in the form of imposter syndrome. “I’m working on how to stop these feelings creeping in.” And when it becomes a little too much to bear? That’s nothing a “vino and good times” with friends can’t fix.
We get to talking about misconceptions – something of which the hair and beauty industry is full of. “People sometimes see hairdressing as just a routine service rather than an artistic and deeply personal craft.”
Hair is a form of creative expression and art – one that we agree doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Sarah’s salon’s tagline, ‘hair for good’, symbolises both sustainable practices and a commitment to making clients feel beautiful. “In reality, hair can tell a story, shift someone’s confidence, reflect culture, identity, healing. It’s very powerful.” So, if you see someone with a spring in their step, look closer at their locks. That energy might just be the result of Sarah’s hairdressing hand.
Your advice to those budding hairdressers inspired by you?
“Fall in love with the process: the cutting, the colouring, the consultations, but also the mistakes, the lessons and hard clients. Every part of it builds you. Never stop learning. Trends change, techniques evolve, and every head of hair is different. The moment you think you know it all is the moment you stop growing. Treat every client like a canvas but also like a person. Truly listen to what they want, how they feel, and who they are. That’s where the real transformation happens.”
How do you submit a collection to the awards?
“The process was big – definitely the hardest I’ve ever done. Submit a collection of six images that tell a story, with cohesiveness throughout the collection. You have quite a lot of written work to do, describing your process, how you did each style and the colour techniques.
You then upload it and send it away, and wait to hear if you have made it into the finals.”
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS
- Your favourite hair trend right now? Soft muted coppers, natural texture, and jawline jobs.
- Your biggest role model? My mum.
- Your secret passion? I love cooking and cooking for others, and I’m passionate about helping people so what fills my cup is doing things to help others that need it.
- The most underrated hair tool? A good quality hairdryer, never underestimate a great quality hairdryer! We use and sell Kaleo styling tools and our clients love them.
- The most requested celebrity hairstyle? Bouncy blow waves and boxed bobs.
- Your guilty pleasure after a long or stressful day? A gin and tonic or buttery Chardonnay.
