Wella Professionals Ignites a New Era of Industry Excellence at Destination 2025
From breakthrough science to global artistry, the brand charts a bold future in Malta with 1,000+ professionals from 52 countries
Wella Professionals brought the global hairdressing community together for an unforgettable three-day event at Destination 2025, uniting over 1,000 hairdressers, press, and ambassadors from 52 countries in Malta to celebrate the craft, creativity, and future of the salon industry.
Against the picturesque Mediterranean coastline as backdrop, Destination 2025 delivered a dynamic program of mainstage artistry, hands-on education, brand experiences, and bold trend reveals—all anchored in Wella Professionals’ commitment to R.I.S.E. with Wella: a global platform dedicated to advancing Relationships, Inspiration, Science, and Education.
Delegates from Wella’s RED club in the UK & Ireland joined the global gathering and were welcomed to Malta by Wella Company General Manager UK & Ireland, Max Amen, who hosted a spectacular gala dinner at Malta’s iconic La Valette Hall to officially open the event. “RED is about joining together and sharing ideas. By doing so, we will learn and move forward. This week there will be a lot of education and craft from different global artists; it will be an extraordinary opportunity for us all to gain knowledge and grow,” he said.
A sunset drinks reception and gala dinner was followed by an outstanding hair show by HOB Academy. The show was headed up by HOB International Creative Director, Akin Konizi, alongside Nestor Sanchez and Elijah Hourrides, who collectively delivered the perfect balance of trendsetting colour and superb cutting techniques, wrapped up with business advice and insights from HOB Salons CEO, Natasha Grossman.
The main Destination event was hosted by Patrick Cameron, who introduced Hugo Kunetz, Chief Revenue Officer; Yannis Rodocanachi, President of Brands & Chief Marketing Officer; and Marlene Lotter, Senior Vice President Global Professional Hair Brands, to formally welcome the 1000 strong audience. Together, they reaffirmed Wella’s commitment to supporting the professional community and thanked the audience for their vote of confidence in making Wella Professionals the #1 professional color brand in the world.*
“When the professional thrives, our industry rises, and that’s the purpose behind everything we do at Wella Professionals,” said Hugo Kunetz.
Throughout the event, guests were treated to immersive education sessions, brand booth explorations, and the unveiling of Wella Professionals’ new global campaign, “Make It You”—celebrating hair as identity and empowering professionals to create transformation through personal expression.
One of the weekend’s highlights was the Trend Reveal Show, where Wella’s top artists debuted Surreal Color, the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2025 trend inspired by artificial intelligence and the tension between reality and fantasy. Global Ambassadors, including Renya Xydis, Yuya Nara, Romeu Felipe, and James Earnshaw, showcased cutting-edge color and care transformations using Koleston Perfect, Ultimate Repair, and more.
Sebastian Professional, the iconic cult haircare and styling line took to the stage, delivering session styling at its finest. Sebastian’s Global ambassadors, Anthony Cole and Shay Dempsey, were joined by Creative Director Pedro Saldana and Sebastian Ambassadors Angelo Vallillo and Bekki Delehedy, who wowed delegates with their super creative styling skills.
As well as being engrossed in the very latest haircare trends, techniques and launches, there was time for UK & Ireland delegates embark on a burst of mind-blowing business inspiration in a session with AI futurist, Richard van Hooijdonk. This was balanced with time to network and enjoy the stunning surroundings in Malta. Highlights included an incredible vineyard tour and wine tasting, as well as a day sailing on a beautiful boat around the Mediterranean Sea.
The event honored the winners of the International TrendVision Awards from 2023 and 2024 and culminated with the Make it You show, named after the new campaign, featuring amazing hair creations from Global Ambassadors Nikki Lee, Romeu Felipe, and James Earnshaw.
Spotlighting some of the best creative talent from around the globe, Destination 2025 proved that when professionals come together, they don’t just grow—they rise.
