Salon Pure Lands Contessa 38 Finalist Spot for Canadian Salon Team

Salon Pure of Montreal is a finalist in the Canadian Salon Team category at the Contessa 38 awards, with an entry built by a nine-person creative team led by hairstylists Anna Pacitto, Daniel Benoit and Cynthia Vieilledent.

The Contessas (Canada's national hairdressing awards, organized by Salon magazine) recognise team achievement in this category as a group submission. Salon Pure's entry pairs three hairstylists with a supporting crew spanning makeup, wardrobe and design.

Who made the entry?

The full credit list from the submission:

• Hairstylists: Anna Pacitto, Daniel Benoit and Cynthia Vieilledent
• Makeup: Ekaternia Ulyanoff, Alexandre Deslauriers and Nathan Archambo
• Wardrobe: Florence O. Durand
• Design: Maria Arciero
• Assistance: Maria Destito Pacitto
• Photography: John Rawson

What does a team finalist entry involve?

The credit structure shows the mechanics of a competitive salon-team entry. Three hairstylists share the lead, but the submission draws on three makeup artists, a wardrobe stylist and a designer.

That ratio matters for salons weighing a Contessa bid. A credible team entry is not three stylists and a camera; it demands roughly triple the hair talent in support roles. Salons budgeting a future submission should read that staffing line as the real cost driver.

Photography sits with John Rawson, a single credited shooter across the five-entry image set. Consolidating the shoot under one photographer keeps the visual language consistent across the collection, which judges see as one body of work.

Why Montreal salons should watch this one

Salon Pure competes in the Canadian Salon Team (Équipe Salon de l'année) category, meaning the entry represents the salon as an institution rather than individual stylists. A win here credits the business, not just named artists.

For a working salon, that distinction shapes how a victory gets used: team-category honours support recruiting pitches, in-salon education positioning and brand marketing rather than an individual's chair-side reputation.

The finalist collection comprises five photographed looks, shot by Rawson and styled with wardrobe by Durand. Watch for the Contessa 38 winners' announcement to see whether Salon Pure converts the finalist nod into the team title.