Hairstylists and colourists gathered at Wella Studio Toronto on April 19, 2026, for an exclusive and intimate look-and-learn and hands-on seminar hosted by award-winning hairstylist and educator Vivienne Mackinder.
The day of transformation and inspiration kicked off with a warm welcome from Wella Studio Toronto’s studio manager, Fay Linksman.
“This is Vivienne’s first class back in person since the pandemic,” says Linksman. “She has been very busy online and coaching individually. We’re very grateful to have her here today.”
Mackinder started the seminar by opening up about her career and experience in the industry, which led her to develop her own education curriculum. “I started to notice things that I never noticed before,” she says. “That’s when I realized that hairdressers are facing a silent crisis, and it has nothing to do with talent. My epiphany was that hairdressing is 80 per cent psychology and 20 per cent mechanics. Our industry focuses on the mechanics. If you want to pivot, shift and grow, it lives in that 80 per cent. Once you’ve got that sorted, the mechanics can be learned.”
The day featured a range of three looks on two models, with the first being a transformation on a client rooted in the realities of the day-to-day work of many stylists. Mackinder shared a video of the consultation she conducted on her first model, whose look went from long and undefined to short, structured and full of volume, and shared key points to consider during a consultation, including body shape, height, lifestyle, hair type and texture, personality, fashion and style, along with a client’s at-home hairstyling abilities.
For her second model, Mackinder showcased two different looks for long-haired clients, the first being a sewed-in, loose, ponytail-like style that aimed to get long hair off a client’s face while having fun with their styling. The second look created the illusion of short hair with a subtle and lived-in updo that featured a fishtail braid and threading the hair through with a topsy tail.
Mackinder also highlighted The Creative Archetype Quiz, which she developed so that stylists can learn about the five hairstylist archetypes and discover which one describes them best, as well as how it can influence their creativity, income, passion and client relationships.
Following the look-and-learn presentation, attendees participated in a hands-on workshop that broke down a new approach to haircut mapping and design while offering tools to help combine commercial success with artistry and a creative yet versatile colour technique.
Among the attendees were Jerica Wentzell, a Wella Design Team artist, owner of Gingersnap Salon in Sudbury, Ont., and the Contessa 2026 Ontario Hairstylist of the Year, and Vicky Tadros, a field educator for Wella based in Kitchener, Ont.
Stay tuned for more from Mackinder on how to elevate your colour consultations.
Browse our gallery of photos from the event.
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