A HAIRDRESSER from Taunton has reached the finals of a national competition.

National competition, the It List, recognises the most exciting emerging talents aged 30 or under in British and Irish hairdressing, and the 2024 finalists have been named.

Among them is Cameron Willetts of Combers Inside-Out Hairdressing, based in Taunton, who is one of five finalists in the Salon Stylist category.

Presented by leading industry magazine Creative HEAD and exclusively sponsored by hairdressing mega-brand ghd, the It List provides a platform like no other for standout young hair professionals – the boundary-pushing creative forces and business-builders setting the barbering, session styling, freelance and salon spheres on fire.

With six coveted titles at stake, it was the role of the 2024 judges – expert names in hair, fashion, business, and media – to determine the 35 contenders.

Among them, leading salon owners Darren Fowler, Mark Woolley, and Lydia and Jack Wolfe; photographer Alex Barron-Hough; influencer Maddie Bruce; and session stylists Halley Brisker and Anna Chapman, alongside many more.

Together with a prized trophy, those named on this year’s It List will take home exclusive gifts and experiences from ghd and invaluable support and profile-boosting opportunities from Creative HEAD.

Past winners have gone on to work on Fashion Week teams across the world, secure slots on prime-time TV, present at industry events and even launch their own brands.

A place on the It List can be career-changing.

Cameron will now join fellow finalists at the Most Wanted and It List Grand Final, the industry’s hot ticket event, taking place on Monday, September 2 at Beams in London.

The Grand Final brings together an all-star guest list of more than 700 names to celebrate the crowning of the 2024 winners.

Cameron said: "I was keen to enter the category of ‘Salon Stylist’ and thrilled beyond belief , as are my fellow teammates for me, that I have been selected as a finalist.

“I see this as vindication and recognition from industry respected professionals, of my primary job and career choice.

"As Inside-Out salon stylists, we call this 'practicing the art of difference-making' where we work to delight our guests every day in our beautiful salon space in Taunton."

Amanda Nottage, editorial director, Creative HEAD, said: “It has been a record-breaking year for the It List, with more entries than any other… and the quality is staggering.

“So many of our judges talked excitedly about seeing big names of the future within those submissions, which is perfect – because that’s what drives the It List, celebrating the talent of tomorrow, from across the whole industry.

“This is the competition that awarded a young Christopher Appleton a trophy back in 2010, and he did all right.”