SHORT TAKES:Newport stylist receives ‘Academy Award’ of styling

Dusty Simington of Newport Beach’s Salon Gregorie’s was honored as Master Stylist of the Year at the North American Hairstyling Awards held recently at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Regarded as the “Academy Award” for styling, master stylists have to be invited to compete, and are required to submit a collection of photos based on a concept or theme that depicts their work.

Simington was nominated as master stylist last year — and lost — so he decided to try something very different creatively this year.

He said he went with a “1970’s, androgynous, Christian Dior look,” using only men as models but with hairstyles that you’d typically see on women. All the models were decked out in white duct tape and plastic dry cleaning bags.

Simington has been at Salon Gregorie’s for the last seven years, and can’t believe he’ll soon be traveling around the country on weekends making appearances as the winning stylist.

“You hear your name announced, and you just want to hear it again, because you don’t believe it,” he said.

Other winners from Salon Gregorie’s included Anthony Cress and Kimmi Le, in the Avant Garde category, Rene Antonio for Haircolor, Zoe Cohen and Toni Lynn for Texture, and Salon Team of the Year.

— Sue Thoensen