BUTTERFLY—Wearing a butterfly created with 100 percent human hair, the dress was designed, hand painted and created by Stephanie Moye.
Penn Hills hairstylist Stephanie Moye wasn’t too excited about entering the Hair Madness Show in New York City.
“One of the producers of the show, Karen Vanderburg, called me from New York and told me she really wanted me to be in the show. I didn’t want to because I’m in college and I have a full course load,” said Moye, who attends the Art Institute of Pittsburgh part-time in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree in fashion. She has made the Dean’s List on several occasions, while running her salon, Moye Hair Etc. five days a week.
But she was ecstatic when she won first place in the competition.
Vanderburg said the panel of judges—which included Spinderella from the iconic female rap group Salt-n-Peppa—looked for originality, professionalism, neatness and creativity. Moye won all four categories.
“The competition was tight. All of the salons presented good work. But Stephanie’s work stood out,” Vanderburg said.
Moye beat out five different salons from Connecticut, The Bronx and Brooklyn to take home the top honors.
“The audience was fabulous and the people I worked with showed me so much love. I was the only one in the competition from Pittsburgh and I definitely represented Pittsburgh well,” said Moye who won a four-foot trophy, 50-inch flat-screen television, tickets from Hype Hair to a fashion show in New Jersey, a full spread in Fashion Avenue news and photos in Lifestyle and Vocab Magazines.
STEPHANIE MOYE
100 PERCENT HUMAN HAIR—The model is wearing a magazine made of 100 percent human hair with a flower sculpted into hair. She is also wearing MOYE Magazine with pictures of Moye at several places from Pittsburgh to Hawaii.
“This has given me some exposure, but I think that the exposure I get is globally because my customers don’t see me in that ( fantasy hair design) avenue, but they are intrigued when they find out. My skills is what increases my exposure.”
Moye worked as a pediatric nurse for 14 years before leaving to pursue her lifelong dream of being a hairstylist. She has worked as a beautician for 18 years and has owned Moye Hair Etc. for 11 years.
“I’m very compassionate and that’s why I got into nursing and I like helping people, but I wanted to do hair because I always had my hands in it. I liked the fashion industry and the beauty industry,” Moye said.
She specializes in hair loss and restoration, weaves, fusion and extensions.
“I always educate myself in the latest trends and techniques,” Moye said. “I think women are more conscious about healthy hair. In the future new chemical straighteners will be on the market. It’s a joy to be a part of the solution. I speak to clients confidentially and we work together to come up with a solution. It doesn’t happen overnight, they work on their hair at home and I work on it when they come here. I give them information to get them from unhealthy hair to healthy hair.”
Moye and several other hair stylists and shop owners collaborate with the Empire Beauty School as a part of its advisory board. The board advises the school on what can be done to help the industry go forward.
“We help the stylists be more prepared before they go into the job market and we teach them what they can expect. Stylists need to be diversified in every way like being able to work with other races and textures of hair and be versatile and be able to do more things,” she said.
In the meantime, she is preparing to attend several other hair shows in The Big Apple this summer.
Vanderburg said she plans on asking Moye to serve as a judge for the third annual Hair Madness show, which will take place in April 2014 in New York.
“Stephanie is a great team player and we’re looking to expand the brand because there are not that many fantasy hair competitions in the North, it mainly takes place in the South,” Vanderburg said “With Hair Madness, people get to see the other side of the everyday of hair styling.”
Moye says she has competed in 10-12 hair shows throughout the years.
“I’m focusing on college right now, but I have been invited to a couple of events. I’ll participate in one and the other I will be a guest,” Moye said.
Moye Hair Etc, which is located at 11125 Frankstown Rd., is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.. Moye Hair Etc. is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
For more information, call 412-243-5600 or like the business on Facebook at MoyeHair Etc.
AND THE WINNER IS?—Stephanie Moye receives her big trophy after winning the Fantasy Hair show competition in New York City. Some of the people on stage with her, not in order, Ciara Smith, Karen Vanderburg, the emcee and models.
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