THESE hairstyles were way ahead of their time.

The air was thick with hairspray as budding Vidal Sassoons, Charles Worthingtons and John Freidas showcased their visions of the future at City College Southampton’s end-of-year hairdressing awards and catwalk show.

From faux mohawks to intricate braiding, towering buns to rainbow plaits, the 30 hairdressing students gave their models some out-of-this-world looks for the theme, 'fashion forward and futuristic'.

After the catwalk show, a judging panel made up of hairdressing tutors and college principal, Sarah Stannard, named Alanis Hooper as top of the crops.

Alanis styled her model with a short pixie crop, dyed red in parts and added a slight wave. Braiding completed the look. Second place went to Lauren Cross and Anna Small was named third.

Rebecca Murray, learning manager for City College’s hairdressing courses, said: “The level of talent this year has just been fantastic. These young people are bursting with enthusiasm and creativity and it really shows in the looks they’ve produced today. I have no doubt they’ll go on to have very successful careers.”

The event also recognised the best performing students from each hairdressing course at the college.

Among them was Dean Gale, who was acknowledged as one of the most passionate students the tutors had taught in years.

Sian Rice, who was chosen by her peers rather than her tutor on the VRQ2 ladies and men's hairdressing full-time course, won for maintaining 100 per cent attendance, gaining distinctions while juggling childcare at the same time.

Student award winners: Harry Wallen - NVQ2 barbering; Gemma Younger - Level 1 Group 1; Amy Speed - Level 1 Group 2; Emma Corkindale - VRQ2 combined; Sian Rice - VRQ2 ladies and men's hairdressing full-time; Dean Gale - VRQ2 part time evenings; Victoria Ellis - VRQ2 part time day; Alanis Hooper - NVQ2 ladies hairdressing; Paige Black - VRQ3 hairdressing full-time; Claire Cook - VRQ3 hairdressing part time Mondays and Fridays; Claire Symonds - VRQ3 hairdressing part time evenings; Clare Huxley - VRQ3 hairdressing part time Tuesday and Thursday; Isabel Moult - Apprentice of the Year.

It has been a successful year for the college’s hairdressing department. In May barbering student Ian McCreery won silver at the British Barber Association’s national student competition and earlier in the year course tutors were commissioned to contribute to a national guidebook on hairdressing.

To find out more about hairdressing courses at City College visit www.southampton-city.ac.uk or call 023 80 484848.