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Stylist blown away by success MIRANDA GATHERCOLE Times Reporter
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hen hair stylist Michelle Lisa Pargee heard her name announced as master colourist of the year at the 2009 Contessa Awards in Toronto, she was in shock. “It blew my mind,” she said. “To be honest, when they called me and told me that I was a semi-finalist I cried. I was like ‘oh my god, this is the highlight of my career’ and I was so excited.And then they told me I was a finalist and I think I almost passed out.” It was a significant achievement for the mother of four and owner of Milica Salon and Spa in Walnut Grove, who was an unknown name in the industry at that time. “I didn’t expect to win, because everyone that was there was really famous and really well known in the industry,” Pargee said.“I just felt so lucky to be there. When they announced my name I just started clapping thinking it was for somebody else, and my daughter was with me and she started beating me on the leg saying, ‘Mom that’s you, get up.’ I couldn’t walk.” This was just the beginning for Pargee. She also went on to win makeover colourist of the year at the 2009 Contessas (Canadian Hair Stylist of the Year awards) and a finalist spot representing Canada at the Colour Zoom competition in 2009.Then in 2010 she won master colourist of the year again and another spot representing Canada at the Colour Zoom competition. She also had nine Contessa finalist placements that year, breaking the all time record. Most recently, she won BC Stylist of the Year at the 2012 Mirror Awards and will be heading to London this October for the World Hair
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With that she started Milica Salon 13 years ago in a small 1,500 sq. ft. studio in Langley. Beginning with a staff of just three, she quickly expanded until she was “bursting at the seams.” Now in a new 4,000 sq. ft. location at 20330 88 Ave. in Walnut Grove, Pargee employs a staff of 37 and runs a distinguished apprenticeship program. But a few years ago she began to get “bored” with styling and wanted to “change it up.” She decided to get more into the photography end of styling, where her true passion is. “It was reigniting what I really love to do,” she said. “As much as we love our salon guests, we tend to do repetitive things.When we do other’s hair it’s not about us, it’s about them and what they want us to do, and we need to listen and fulfill their vision of hair. But when you do your own creative work it’s about what’s in your head. Normally, we don’t get to do that, so it gives us that outlet.” Pargee paired up with photographer Greg Swales, a graduate of Langley Fine Arts, in 2008 to get some original photos done for the walls of her salon.They were so pleased with the results, they decided to submit them to the Canadian Hairstylist of the Year awards, where she won her first internationally acclaimed award in 2009. “The first year I went to the Contessas I was kind of overwhelmed because I had submitted photo never experienced anything Michelle Pargee (right) with model Aidan Morris at the Tokyo After Dark show, like that before,” Pargee said. put on as main stage entertainment for the Contessa23 Show in 2011. “They have all of the finalists names with their pictures Colouring Competition. morning to catch her flight to was never quite satisfied. on a board, and I was just But what no one knew Toronto. Her abusive husband “I worked in other salons standing back in awe of the was when Pargee was had forbidden her to go. but I just had a different air fact that my pictures were reaching the highest point in ••••• of professionalism of how up there.Then I heard two her career, she was also at the Pargee was first introduced I want to behave,” Pargee very famous hairdressers lowest point in her private to the world of hair at a said.“I like to use really in Canada congratulating life. young age by her mother, good quality products and each other for being finalists Just hours before accepting who owned a salon.After I wanted more of a team together, and they looked her first Contessa award, apprenticing with her mother environment, and more of at my pictures and said ‘oh Pargee was sneaking out for five years, she started treating people like they are those are good, who’s that? of her home at 4:30 in the working in other salons, but valued.” Who the hell is Michelle?
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Where’s Langley?’They had no idea, because all of the finalists are from Montreal or New York or Toronto.They’re all people who are well known and published. So it was quite funny because the next year when I went, and I won the second time, one of them actually came up to me laughing and said ‘well I guess we know who you are now.’ Pargee is currently serving as a Goldwell North American Guest Artist, which requires her to travel to at least 12 different cities around the world each year to teach workshops. This is in addition to running her own salon, working 30 hours a week with clients and raising her five-year-old and nine-year-old kids as a single mom. She says she is lucky to have her two grown children (ages 23 and 28) to help out, as her ex-husband is no longer in the picture. ••••• Pargee spent many years under the control of her husband, but it wasn’t until her career began to take off that she realized she couldn’t carry on with him. When she won the spot for Canada at Colour Zoom in 2009, her husband travelled with her to Las Vegas for the competition and was appalled at what he saw. “When I won that spot it really bothered him, because I won attention,” Pargee said.“And then when he came with me to Vegas, the attention disturbed him so much that he actually told me that I wasn’t allowed to do it anymore. “I found out at the same time that I had won the spot for the Hairdresser of the Year (Contessa) awards.We had tickets to go together, and he actually told me the night before that I couldn’t go. He said ‘you’re not going continued, PAGE 3