Moana Winitana

Moana works part-time in our academy office administration team and is our unofficial in-house fashionista! Her role varies since she has worked in different areas within Servilles Academy, although admits “These days you will mostly find me behind my desk in the office, interviewing beautiful potential students, teaching when needed or in the Academy Salon.”

In 1999 in Hawke’s Bay, Moana’s hairdressing career began. “I had a great tutor, Tracey, who was inspiring to me at that time. She landed a hairdressing job offer and moved to Auckland. After some time still deciding if hairdressing was going to be for me, I thought ‘yes it is’ and that my next hairdressing opportunity is in Auckland too.” Calling the City of Sails her “new home”,  Moana soon became a young mum before then completing her graduate programme (now the Emerging Stylist programme) in 2007 at Servilles Academy.

“A couple of great highlights and opportunities were learning and working under the direction of three very talented women in the industry – Kyla Rose for Servilles Chancery and then onto Tony and Guy, again learning and working alongside my first-year tutor, Tracey. I completed my vardering training here with Bronwyn Illingworth in 2008. I loved every bit about putting together my own showcase of hair, music, styling and atmosphere. This helped me to recognise my strengths and what I really enjoyed about hairdressing.”

Interestingly, Moana’s hairdressing aspirations were not because she was especially interested in doing hair, but because she “knew [she] wanted to do something creative and [she] thought hairdressers presented a stylish look about themselves.” This vision has carried through to this day, with Moana stating “My creative eye has forged the gap between hair and style, the perfect combination of what I do for my own clientele now. Ultimately making others look and feel empowered through hair and personal style is my why.”

Moana says her favourite thing of being part of the Servilles Academy team is meeting “many talented tutors and managers who continue to lead Servilles Academy at the forefront of style and learning for the generations of hairdressers to come”

“Being creative is the foundation to take you to various platforms in the industry. Continue to master your craft and source your inspirations often. This industry is ever-evolving and waiting for new talented students to inspire fresh innovative ideas.”