Meet the ELEVEN Australia Collective Member Amber Bird

Hairdressing in My Blood – A Journey from Stage to Salon

I’ve been officially part of the hair industry for 15 years, but you could say it’s been in my veins since the day I was born. My parents opened our family salon back in 1974, and in 2010, I proudly joined the team.

Before that, I took a different path — I went to drama school and earned a degree in Performing Arts. While I didn’t stay in that world, it wasn’t a detour; it was a chapter that helped shape the way I express myself creatively today. Luckily, I still get to put those skills to use on stage through competitions and hair shows, bringing performance into the hair world in the best way.

These days, you’ll mostly find me in the salon, running the day-to-day with my amazing team and keeping things moving in our family business. I still take part in the occasional show — just for the fun of it! I love working one-on-one with clients to create beautiful transformations. I also train our NVQ students in-salon, which has been unexpectedly rewarding. Becoming a qualified assessor wasn’t part of the original plan, but helping students grow into confident professionals is an incredible feeling.

Quickfire Q&A

How long have you been a hairdresser?
15 years.

Why did you want to become a hairdresser?
Funny story — I didn’t! But once I started working in the salon, the energy, creativity, and the joy of making people feel amazing hooked me instantly.

What’s your speciality?
I genuinely love it all! If I had to choose, I’d say transformations — whether it’s a dramatic cut or a bold new colour. That “before and after” moment is pure magic.

Which famous hairdresser would you be for a day?
Rachel Vitullo. Her colour work is genius. The way she visualises and creates formulas blows my mind. Every time I watch her, I learn something new.

If you could invent something for the industry, what would it be?
A mannequin head with unlimited hair — press a button and poof, back to long! Perfect for training and practising endlessly.

This Month with The Collective: Styling with Zoë Rees

This month, we had an inspiring styling day with Zoë Rees from Bliss Hair Therapy, and I couldn’t have been more excited. I’ve been on the lookout for a styling course that felt both creative and commercial — something I could take straight back into the salon. This was it.

Zoë was warm, knowledgeable, and made everyone feel at ease from the start. We kicked off by focusing on product prep — something that’s easy to overlook when we’re in the daily grind. She reminded us how crucial the right products are to the longevity and quality of a style.

Our first hands-on session was a volume blow dry paired with a classic pin curl set — the secret to achieving that bouncy, full-bodied blowout that clients love. Getting to see the difference in my results just by tweaking product choice and prep was a lightbulb moment. I’ve already put the techniques into practice in the salon and let me tell you, the root lift is next level!

In the afternoon, we tackled an iconic 90s-inspired Pamela Anderson updo. I’ll admit — I was a little nervous. Long hair isn’t usually my thing, but Zoë guided us every step of the way. It was fascinating to see how small changes created such a variety of looks. The session left me feeling confident and inspired — I even pulled out the training head the next day to practice again!

Next up? HairCon! We’re buzzing with excitement to connect with everyone and show off everything we’ve learned so far. It’s going to be a fantastic couple of days — see you there!

Make sure you keep up to date with eveything Amber gets up to on her insta here!