TOP Salon - The Challenge

For 25 years, the hairdressing trade magazine TOP HAIR has been honoring the most successful hair salons in German-speaking countries. What originally began as an award for German businesses has been extended to include companies from Austria and Switzerland since 2023. Every year, more than 150 salons compete for one of the coveted awards. A total of 12 teams compete in four different categories to prove that they deserve the title of TOP Salon 2026.

The winners of the “TOP Salon - The Challenge” competition will be announced at a festive award ceremony during TOP HAIR Düsseldorf.

The four categories

Best Practice

Tradition and lasting success go hand in hand in this category

Design

The award for pioneering interior design

Employer

This refers to salons that promote and train talent in an exceptional way.

Future Business

The focus on future-proof behavior for the climate and society or the innovative use of digital technologies is rewarded.

Finalisten

The TOP Salon judges for 2026: Christoph Filser, Franca Schnell, Robert Zimmermann, Rebecca Kandler, and Mike Karg

The TOP Salon editorial team received numerous entries for the TOP Salon – The Challenge 2026 business competition in this round as well. Once again, salons from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were eligible to apply.

A jury of well-known industry experts and hairdressing entrepreneurs had the difficult task of reviewing the 35 best applicants for the TOP Salon – The Challenge 2026 business competition and selecting twelve finalists. This required not a consensus of the panel, but an individual evaluation of all applications by each juror. “It's an incredibly big responsibility to do justice to everyone here. They are all top-notch and prove it through their applications and every day through their performance in their salons,” said juror and hairdressing entrepreneur Christoph Filser.

The winners of the coveted trophy in each category will be announced live on March 21, 2026, at the industry's leading trade fair, the TOP HAIR trade fair in Düsseldorf.

Category Best Practice:

Category Design:

Category Employer:

Category Future Business:

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