Celebrate with Solace Hair & Esthetics Celebrate with ... - Biz Comb

22
Painting a Different
Canvas
Rachel
Fortino
T
he elegant Salon Alessandro, located on Ontario Street in St.
Catharines, is staffed with trained professionals who provide their
customers with excellent service and satisfaction for 32 years.
Among them is 28-year-old Rachel Fortino, whose dedication to her craft and
expertise with scissors, brushes and blow dryers has culminated in her
representing Canada several times at the prestigious International Hairworld
Championships.
The Hairworld Championships are held every two years, and at the 2010
event held in Paris, France, Rachel represented Canada with three other
Canadian stylists and placed 16th among the 63 countries participating with Rachel finishing as the top
Canadian.
The road to Paris, however, didn't come without a lot of hard work, dedication and many hours of
working overtime. Rachel started training for the competition several months before the event,
following the same routine on the mannequin head again and again to ensure perfection. During the
competition she would have to perfect the hairstyle on the mannequin head in less than 20 minutes.
Rachel's journey to ultimate perfection all began when she was just 14 years old and started out
helping her father Alex Fortino, well-known hairstylist and salon owner, with small tasks around Salon
Alessandro. After watching her father at work, Rachel began to get more involved and started cutting
hair alongside Alex. She stayed committed to life in the salon, and although it required a lot of
patience, her talent and passion for the work kept her going. Deciding that this was her passion in life,
Rachel enrolled in the cosmetology apprenticeship program at Niagara College, rejoining her father at
Salon Alessandro upon graduation.
Through her talent and dedication, Rachel has come a long way in just a few years. Her father and
mentor is always by her side to support her and offer motivation to keep improving and to achieve her
goal as the number one stylist in the world.
She can be reached at 905-682-3321 or visit www.salonalessandro.com
a p r o f i l e o f t h e m o n t h