Sponsored By Wella Education
Before competitions, mood boards, and fully realized creative concepts, Omar Antonio was a very young father trying to pivot. Fashion school was the original dream, but time wasn’t on his side so hair became the practical route. What started as a second option, quickly turned into a serious artistic pursuit. Inspired by fashion, celebrity culture, Berlin edge, Japanese street style, and festival energy, Omar committed to mastering his craft.
His creative drive was sharpened early on at Miss Marty’s Cosmetology School in San Francisco, where advanced education pushed him beyond the basics. In 2004, he was discovered by Sebastian Professional and joined the artistic team, taking his work to global stages and runway shows all while staying rooted in the belief that hair is 100% art.
The Power of Competition
A major theme of this episode is competition: why students, especially, should step into it. When you’re a student, everything feels new, fresh, and fearless. Competition is the perfect place to channel that energy. It gives you the space to build a theme from scratch, experiment with texture, push shape, and create something completely original. It’s not just about winning, it’s about the adrenaline, the creative stretch, and being surrounded by other artists bringing bold ideas to life. Even as one competitor, you can walk away having learned countless techniques by observing what everyone else is doing.
He firmly believes competitions are one of the fastest ways to grow as an artist and current students are in luck as the NEW Sebastian Student Competition in partnership with Wella Education was recently announced. This is a brand-new competition created exclusively for students to step outside the classroom and gain real-world experience, With renowned judges, major prizes, and the opportunity to build a fully realized creative concept, this is a chance to grow fast. And we’re challenging YOU to enter.
This episode kicks off our three-part Shape Your World – Sebastian Student Competition Podcast Series, hosted by NATVA Student Finalist Claudia Patino. The series is designed to inspire and guide students participating in the competition through expert insights, practical tips, and creative motivation. In this episode, Omar breaks down mood boards and model selection in order to get students set up for success.
Moodboards, Vision, and Preparation
Omar emphasized that clarity is everything. Before competition day or any creative shoot, you need a full understanding of what you’re producing: the model, the makeup, the wardrobe, the photographer, the angles. The last thing you want is to arrive and have people asking, “what are we doing here?”
That’s where moodboards come in. Omar’s process often starts with sketching shapes and silhouettes before pulling reference images online. You pull picture after picture until the idea feels cohesive. Sometimes inspiration is incredibly specific, even something like a candy apple red Porsche to define the exact lip color you’re after. Extreme levels of detail build alignment across the team.
Preparation also means practicing the look beforehand. Competition day is not the time to learn. By choosing the right model and walking them through poses, last-minute changes are minimized and confidence is built. The more prepared you are, the smoother everything runs.
For Omar, one message stayed consistent: put yourself out there. Compete. Create boldly. Plan intentionally. And most importantly, wear the hair, don’t let the hair wear you.
If you are a student, head to wellaed.com/competitions to enter the Sebastian Student Competition and head to YouTube to listen to the full episode!
