Mikaela shares her journey from Gore to Wānaka, building a long-standing career in hairdressing and stepping into the global fashion industry through her work with Wella. From local salon floors to Paris Fashion Week, her career has evolved into a mix of creativity, education and international travel, all anchored by life in Wānaka.

The conversation explores what it takes to work at a high level in the fashion and beauty industry while also managing the realities of motherhood, career and constantly moving between different roles. Mikaela reflects on confidence, pressure and the ongoing challenge of balancing ambition with everyday life.

They also dive into changing beauty standards, embracing natural texture and the shift towards more relaxed, individual expression in hair and fashion. Mikaela shares some of what happens behind the scenes at international shows, as well as the trends she’s seeing filter back into New Zealand salons and everyday clients.

It’s an honest, funny and relatable conversation about the reality behind the glamorous work, juggling multiple roles and finding a way to keep doing what you love without losing yourself along the way.

In this episode:

• Mikaela’s move from Gore to Wānaka
• Building a career in hairdressing in Wānaka
• Becoming a Wella educator and working internationally
• Behind the scenes at Paris Fashion Week
• Balancing motherhood, career and travel
• Confidence, identity and creative pressure
• Changing hair and beauty trends
• Embracing natural texture and individuality
• Life between local work and global fashion
• Finding balance in a multi-layered career

About Mikaela Gallagher

Mikaela Gallagher is a Wānaka-based hairdresser and Wella professional educator. She works across salon life, education and international fashion events, including Paris Fashion Week. Mikaela is passionate about creativity, self-expression and helping people feel confident through hair and style.

Follow Mikaela:
@mikaela_creative
https://instagram.com/mikaela_creative

New episodes of The Wānaka Edit are released weekly, featuring conversations with inspiring locals, creatives, business owners and people from across the Wānaka community.

Looking for your next home, investment property or lifestyle opportunity in Wānaka?
Visit www.colliers.co.nz

Sam shares how moving from Auckland to Wānaka changed both his work and the life he wanted to build. They talk about his background in fashion and commercial photography, his move into architecture and interiors, and what it takes to create opportunities and build a creative career in a small town.

Sam also shares how Wānaka’s light, landscapes and changing seasons influence his work, along with the personal projects that keep him curious and creatively inspired.

In this episode:

• Moving from Auckland to Wānaka
• Building a creative career in a small town
• Photographing architecture, people and landscapes
• Creating your own opportunities
• The influence of Wānaka’s light and seasons
• Balancing commercial work with passion projects
• Photography as a way of telling stories

About Sam

Sam is a Wānaka-based photographer and videographer specialising in architecture, interiors, lifestyle and commercial storytelling.

Explore Sam’s work:
Sampford Cathie

New episodes of The Wānaka Edit are released weekly.

Explore Wānaka property and lifestyle opportunities:
Colliers Wānaka

Wānaka is known for the lake, the mountains and the lifestyle — but the real story is the people who choose to build a life here.

Hosted by Janey and Hannah from Colliers Wānaka, The Wānaka Edit is a podcast about the people, businesses and ideas shaping this place.

Each episode goes beyond property to explore the stories behind the homes, the decisions and the lives being built here.