AMBA · ANZ Modern Barber Awards 2025

Australia's
#1. — Empire Barbershop won ANZ Modern Barber Business of the Year and Best ANZ Barber Educator of the Year Individual (Damian Lai) at the 2025 AMBA Awards.

Two of the industry's highest honours, taken home the same night.

The wins

Two trophies, one standard.

  1. Modern Barber Business of the Year

    ANZ Modern Barber Awards · 2025

    Awarded to Empire Barbershop. The industry's top business honour — judged on consistency, standard, and how the shop actually runs.

  2. Barber Educator of the Year

    ANZ Modern Barber Awards · 2025 · Individual

    Awarded to founder Damian Lai for the School of Barbers — Empire's training program for the next generation of barbers.

The two 2025 AMBA trophies — ANZ Modern Barber Business of the Year (Empire Barbershop) and Best ANZ Barber Educator of the Year Individual (Damian Lai)
Left: Modern Barber Business of the Year, Empire Barbershop. Right: Barber Educator of the Year, Damian Lai.

Why it happened

Earned
not handed over.

The AMBA judges didn't see a marketing campaign — they saw a shop running the way a barbershop should: consistent, deliberate work, one chair at a time.

Every barber trained inside the shop. Every service starting with a proper consultation. Every finish inspected before the cape comes off.

Read the Empire story →

Book a chair

Come see why we won.

3A Station Street, Oakleigh — two-minute walk from Oakleigh station. Walk-ins welcome, appointments recommended.