Mala McAlpin The second weekend of November marked the launch of the inaugural Aesthetics 2019; Dr Steven Liew’s very first foray into the wide world of medical aesthetics conferences, and guests were raving by the end of the 2.5 day event.
Steven promised a unique experience, and he certainly delivered. Upon entry, attendees were greeted by a glittering space and breathtaking chandeliers at the Sofitel Wentworth Sydney, in addition to several towering fresh floral arrangements setting the perfect backdrop for some (very effective) selfie locations. The photo opps didn’t stop there, with Allergan’s roving selfie robot Amie making the rounds of the exhibition floor.
The exhibitor space was modest, featuring a handful of key brands that would be making appearances throughout the conference’s programme. These included High Tech Medical, Synergie Skin, Advanced Skin Technology, Jan Marini, The Skincare Company, Teoxane, Candela, Bioptron, and Skinceuticals to name a few.
The main conference space where sessions were hosted had been transformed with some serious party vibes – the main screen was decorated on both sides with vertical neon lights that flashed and alternated in colour (according to the sessions taking place on stage), exacerbated by the mirrored panelling on the ceiling. The party vibes continued further with a dance break that lasted several minutes each afternoon, aimed to get drained guests on their feet and re-energized.
Attendees were all praise for the programme’s very specific injecting topics and technique masterclasses, including sessions that showcased several different practitioners and models live on screen simultaneously, live-broadcast from rooms backstage. Programme highlights included the highly anticipated makeup vs injectables showdown, which pitted Rae Morris’ internationally acclaimed makeup skills against Steven Liew’s injecting techniques (makeup won!) as well as hugely popular international guests Dr Arthur Swift and Raj Acquilla.
The programme featured a no-holds-barred attitude throughout, particularly the panels moderated by Steven himself, who didn’t hold back when it came to asking his on-stage guests the tough questions about techniques, results, and accountability for industry standards and body dysmorphia.
Saturday evening saw guests back at the quickly-transformed conference venue for a sold-out gala dinner, complete with celebrity-style pink carpet, opulent dress code and ballroom dance lessons, even a human champagne fountain.
Steven closed the event at lunchtime on Sunday with a few remarks on what to expect for next year – alongside the distribution of Aesthetics 2020-emblazoned cupcakes.
“I want to take this chance to talk a little bit about Aesthetics 2020. The theme for Aesthetics 2020 is Opening Your Eyes – you may interpret this whichever way, but to me, it’s about doing things differently so that we can achieve results better than what we’re doing.”
We look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference on August 7-9 2020.
