Milbon DA-Link USA 2026 Contestant Participation Terms

Individual Participation

These Contestant Participation Terms (“Terms”) govern your (“Contestant”) participation in DA-Link 2026 (the “Event”), which is organized and administered by Milbon USA, Inc. (“Milbon”). Your participation in the Event is also subject to the official contest rules (the “Contest Rules”), which you acknowledge have been provided to you beforehand, and are incorporated herein by reference.

You acknowledge that you are entering into these Terms in your individual capacity and on your own behalf, and that you have the full right, power and authority to do so and to be bound hereby. Each Contestant must separately agree to and be bound by these Terms in order to participate in the event.

1. Prohibited Conduct

You shall not, and represent and warrant that you will not;

(1) submit works that plagiarize, imitate or substantially reproduce third party’s photos, paintings, artworks, costumes, designs or other creative expressions;

(2) submit works that infringe on any copyright, trademark, design right, portrait right, or similar right of any third party;

(3) submit works that may constitute human rights violations, discrimination, or defamation or that are otherwise unlawful, harmful, abusive, obscene, or objectionable, as determined by Milbon in its sole discretion;

(4) submit works that contain political messages, political advocacy, or any expressions that may be interpreted as supporting, endorsing, or opposing a political party, political figure, ideology, policy, or social movement; or

(5) submit works that violate these Terms or any applicable laws or regulations.

Milbon reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to review, reject, remove, or disqualify any submission or Contestant that it determines violates the foregoing, without notice or liability.

2. Original and Unpublished Work Only

(1) Submissions must be original works created solely by you that have not been published in general newspapers, industry magazines, websites or any other media, including social media.

(2) Duplicate submissions to other contests are prohibited, including submissions that differ only in angle, pose, costume, lighting, or other minor variations, and you represent and warrant that your submission has not been submitted to, accepted by, or awarded in any other competition.

(3) As this event aims to improve the technical and expressive abilities of hair stylists, the use of AI-generated fictitious persons or hair styles is prohibited.

3. Consent from Model and Photographer

(1) Models you select for submitted works and Event-day works must be at least eighteen (18) years of age. You are solely responsible for verifying the age of your model, and providing proof of such verification to Milbon upon request.

(2) Submitted works may be published on Milbon owned or paid media (including advertisements, website, social media, brochures, and similar media) worldwide; therefore, you must obtain prior written publication consent from(i) the model, (ii) the photographer, and (iii) any other individual (including, without limitation, yourself and any salon members or assistants) who appears, whether intentionally or incidentally, in the submitted work, in a form satisfactory to Milbon, granting Milbon and its affiliates, licensees and designees the unrestricted, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free right to use, reproduce, distribute, display, modify, and create derivative works from such submissions prior to entry. The Contestant must promptly deliver such consent and grant of rights to Milbon upon request.

(3) The Event-day-model must submit, before participating, a valid model release agreement as specified by Milbon that authorizes Milbon and/or its designated third parties to take photos and videos and use the images worldwide for commercial purposes.  Failure to provide the signed model release agreement will result in immediate disqualification and Milbon shall have no liability arising therefrom.

4. Event Photography and Videography

You acknowledge and agree that photographs and videos will be taken throughout the event, and that you may appear in such photographs or videos, whether intentionally or incidentally. Milbon and its authorized third parties may use, publish, reproduce, edit, modify, distribute, and publicly display any photographs or videos in which you appear, in any media worldwide, including advertisements, websites, social media, brochures, and other promotional materials, in perpetuity and for any lawful commercial or promotional purpose, without any compensation to you. You waive any right to inspect, approve, or object to such uses, and waive any rights of publicity, privacy, or other similar rights in connection therewith to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. You further acknowledge and agree that all rights, title, and interest in and to such photographs and videos shall be owned exclusively by Milbon (or its designees), and you hereby irrevocably assign any rights you may have therein to Milbon.

5. Event Attendance, Venue Conduct, and Assumption of Risk

By attending the event, you acknowledge that your participation and presence at the Event venue are voluntary. You agree to comply with all event rules, venue regulations, and instructions provided by Milbon staff for the safe and orderly operation of the Event, and acknowledge that failure to comply may result in removal from the Event and/or disqualification, in Milbon’s sole discretion. In the event of violations of these Terms or disruptive behavior, in Milbon’s sole discretion, Milbon reserves the right to take appropriate action, including immediate removal from the venue and disqualification from the Event, without notice, refund, compensation, or liability of any kind.

You acknowledge that the Event environment may involve crowded conditions, electrical equipment, heat styling tools, chemicals, lighting equipment, and active movement, and that these conditions carry inherent risks. You voluntarily assume all such risks, including the risk of personal injury, illness, property damage, or death, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and agree that Milbon shall have no responsibility or liability for any such risks.

6. Assistant Participation
Contestants may choose to bring an assistant to the Event at their sole discretion. Any assistant who attends the Event does so at the invitation of the Contestant, and the Contestant remains responsible for such assistant’s conduct and compliance throughout the Event and shall ensure that such assistant agrees in writing (in a form acceptable to Milbon) to be bound by all applicable terms, rules, and conditions of the Event prior to attending. You are responsible for ensuring that your assistant complies with all applicable Event rules, venue regulations, and instructions provided by Milbon staff, and any failure by such assistant to comply may be deemed a failure by the Contestant.

You acknowledge and agree that Milbon shall have no responsibility or liability for the actions, omissions, injuries, or damages involving your assistant, except in cases of Milbon’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

You further acknowledge that assistants may be exposed to the same Event‑related risks described in these Terms, and that any such risks are voluntarily assumed by you and your assistant and you agree to release, waive, and hold harmless Milbon and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and representatives from any and all claims arising out of or relating to your assistant’s presence or participation at the Event, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

7. Copyright

Copyright in all works submitted prior to the Event date, regardless of submission timing, and all photos and videos captured on the event day belongs to Milbon, and, to the extent any such rights do not automatically vest in Milbon, are hereby irrevocably assigned to Milbon without further consideration. Milbon may edit, modify, reproduce or use the works for advertisements, websites, social media, brochures, or other promotional purposes in any media now known or hereafter developed, without further approval, notice, or compensation to the Contestant, any assistant or any third party.

8. Responsibility for Rights, Safety and Disputes

(1) Milbon assumes no responsibility for any trouble or disputes relating to portrait rights or copyrights including any claims arising from your failure to obtain necessary consents, licenses, or permissions from any third party.

(2) Milbon assumes no responsibility for any injuries, accidents, harm, or damages caused to you, model, contestant, assistant, or audience occurring within the Event venue, except in cases of Milbon's gross negligence or willful misconduct. This includes, without limitation, incidents resulting from slips, trips, falls, collisions with people or objects, falling equipment, crowded conditions, or other movement-related accidents, as well as hair or chemical damage, burns, cuts, allergic reactions, staining, irritation, or other physical or property damage.  You attend the Event voluntarily and at your own risk and you hereby waive and release any and all claims against Milbon and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and representatives arising out of or related to such risks to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

You acknowledge that professional hair services will be performed during the Event, including on models selected by you, and that such services may involve the use of chemical products, heat tools, cutting instruments, and styling equipment. You understand that such activities carry risks, including hair damage, burns, cuts, staining, allergic reactions, and irritation. You voluntarily assume all associated risks on behalf of yourself and your model and you are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary consents and ensuring that your model is medically and physically fit to participate.

(3) If any dispute, claim, or complaint arises with any model or photographer in connection with the submitted work or Event-day work due to your failure to obtain an adequate consent or other breach of these terms, you will be immediately disqualified and any and all educational support grants and commemorative gifts will be revoked without liability to Milbon.

(4) You acknowledge and agree that participation in the Event is subject to full compliance with the official Contest Rules issued by Milbon. Any violation of the Contest Rules, including but not limited to submission requirements, model requirements, technical restrictions, or conduct guidelines stated therein, shall constitute grounds for immediate disqualification and the revocation of any awards, benefits, or privileges granted in connection with the Event, in Milbon’s sole discretion and without notice, appeal, or liability.

(5) You shall indemnify and hold harmless Milbon from and against all losses arising from such failure, breach, including reasonable legal fees, losses, damages, liabilities and expenses including, without limitation, those arising from claims by third parties, your model, your assistant, or any other person in connection with your participation in the Event.

9. Confidentiality

Any non-public information relating to Milbon, its products, campaigns, business partners, technical processes, or marketing plans that you obtain in connection with the event, including backstage activities and behind-the-scenes content, constitutes confidential information, whether disclosed orally, visually, electronically, or in writing, and whether or not marked or identified as confidential. You agree not to disclose, publish, or disseminate any such confidential information without Milbon’s prior written consent. Your obligations under this Section shall survive termination or completion of your participation in the Event.

10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, and you hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.