The story behind Animal Magic Styling Academy.

Costin Stoica’s journey in professional dog grooming began after moving from Romania to the United Kingdom in 2013, driven by a determination to turn his passion for dogs into a career built on skill, creativity and care.

He began his professional training at Dogs Delights Academy under the guidance of Julie Lalou Simpson, developing the foundations that would shape his approach to grooming: understanding breed standards, coat texture, balance, technique and the artistry behind exceptional grooming.

In 2015, Costin entered his first grooming competition in the UK. What followed was a journey through national and international competition, representing Great Britain and competing across Europe and around the world, and winning numerous national and international grooming awards.

As part of Groom Team England, he became a World Champion in Handstripping — the defining achievement of his competitive career.

Costin’s career has grown beyond the grooming table. He works as an international grooming judge, seminar speaker and educator, sharing his knowledge with professional groomers in the UK and internationally, and is Co-Founder of Groomphoria, an educational event created to bring groomers together to learn and be inspired.

He has also worked as Grooming Advisor for Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving Very Badly, providing professional grooming expertise during production.

Animal Magic Styling Academy was created so Costin can pass his professional knowledge, competition experience, breed-standard grooming skills and real-world salon experience directly to students, through hands-on teaching.