Keeping you entertained – and informed
Come with me on a historical journey into the hair fashion world.
The Helen Oppenheim Hair Fashion Photo Archives are a unique and inspirational resource for the media, movies, tv, theatre, anyone wanting a new hairstyle. There are more than 2,000 photos from the ’60s to the present, many innovative firsts, many not dated, still relevant and wearable today, even from way back then.
Ideas. This is what you will find on www.helenoppenheim.com, the result of my art directing, conceiving, taking and collecting photos over decades. Yes, I’m a hoarder. I specialize in hair and fashion trends, and have photographed myself backstage at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Weeks for years. Most fun I’ve had. There are “treasures” hidden here and there and I hope you will find the time to discover them.
I am using my first blog mostly to highlight interesting photos on the website as well as whatever tickles my fancy. I am not intending to be politically correct all the time, so I may ruffle a few feathers. Be warned. But I hope to keep you entertained. And informed.
I was born in London, lived in Montreal for years, and for the last few decades in New York City. All have influenced me. I specialize in hair fashion trends and how to do them, have toiled away as a journalist and PR for some of the world’s best, and have been US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine of Barcelona since 1982. I’m hard to please! Too honest, perhaps. So I have lots of friends, also lots of enemies and expect to make a few more of both.
Now, I’m working on my legacy, for posterity. This is a Work in Progress. I expect it will take forever. So, stay tuned…
Love it. Absolutely love it. Thank you, Mitchell Field, for this great gift of a bus with wonderful words!
Boudoir Hair, A Curly Gamine – 1987
Photo: Geoffrey Hargrave-Thomas
Another romantic feeling from La Coupe New York – in 1987. A gamine short soft look for those with curly hair. And it could be worn today. From the Boudoir Hair Collection.
La Coupe introduced The New Curl and Kim Lepine, International Design Director, predicted: “The New Direction is small heads, closer to the head, with soft “V” backs.” For much more (close-up, sideview, backview and tutorials) go to HairThen, 80s Hair, Boudoir Hair on www.helenoppenheim.com
Hair: Kim Lepine, La Coupe, 1987 … Texture: Rita Starnella … Makeup: Nadiya Nottingham … Model Lori Hope/Kay … Fashion Styling: Aleta Wolf-Gentile … Graphics: Guion Beecher … Photo: Geoffrey Hargrave Thomas
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
COMMENTShine-On Lights – 1974
More art deco. With shine-on lights, color just where the light would shine on straight hair. This idea got more press in all the major magazines at the time than any of the many inspirational stories in La Coupe’s 1974 Art Deco campaign. For more, much more, and how-to’s for color and cuts, go to HairThen, La Coupe, 70s, Art Deco on this website.
Top, and color detail center from NY Sunday News Magazine 2 page spread … left gold shine-on, and center bottom, burgundy shine-on, photos by Serge Beauchemin. Photo right, blue shine-on, photo by Lorraine Sylvestre, illustration by Tom Huffman, all hair by Charles Booth, La Coupe. Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
COMMENT
The Great Gatsby, The Movie – and More …
Above, Bazz Lurhamnn’s Great Gatsby Inspirations – Warner Brothers
Second collage – Sherri Jessee’s New Gatsby
Third collage – La Coupe’s ’20s inspirations, 1993
THE GREAT GATSBY
Saw the movie today.
I loved the fashions (some by Prada and Miu Miu) the jewelry (Tiffany’s) the hair accessories (hardly any feathers, much more sophisticated) the hair (wigs, I think by Kerry Warn) the cloche hats, and the eye makeup very today rather than of the era but beautiful.
The 3-D was interesting, once you got used to it, some overdone, loved the titles at the end. The movie was far from perfect but fun, better than I thought it would be with all the Baz bashing- just forget the beloved F. Scot Fitzgerald book, enjoy it.
As Gatsby, Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting a bit O.T.T., his hair dyed blonder, a little wave, Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Jordan Baker, didn’t have much of a part but she came off as a future star – we’ll be hearing more of her, and Daisy’s husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton.) Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan was lovely, wearing great fashions and jewelry. Baz Lurhmann was Baz, better than Moulin Rogue, which I didn’t like, but still Baz with his Long Island computer-generated , sometimes cartoonish Gatsby filmed in Australia.
Look for hair and fashion inspiration in these three collages of photos – top collage, of Daisy (Carey Mulligan), Gatsby (Leonoard di Caprio) and Jordan (Elizabeth Debicki) from Baz Lurhmann’s Great Gatsby which opened nationwide “everywhere” in the US today, Friday, May 10, and will open the Cannes Festival on May 15, out of the competition.
Oscars? Only for Costume Design, I think. Maybe Special Effects.
Then check out some great photo-generated Long-Island shots by Roberto Ligestri for Sherri Jessee’s New Great Gatsby Collection featuring Nick Evanovich as Gatsby in Tom Ford, styled by the late-great David Widjaja, and two photos from La Coupe’s 1993 Creative Evening, hair by Kim Lepine, Photos by David Webber. The vintage hair accessories were and are spot-on. Scroll/Click for more Sherri Jessee’s New Gatsby on Modern Salon.com More La Coupe’s 20-inspired jazz age hairstyles, HairThen, 90s on www.helenoppenheim.com
COMMENTMagritte-Inspiired Vidal Sassoon HighHair – 1980
Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre
The Museum of Modern Art will be inspiring the fashion and hair worlds with Magritte: The Mystery Of The Ordinary, 1926 -1938, the first exhibition to focus exclusively on René Magritte’s breakthrough surrealist years. The exhibition opens in New York on September 28, 2013, before traveling to Houston and Chicago in 2014.
Magritte inspired Vidal Sassoon New York In 1980 – with these versions of romantic, dreamy HighHair, by Graham Wren, photographed with some Magritte-like clouds and curtains, designed by Avram. Apologies to René Magritte’s “Le Beau Monde” (“High Society”) created in 1960 (not the exhibition’s time frame) but we thought any Magritte is motivational. For more surreal hair, go to HairThen, Vidal Sassoon, HighHair, on www.helenoppenheim.com
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, 1980 … Makeup: Ted Nadel … Dress: Patrick Wise … Model: Vyctoria … Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre … Art Director: Avram … Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
COMMENTZandra Rhodes with Hamish Bowles – 2013
Photo: Helen Oppenheim
British designer Zandra Rhodes with her signature hot pink hair, now in a classic bob, with Hamish Bowles of Vogue, photographed during the Punk: Chaos to Couture Press Preview at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Zandra has some of her famous dresses included in the great exhibition. Check Museums on www.helenoppenheim.com for photos of the must-see exhibition May 9 to August 14, 2013.
Photo: Helen Oppenheim
COMMENTPunk: Chaos to Couture @The Met – Yamamoto
Metropolotan Musuem of Art – Photo: Helen Oppenheim
PUNK – FROM CHAOS TO COTURE – at the Metropolitan Museum of Art May 9 to August 13, 2013. Here’s Yohji Yamamoto. More fashions under Museums on www.helenoppenheim.com. Red carpet arrivals will be live streamed beginning at 7 pm on metmuseum.org/metgala, modaoperandi.com, vogue.com and samsung.com/galaxys4/punk – tonight, Friday May 6, beginning at 7 pm.Z
Hair treatment: Guido Palau … Photo: Helen Oppenheim
COMMENTRaphael’s Femme Fatale – 1971
Photo: Klaus Lucka
Femme Fatale by Raphael Santarossa. This is one of many looks with flicks at the front that Raphael created in 1971, very new then. Raphael, one of the great hairdressers of all time, was very famous in London and Europe in the 60s, as the Raphael of Raphael & Leonard. I launched his salon when he arrived in Montreal and this was one of the great photos from our opening press release by the hairdresser who loved women! For more on Raphael, go to About, and for more Femme Fatale photos, go to the Archives – HairThen, Raphael, on www.helenoppenheim.com
Hair: Ralphael …Makeup: Jacques LaFleur … Model: Donna Clarke … Photo: Klaus Lucka. Produced by Helen Oppenheim.